Porn Addiction | Signs, Effects and Treatment

Watching pornography has become so common that it can be difficult to recognise that you have become addicted to porn. However, it is important to identify the signs of porn abuse as soon as possible so that you can seek professional help before it takes over your life.

The following quiz can help you identify whether or not you have a porn addiction:

• Do you find yourself watching porn often, sometimes for hours at a time?
• Have you ever tried to reduce the amount of time spent viewing pornography but been unable to do so?
• Do you frequently feel guilty or ashamed after viewing pornographic material?
• Are you neglecting activities such as work, socialising, hobbies or family time to view pornography?
• Do you find yourself increasingly seeking out more extreme porn in order to get aroused?
• Are your thoughts often preoccupied with pornography?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, it is likely that you have a porn addiction and should seek professional help.

Obsessively viewing pornography can lead to hyper-sexualisation, which often compels one to pursue sexual intercourse more frequently. Conversely, other people may find it difficult or even impossible to engage in real sex due to conditions like erectile dysfunction and low self-esteem that may have been caused by too much masturbation. In these cases, the impulse for such intimate contact has become desensitised after a long period of watching porn.

Pornography can lead to the development of unhealthy ideas about respectful sex, particularly in adolescents who have not had genuine sexual encounters. Nowadays, 88% of pornographic material contains physical aggression (mostly against women), leading to serious worries that young people may emulate these behaviours and believe this is “normal” sex.

Porn addiction is a complex physical and psychological condition so it requires a holistic approach to treatment. Effective recovery involves two main stages: rehab and aftercare.

Porn rehab

Porn addiction rehab involves a combination of proven, evidence-based therapies which address the physical, psychological and emotional issues that drive porn addiction. It helps you to recognise and understand the triggers and underlying causes that lead to compulsive viewing of porn so you can develop new, healthier ways to cope.

Recovery Lighthouse provides inpatient porn addiction treatment which is widely considered to be the most effective type of rehab because it removes you from your existing environment and provides 24/7 access to specialist support. Our porn rehab programmes include:

• 12-step
• Individual and group therapy
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
• Family therapy
• Mindfulness
• Meditation
• Art therapy
• Yoga therapy

Each of these treatment approaches will give you new insights into your porn addiction and give you the tools and knowledge needed to achieve and maintain recovery.

Porn addiction aftercare

The aftercare stage of porn addiction treatment is just as important as the rehab phase. This is because it provides you with continued support which helps to consolidate the progress made during rehab and decreases the likelihood of relapse. Recovery Lighthouse’s aftercare involves free ongoing weekly group therapy sessions where you can share your recovery progress, discuss any challenges and get the help you need to stay on track.

Relapse is an all too common occurrence in recovery and can be used as a learning experience. However, if you can avoid relapse in the first place, then all the better! Here are some tips which can help you after you leave porn addiction rehab:

• Engage fully in your aftercare programme
• Build a support network of friends, family, sponsors, UKAT alumni and other positive people
• Avoid internet use and other situations which may trigger a porn addiction relapse
• Set realistic goals and take small steps daily to reach them
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and nutrition
• Develop new interests and hobbies which can replace compulsive porn viewing
• Practise mindfulness regularly to help stay in control of your emotions

By following these tips, you will be in a much better position to remain in recovery after porn addiction rehab and prevent any future relapses.