Understanding Porn Addiction: Impacts and Recovery Solutions

Understanding Porn Addiction: Impacts and Recovery Solutions

Porn addiction is classified as a process addiction or behavioral addiction. “These addictions are compulsive behavior patterns in which a person repeatedly engages in an activity despite the negative impact that follows from it.” Of the process addictions “…gambling disorder is presently the only condition in the subsection of “Non-substance-related disorders” in the category of “Substance-related and Addictive Disorders” 

How does porn addiction start

Most people first experiment with porn the same way they might experience it with drugs. They’re curious, and it feels good. Over time, however, they might start relying on porn to satisfy their sexual needs. Just like with mood-altering substances, they need to watch more porn to meet their urges. The long-term effects of porn addiction can affect: intimacy between partners, your partner’s self-esteem, satisfaction from sex, daily functioning, alter brain reactions to pornographic cues and encourage mental health disorders.

What are the effects?

Frequent porn use can lower relationship quality in many different ways. For example, it can make it more difficult for men to experience arousal in response to sexual stimuli other than porn. It can also cause couples to experience a steady decline in sexual and other kinds of intimacy. Using porn significantly increases the risk of infidelity and loss of long-term relationships. Additional effects of porn addiction can include money problems and job loss.

The long-term effects of porn addiction are not limited to adults. As porn is so easily accessible, research has shown that children encounter porn at the age of 11 years. The long-term effect of porn addiction in teenagers include: Stunting natural sexual development; setting unrealistic expectations for sex; may increase pregnancy and STD Rates; increasing rates of child pornography; negative body image; and increased technology dependence. (3)

Treatment for long-term porn addiction includes individual therapy; relationship therapy; support groups; psychiatric medication; and holistic and lifestyle changes.

Stories of Recovery

• The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
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• On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
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• I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
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• "Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
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