CAN’T GET NO SATISFACTION: IS PORN ADDICTIVE?

Millions of people are glued to their laptops or smartphone screens watching porn. While society may be inclined to pass stern judgments on these people, it may or may not be their fault. Learn more about porn addiction, including the causes and how to overcome this addiction.

Most people have a faint knowledge of what porn addiction is. So, what exactly is porn addiction, and how do you know that someone is suffering from it? How do you help those trapped in the shackles of porn addictions? This article answers the most asked questions pertaining porn addiction.

What Is Porn Addiction?

Porn addiction is when someone, regardless of age, gets to the point where their emotions are entirely dependent on pornography films, making it hard for them to lead normal lives. In simpler terms, it is an obsessive interest in something. According to sex therapists, porn addiction is quite common despite critics' comments. Most term it a hypersexual disorder, an umbrella term encompassing sexual behaviors such as excessive masturbation. Addiction is all in the brain. When you partake in something you are obsessed with, which in this case is porn addiction, your body alters the body's dopamine system. Some researchers have gone to great lengths to prove that porn addiction is not a condition but a term that people use to describe sexually active people who love porn. 

Is Porn Addictive?

As stated above, porn addiction is the obsessive need to watch or view pornographic films or photos despite the consequences of these actions. There is a thin line between porn addiction and having a keen interest in porn. In porn addiction, you spend absurd amounts of time watching these erotic films that affect your daily life compared to passively watching porn. So yes, porn is addictive if the viewer does not control their desires. Most people argue that if controlled, watching porn can be a good way to boost sex and intimacy while also providing a haven for our erotic desires. We can argue all day long, but we cannot detach our conscious from the harmful effects of a long-term dependence on porn. If you are concerned about your porn viewing habits and are worried you may be addicted, here are some signs to look out for;

• You have tried to quit with no success.
• You can end up watching porn for long hours despite the responsibilities you may be having.
• You get upset when people suggest that you may be addicted to porn
• You hide your porn obsession from family members and potential partners
• You do not get satisfied during sex apart from when pornography is factored
• You feel ashamed, and sometimes guilt creeps in due to your porn habits
• You view porn regardless of where you are
• Porn consumes your thoughts even though you are not watching it
• You continue to watch porn despite experiencing all the above

Health professionals categorize porn addiction as a hypersexual disorder. This decision was met by backlash from a section of health practitioners who claimed there was not sufficient evidence to back up that fact. Pornography addiction may not be on the same floor as an addiction, but it shares some of the symptoms that come with addiction. For one to be called an addict, they must  pass at least two of the four addiction conditions, namely;

• Inability to complete major tasks at home, school, or work
• The craving to take part in an activity and failed attempts to cut on the said activity

Porn addiction fails to meet the addiction criteria because;

• It does not include tolerance or withdrawal 
• It does not involve any acts of risk-taking

According to Gola & Potenza (2018), porn addiction should be categorized as a compulsive disorder, like drug and alcohol addiction. Most argue that the mental development of someone addicted to porn is similar to drug users. This observation may conclude that physiological and psychological factors play a huge role in compulsive pornography behavior.

What Causes Porn Addiction?

There is a lot of controversy surrounding pornography addiction, and mental health experts are yet to settle on the clear cause of porn addiction. Pro-pornography people believe that many factors may have a hand in addiction. The factors include;

Relationship Issues

Some people turn to pornography to seek solace from the dissatisfaction they experience in their relationships.

Biological Factors

People’s brain structures are different, predisposing some people to addiction issues.

Cultural Issues

Many societies harbor weird sex facts that may contribute to most people turning to porn.

Other Mental Issues

People struggling with multiple addiction issues may struggle with porn addiction.

Is Porn Addiction Treatable?

Watching porn gets out of hand when it becomes compulsive and even affects one’s social life and self-esteem. Some health practitioners may feel that there is no need to treat porn addiction because it is not considered an addiction. However, there is hope for folks who wish to get out of addiction. de Alarcón et al. (2019) noted the treatment strategies that can benefit someone battling porn addiction include;

Lifestyle Changes

Spending fewer hours on the internet

Relationship Counselling

Couples’ therapy sessions can help identify the problem areas in your relationship causing unhealthy behavior.

Medication

Most people fall into porn addiction because they are trying to cope with other conditions. It is essential to treat the underlying condition before trying to treat the addiction.

The Bottom Line

Compulsive porn viewing can lead to serious health conditions that may affect your way of living. People who watch pornography material passively may end up being porn addicts if they reach a point where they cannot hinder their desires. Although there has been worldwide controversy about whether porn addiction is a real addiction, we cannot excuse that porn. Like drug addiction, it affects all aspects of your life and may lead to depression. As outlined in this article, many reasons cause porn addiction, ranging from relationship issues to biological factors such as brain structure. If you are a porn addict, seek help from qualified health professionals before it takes the wheel and steers your life in an unknown direction.

References

de Alarcón, R., de la Iglesia, J. I., Casado, N. M., & Montejo, A. L. (2019). Online porn addiction: What we know and what we don’t—A systematic review. Journal of clinical medicine, 8(1), 91.Gola, M., & Potenza, M. N. (2018). Promoting educational, classification, treatment, and policy initiatives: Commentary on: Compulsive sexual behaviour disorder in the ICD-11 (Kraus et al., 2018). Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(2), 208-210.