Sex Addiction
Reach out now, we can helpSex Addiction
We live in a highly sexualized society; sexual content is abundant and apparent in just about every corner of our lives. Porn addiction is an easy temptation. As far as society has developed, there has been no effective way to regulate the human sex drive (Britannica, 2021). The human capacity to derive pleasure from sexual stimulus, renders most human beings helpless in the face of a world that is constantly intoxicated by it. Human beings are socialized to be in constant pursuit of a satisfaction that they will in many ways never achieve. Like all addictions, it is not simply the substance that drives the addict- it is the lifestyle as well. The pursuit of the perfect ideal of sexuality is what is often considered as the pay off, in and of itself. Nothing makes this more apparent than pornography.
Pornography represents the exaggerated, controversial, and extreme appeal of the so-called taboos that many desire but never achieve. Pornography is anything that openly promotes, sells, and advertises sexuality, it is derived from the term “porni” which was a term used to refer to both exploitation of the impoverished and the overindulgence of the wealthy in ancient Greek times (Britannica, 2020). Even in times where sexual liberalism was in abundance, this term was often used to refer to transgressions against what were considered to be the healthy expression of sexual desires. This is a possible reason for a sense of entitlement when it comes to porn addiction, many of the addicts enthralled by it, feeling justified in their indulgence on profanities of various shapes and sizes. It’s a small wonder many do not consider it as a problem, they minimize it, citing the notion that those involved in it are in the pursuit of pleasure and venturing to alleviate boredom.
Pornography as an industry often promotes rape culture in modern society, subtly conditioning the human mind to no longer consider that which is a violation of human dignity. This is often made clear in illegal sex trades, such as those found on the dark web and human trafficking markets. Those with means often use these channels to indulge themselves in fetishes of all kinds some of which reach levels of violation and degradation of human dignity that many cultures consider as evil. The above content indicates that the primary problem with pornography is that it is not considered a problem. Its abundance in society is indicative of the fact that societies around the world are being socialized to believe so. Those who suffer from sex addiction are thus rendered blind to the suffering of others and themselves.
Human culture is caught between two extremes, one being the prohibition of pornography, which when implemented in eras gone passed, has only served to exacerbate the problem. The alternative being to promote it and inspire liberalism- this approach having a similar effect. These extremes represent the crux of the problem with pornography and that is that, it represents extremism as a form of normalcy (Britannica, 2020). There are almost no instances where pornography represents sane as well as healthy sexuality, in fact it promotes the sacrifice of it for the sake of gratification (Britannica, 2020).
Due to the effect of heightened sexual stimulation on the human nervous systems pleasure centre- when an individual stops using pornography or indulging in extreme forms of sexual gratification, they go through a type of withdrawal process (Britannica, 2021). This state of
intense discomfort renders them vulnerable to relapse, as many who have progressed to a point where they experience some form of withdrawal are prone to choose pleasure over the pain of it. According to Sigmund Freud, human beings are hardwired to pursue pleasure and avoid pain. Pornography blurs the lines between these two and this is what perverts the norms of healthy sexual activities.
If you or a loved one are battling a sex addiction and need assistance – know that help is readily available. The road to recovery is not always an easy one, but getting yourself or your loved one the best care from the team at Crossroads Recovery Centre, Johannesburg, provides you with a map to sober, healthy living. No matter how bad things seem, there is hope and it’s just a phone call away. If you or anyone close to you needs help with an addiction to sex, gambling, substances, alcohol or food, please contact us for a free assessment.
References:
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2020). Catharine A. MacKinnon. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Catharine-A-MacKinnon.
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2021, May 27). Kamala Das. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kamala-Das.
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