Porn Addiction and Abuse

It always starts quite innocently.

An errant porn magazine discovered by a parent, hidden under the bed or on top of the wardrobe, sometime during the teenage years. It's lucky I found this and not your mother. Later in life, maybe a work colleague catches someone watching porn at one of the seemingly millions of websites available online. So that's what you do all day, they will tease.

All quite innocent and normal, really. Watching pornography is a harmless and very common practice, for the most part.

But then fast forward a few years, and this once occasional habit born out of curiosity and mild gratification has evolved into an all-consuming monster with awful negative consequences. What was once a harmless pastime - the perfectly normal and acceptable recreation of occasionally viewing porn - has turned into a life-changing obsession that can lead to self-loathing, broken marriages, or even drained bank accounts.

The fact is that problematic pornography use is a very real addiction, competing with other nasty behavioral addictions and physical addictions such as alcohol abuse and drug abuse. The end outcome of pornography addiction is often (but certainly not always) one of sheer catastrophe. Now classed by various health authorities as a 'compulsive sexual behavior' disorder, porn addiction is beginning to be taken more seriously and deservedly so.

In fact, porn addiction is quickly becoming a growing concern worldwide. So much so, in fact, that the World Health Organization has recently classified compulsive sexual behavior as an official category.

After a growing number of addicts have visited Miracles Asia seeking pornography addiction treatment, we decided it was time to inform, educate, and qualify the rapidly growing problem of this mental health disorder with a short article explaining a few things.

So how can viewing porn turn so nasty in the long run, and why is the topic of pornography addiction growing in the mainstream narrative? The answer is pretty obvious when you take stock of the situation. In the most simple of terms, behavioral addictions such as pornography usage have always been a recognized problem, but they used to be way less common than the addiction mainstays, such as narcotics. However, the problem is now so much more prevalent.

Pornography used to be difficult to access, mostly only available in magazine, tape, or DVD format. Many people probably wanted to watch pornography on some level but simply found it too awkward and socially embarrassing to go and purchase porn material. So, most people didn't bother.

But then the internet was unleashed into society, and with it came internet porn. Initially hidden behind paywalls, the likes of Pornhub eventually came along and gave free access to a wide range of instant porn. Other websites followed suit, and now the overwhelming majority of internet pornography is free and instantly accessible. Combine that with abundant wi-fi and HD smartphones, and the end result is a world in which 37% of all online content is porn related.

That's quite a number, isn't it? 

Over one-third of all online material contains naked sexual images (at best) or no holds barred, unadulterated hardcore (at worst). When you take a moment to appreciate that number, it should come as little surprise that so many people all over the world have a problem with pornography addiction.

But does it actually matter that large numbers of people spend way too much time watching porn? Comparatively speaking, after all, many people spend hours each day watching sports online or playing video games. They (mostly) seem free of any consequences, so why should porn be considered a troublesome addiction and those other pastimes are not? Why should behavioral addictions be treated so seriously?

Quite simply, pornography addiction has abundant and far-reaching consequences that have dramatic and sometimes even tragic effects on lives. To put it bluntly, untreated porn addiction usually ends in disaster. We choose our terminology very carefully when writing about sensitive subjects such as this, and while ‘disaster’ might sound like a dramatic exaggeration, we can assure you it is most certainly warranted. Let's take a look at why that is.

So, why is pornography addictive?

let’s strip it down to the basics: addiction spawns from the constant and repeated digestion of something, both figuratively and literally. In the most rudimentary of terms, we do something that we enjoy before the ‘happy hormone’ double act of serotonin and dopamine spring out of nowhere and make us feel good for doing that thing.

We enjoy the feeling, and so we do it repeatedly. Some people recognize this could be a problem and stop. Others who are more naturally prone to addiction don't. Eventually (but not always), this results in either a psychological or physical addiction or both. That, basically, is the nature of addiction - although obviously, it is a lot more complicated than that!

As with gambling, for example, porn addiction is psychological in nature and not physical. Addicts enjoy the experience of watching porn. Most people probably do, if we are being honest. The problem is that some people have the propensity to chase that feeling more than others, resulting in dependency. As soon as dependency gets its claws into you, it is a very difficult thing to shake.

Soon, porn becomes a crutch and the problem compounds. Just as a heroin addict will increase their dose and frequency over time - owing to a stronger tolerance - porn addicts might begin looking at much more hardcore porn way more frequently.

And it is not just the porn itself that becomes addictive. Pornography has all-consuming lore, with little jolts of dopamine affecting the brain way before the actual porn starts. Just the notion of looking for porn becomes a thrill as addicts race home in anticipation of flipping open the laptop and getting down to business.

A thrill exists in the actual hunt for porn, fishing around multiple websites, and searching for the perfect porn video that satisfies their preferred niche. In that sense, the act itself is not just addictive but the whole process of anticipation and searching.

So, what are the consequences of porn addiction? Surely, the only adverse effect relates to a huge loss of time, right?

Wrong. If the consequences of porn addiction were limited to a waste of time and nothing else, the problem would be no worse than a keen love of watching sports for multiple hours each day. For purposes of clarity, maybe its time we take a look at what those consequences are:

One consistent and alarming finding is that prolonged porn addiction - similar to drug addiction and other substance addiction - can cause a rewiring of the brain, altering the chemical balance and leading to noticeable changes in personality. Porn addiction, in other words, literally changes you as a person.

That same rewiring leads to a serious and common occurrence through porn addiction - specifically in males - relating to sexual dysfunction. Owing to the repeated use of internet porn, engaging in actual sex with a third party can result in a failure to maintain an erection. This obviously isn't a good thing in terms of maintaining a healthy sex life or 'normal' sexual activity with a loved one.

Owing to excessive masturbation, sexual satisfaction can only be achieved by masturbating to porn. The end result of this is obvious - broken relationships, marriages, and even the inability to procreate. Not to mention low self-esteem, which in itself can lead to other mental health issues.

While the majority of pornography on the internet is free, there is a huge market of sexual content hidden behind paywalls. Many porn addictions commence with free porn, but as tolerance is built over time, a desire for specific types of porn may be sought out, often with quite a costly expense.

This issue is compounded by the rise in popularity of ‘live sex cams’, which can become a habit with incredible financial implications if the user does not control or manage his or her consumption. In many cases, most people aren't aware of the porn addiction symptoms that can help them before it causes irreversible damage 

You can imagine the end result of these alarmingly common issues, such as decreased work or academic performance, social isolation, marital or relationship issues, and financial strain. The sad fact is that porn addiction withdrawal often compounds these issues and opens up the addict to more serious issues.

Furthermore, addiction can lead to the development of other behavioral addictions and compulsive sexual behavior issues. Quite often, various mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and even substance abuse can unfold.

Overcoming porn addiction requires a multi-faceted approach that includes self-awareness, therapy, and social support. Self-awareness means recognizing porn addiction within one's self and its negative consequences. Therapy helps explore the underlying causes, manage cravings, and process past trauma.

Social support provides encouragement, accountability, and a sense of belonging. While challenging, recovery from porn addiction can lead to a healthier, more fulfilling life with improved relationships and self-esteem. Seeking treatment is crucial, and acknowledging the addiction is the first brave step towards developing healthier coping mechanisms and behaviors.

There are more specific options available. Addicts can install anti-porn software to directly hinder their attempts at viewing porn, although we would advise against this because the underlying mental disorders need to be treated. Software is not the way forward for a typical mental health condition, as the psychiatric and psychological views will not be addressed.

Support groups such as sex addicts anonymous offer support on a local level but might fail to treat the often quite deep underlying problem with the typical porn addict. While a support group is useful on a superficial level, the heart of the addiction really needs to be treated by mental health professionals.

After establishing a worldwide reputation as a leading drug and alcohol abuse rehab center helping many thousands of struggling addicts and treating a wide range of behavioral addiction mental disorders, we are now helping more and more people with slightly less common addictive behaviors such as gambling and internet pornography addiction.

And we can help. We take immense pride, here at Miracles Asia, in being able to help so many people with a wide range of physical and mental health issues, and we enjoy watching patients blossom back to normality.

If you or a loved one is suffering from sex addiction, a porn addiction - or indeed, any type of behavioral addiction or substance abuse problem, we are here to help and have the experience and qualifications to do so. Our achingly beautiful resort set in stunning tropical grounds, nestled away on the incredible island of Phuket, Thailand, offers the perfect background for pornography addiction help.

You don't have to do this alone. Reach out, ask for help, and let's start your journey on the road to recovery or click here to return to our homepage for a full overview of how the treatment works.