Some people find pornography disgusting, while others find it extremely entertaining. Those who don’t like porn say that it can lead to unhealthy behaviors like sexual risk-taking. Those who like watching porn, on the one hand, say that it can enrich your sex life.

However, there are also those who enjoy porn so much that they become addicted to it. Indeed, experts now acknowledge that there is actually such a thing as porn addiction. And just like any other addiction, it can also lead to various negative consequences. If you’re wondering whether you’re already addicted to pornography, here’s what you should know.

What is Porn Addiction?

In recent years, experts have come to accept the phenomenon of behavioral addiction. While substance abuse refers to an addiction to a certain substance, behavioral addiction means you’re addicted to a certain behavior.

Hypersexual disorder, for example, is a type of behavioral addiction wherein you exhibit an excessive preoccupation with your sexual urges, fantasies, and activities. Porn addiction basically falls under hypersexual disorder.

What are the Symptoms of Porn Addiction?

Similar to drug addiction, there are also several symptoms associated with porn addiction. If you think you’re addicted to porn, ask yourself the following questions.

• Do you watch porn excessively?

If you’re spending several hours a day watching porn, and it’s already interfering with your sleep and other daily tasks, then you may already be addicted to porn. Those who suffer from porn addiction tend to devote their time to watching erotica to the point of neglecting other responsibilities.

• Do you feel like you need to spend more time watching pornography?

As you become more and more addicted to porn, your need to watch porn also increases. Just like how drug addicts increase their dosage as their addiction worsens, those who are addicted to porn also tend to increase the number of hours they devote to porn watching.

• Do you feel the urge to watch porn when you want to improve your mood?

In many cases, when a porn addict is confronted with negative emotions, they feel like watching porn to chase away those unpleasant feelings.

They basically use porn as a means to escape from or avoid negative emotions and brighten their mood. This is also similar to when people who are addicted to drugs tend to look for a fix whenever they’re faced with a problem or a difficult situation.

• Do you feel the urge to explore other types of pornography?

When you no longer find soft porn sexually arousing, you may feel the urge to search for other types of pornography.

Porn addicts eventually shift to hard porn and other more aggressive types of porn when soft porn no longer excites them. This is similar to when drug addicts develop a tolerance for their preferred drug and increase their dosage or switch to stronger drugs.

• Do you feel distressed when you can’t watch porn?

Just like how drug addicts exhibit withdrawal symptoms when they’re unable to use drugs for an extended period, porn addicts also feel distressed when they can’t watch porn. Porn addiction can also induce withdrawal symptoms when you stop watching porn.

• Do you feel you need to continue watching porn, despite the possibility of serious consequences?

Those who are addicted, either to drugs, gambling, or porn, tend to neglect the fact that their behavior can result in serious negative consequences.

Most of the time, porn addicts are fully aware that their behavior can lead to problems at work, in their relationships, or with their own health. Even if they are aware that they could get in trouble, those who are addicted to porn find it difficult to completely stop their unhealthy behavior.

• Have you tried abstaining from watching porn?

Trying to stop using porn but failing to do so is a typical symptom of porn addiction. In many cases, the withdrawal symptoms are too overwhelming and the urge to watch porn is too great that a person addicted to pornography is unable to completely stop the behavior.

• Has pornography already affected your relationship?

When you think sex with your partner is not as exciting as watching porn, it’s possible that your addiction has already negatively affected your relationship.

For those who are addicted to porn, they are more aroused when they’re watching erotica than when they’re having sex with their partner. They might also feel that masturbating to porn is more satisfying than having actual sex. This can make both you and your partner feel sexually dissatisfied and affect your relationship intimacy.

• Are you showing any symptom of sexual dysfunction?

For those whose porn addiction is already severe, they may fail to become sexually aroused during partnered sex. Psychologists have noted that excessive porn watching can contribute to psychological erectile dysfunction.

It’s not that you’re physically unable to achieve an erection, but that your partner just can’t make you sexually excited enough to have an erection. You may also suffer from ejaculatory problems. Since you don’t find partnered sex exciting enough, you find it difficult to climax when you’re having sex without watching porn.

Can Porn Addiction Be Treated?

Healthcare professionals usually recommend both cognitive behavioral therapy and talk therapy to treat porn addiction. However, if you have a concurrent mental health condition such as depression, your doctor may also prescribe medications for you.

If you’re not yet ready to discuss your porn addiction with your doctor, joining support groups is an option. You can join a local 12-step support group to help you recover from porn addiction.

With porn addiction, it’s always a good idea to seek out the help of a mental health professional. Your therapist can give you a thorough evaluation to determine if you really have an addiction problem and if you have any other concurrent mental health issues like depression or anxiety.

Your doctor will recommend a certain type of therapy depending on your evaluation. You may be advised to undergo individual therapy, group therapy, or even family counseling. Individual cognitive behavioral therapy is actually one of the most widely used forms of treatment for porn addiction.

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