It is believed that more than 200,000 Americans are addicted to porn. As with most addictions, some of these individuals recognize that they have a problem, while others just feel that they are doing what they have to do in order to feel normal or happy. While excessive consumption of porn and sex used to be viewed as a personal problem that should be overcome with willpower, further research in recent years has shown that these are addictions caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, and they require treatment of some kind to overcome.
How the Addiction Starts
There is rarely a straightforward explanation for the source of addictions. Some people have genetic predispositions to addictive or compulsive behavior that makes resisting that behavior seems contrary to their nature. Some people turn to coping mechanisms in the midst of trauma or overwhelming emotions, perhaps related to depression or anxiety, and at some point, they lose their ability to regulate their dependence on those coping mechanisms and develop addictions. Some people are a combination of both of these paths.
For porn addictions specifically, childhood sexual abuse or traumatic experiences involving authority figures could lead to the consumption of porn during adolescence as a way of coping with those deep-rooted emotions or beliefs. Additionally, viewing porn may be seen as a rite of passage for “becoming a man” and the behavior is normalized by the individuals’ peers.
Why the Addiction Should Stop
Any addictive or compulsive behavior or action that keeps someone from normal functioning on a daily basis is damaging to their physical, mental, emotional, and relational health. As they continue participating in porn, their threshold for getting a “high” continues to increase to the point that nothing is ever enough and their quality of life disintegrates.
People addicted to porn likely know that they are consuming too much of it, but they either can’t make themselves stop or they don’t know why they should. It is common for people addicted to porn to lead double lives, hiding what is really going on to the rest of the world, even those they love, and potentially hurting themselves and others in the process.
While it might feel like the damage has already been done by months or years of consuming porn and feeding that chemical imbalance in the brain continually, there are effective treatments for porn addiction that can help the individual bring down their threshold and begin to function normally again.
How Therapy Can Help
If you or a loved one are struggling with an addiction to porn, it is important to know that you are not damaged and you are not alone. There are therapists in your area who specialize in these types of addictions and can provide you with beneficial counsel as you navigate overcoming this chemical imbalance.
Therapists often use CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) to reframe the beliefs that typically trigger porn consumption to instead avoid that result. By altering the beliefs that permeate your behaviors and actions, you can effectively change your behavior.
Since the root of these addictive behaviors is often a childhood trauma, talking with a therapist about those events without judgment or shame is therapeutic in itself, but it also provides your therapist with background information about your beliefs that can help them help you.
They can also help you set up a treatment plan that includes milestones or goals if that is helpful for you. If you currently consume 10 hours of pornography per week, rather than telling you to stop cold turkey today, they can encourage you to cut back to 8 hours per week, then 6 hours, and so on while providing you with ideas of supplemental activities to fill that extra time that you are not used to having. Perhaps they will recommend a mindfulness practice, an exercise routine, meeting up with a friend, etc.
Recovery is possible for you, and you can have your life back. Taking the step towards therapy is a step in the right direction that you will not regret.