A group of seasoned healthcare professionals will review your situation and craft a plan uniquely suited to your circumstances. The goal is to give you the most effective, individualized care to accelerate your path to recovery from porn addiction. When pornography use starts interfering with your relationships, work, or well‑being, a treatment center can provide the focused support you need. These programs offer structured care, experienced therapists, and a safe space to step away from triggers and begin recovery. These methods aim to identify underlying issues, rebuild relationships, provide support, and align behavior with personal values. Medications such as antidepressants and naltrexone may also be prescribed alongside therapy to reduce the urge to view pornography.
Porn Addiction: Causes, Signs, and Treatment
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. All Addiction Resource content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible. Browse our directory or contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for additional guidance on addiction recovery services. Find rehab for yourself or a loved one by speaking with a treatment provider. If you or someone you care about is ready to quit porn, get professional help from a licensed therapist from BetterHelp. If someone you care about shows signs of a compulsion or addiction, it may be time to open the lines of nonjudgmental communication.
Couples therapy can provide a safe space to address the impact of addiction on the relationship and develop strategies for moving forward together. One of the most devastating aspects of pornography addiction is the isolation it often creates. Shame and fear of judgment can lead individuals to withdraw from relationships, exacerbating the problem. The journey to overcome pornography addiction is not an easy one, but it is possible.
Porn Addiction Treatment
If someone is struggling with porn addiction, they might find themselves using it too much, to the point where it gets in the way of their everyday life. Limiting access to triggers, such as setting up content filters or using screen time management tools, can support recovery. Many individuals avoid seeking help due to shame or fear of judgment, which perpetuates the cycle of addiction. New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider ofcontinuing education for licensed mental health counselors. New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. In some cases, the sexual side effects of some medications, including decreased libido and anorgasmia, may be intentionally used for potential treatment effects.
Is Porn Addiction in the DSM-V?
Clinical reports further illustrate how casual use evolves into problematic addiction, impacting various aspects of an individual’s life. Although some people have moral and ethical concerns about viewing sexually explicit media, it’s not clear that it’s always harmful from a mental health standpoint. Some people, particularly those not living with a mental health disorder or a perceived addiction, may find that they experience some positive effects from light or moderate use of pornography. These benefits may include improved sexual communication between partners, more openness to different types of sexual activity, and greater tolerance of other people’s sexual preferences.
- An addiction means you’ll have to view porn over and over again to get the same level of enjoyment.
- For those seeking professional help, or if you tried home remedies that didn’t work, one option is to enter an inpatient or outpatient rehab program.
- The change in the brain’s reward system can lower self-esteem and leave a person feeling empty or isolated.
- However, a person’s ability to stop watching porn depends on the severity of their addiction to it as well as the presence of any other co-occurring disorders that may exacerbate their need for porn.
Mental Health Concerns
- Porn addiction, while it can impact mental health, relationships, and daily functioning, does not have a direct effect on red blood cell size or iron levels.
- When someone watches pornography, their brain releases dopamine and other chemicals, creating a pleasurable sensation.
- Due to the controversial nature of diagnosing hypersexual disorders like porn addiction, clear diagnostic criteria and causes of pornography addiction are difficult to quantify.
- Outpatient therapy offers continuing professional guidance as you readjust to everyday life.
Many find strength in their spiritual beliefs and practices as they navigate the challenges of overcoming addiction. These treatmentsfocus on becoming more aware of unconscious thoughts and behaviors, learning about your motivations, and resolving conflicts. If you do get addicted, it could change the way circuits in your brain work. An addiction means you’ll have to view porn over and over again to get the same level of enjoyment. Other scientists point out that studies so far have either been poorly organized or have struggled with defining what exactly would make this an actual addiction. Plus, some say it’s difficult to get a handle on how widespread the problem is, partly because few users think the habit is a problem.
Habit-forming behaviors provide a sense of pleasure or joy more intensely than other behaviors, such as watching porn. For those who are prone to obsessive or compulsive behavior, behavioral addictions may form. In the short-term, porn addiction can lead to disruptions in daily life. People often experience time management issues, losing hours to porn viewing that could be spent on productive activities.
How Does Watching Pornography Turn into a Porn Addiction?
You may find that self-acceptance is easier if you talk to others experiencing this addiction, and you can connect with others through a support group, whether in person or online. Being honest with your partner about the difficulty you’re having with pornography use or addiction may open up a conversation that can get you on the road to communication and trust. Other studies have reported links between repeated viewing of pornography and negative or even violent attitudes toward women. There’s still a substantial amount of debate within the psychological community about the effects of viewing sexually explicit materials on a person’s sex life and mental health. People often have different ideas about how much use of sexually explicit media or time watching porn is a problem.
Impact on relationships
A person may be experiencing PPU if they persistently have an uncontrollable or intense urge to use pornography even when it impairs functioning or relationships. Porn addiction is not an official diagnosis in the DSM-5-TR, and there’s still controversy over whether its use is a behavioral addiction or a compulsion. Sex addiction, or hypersexuality, typically refers to a dysfunctional level of frequency or intensity in otherwise typical urges and fantasies.
I’ve met folks married for years where they thought their partners were down in the basement doing woodworking or crafts when they were actually down in the basement on the computer. Yes, finding out about the porn was a shock, but they also suffered for years living with someone who wasn’t an equal partner, who was always preoccupied that left them feeling lonely. Treatment for behavioral addictions generally involves talk therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. But your doctor may recommend medication if you have co-existing conditions, such as depression or OCD. Since the existence of “porn addiction” is not recognized by the APA, no definitive diagnostic criteria guide mental health professionals in its diagnosis. Dealing with addiction often calls for a multi-layered treatment plan, and that includes issues related to porn use.
ACT is similar to CBT in that it helps identify thought patterns that produce addictive behaviors, but ACT emphasizes acceptance as a way to manage negative thoughts. Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change. Changing friend groups, getting rid of your computer, stopping misusing drugs or alcohol, and how to identify and treat a pornography addiction canceling all subscriptions that give you access to pornography are examples of necessary lifestyle changes. Holistic approaches that complement behavioral therapies include mindfulness-based activities, experiential therapy, self-care, and exercise. In treatment, you learn how to prioritize recovery and your overall well-being. You learn to set boundaries, challenge fears, and grow in your understanding of how and why you developed an addiction.
For example, it can lead to severe mental health issues like depression or anxiety, which might cause some people to turn to harmful behaviors, like substance abuse or self-harm. Certain people may be at a higher risk of developing a porn addiction, including men, religious individuals (who may experience more guilt about sexual urges), and those with a history of trauma. While rehab programs provide therapy, you don’t have to go to rehab to see a therapist. Psychotherapy is the most popular form of treatment used by therapists, counselors, and other mental health professionals for addressing porn addiction. Problematic porn use falls under a broader category known as hypersexual disorder. Someone with another type of addiction is more likely to develop a porn addiction.
However, many websites offer free pornographic content, which can be problematic for a few reasons. For one, underage people can access porn sites from their computers or smartphones. While porn websites include a disclaimer that the sites are only for individuals 18 and up, a curious teen can easily bypass this screen and access material that isn’t age-appropriate. Like any behavioral addiction, it occurs due to changes in brain chemistry with increased pornography consumption. They might try to stop or cut down their internet use of porn, but find it really hard to do so.