Porn Addiction: Side Effects and Treatment
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Much like alcohol and cigarettes, beating chemical addictions are only one-half of the battle. Behavioral addictions, such as video games, gambling, compulsive shopping, or pornography addiction, are incredibly important when it comes to awareness. Awareness is the first step to acknowledging people who have these addictions.
Porn and Triple-A Factors
Pornography is one of the most damaging on this list, as people who are addicted to porn can watch 12 hours of it in a day. Around seven percent of the population is affected by this addiction. Many of these come from “Triple-A” factors.
What are Triple-A Factors?
Triple-A requirements have to meet three different areas. The service has to be anonymous, easily accessible, and affordable. YouTube does so at a much larger scale if you think of the popularity of videos like Gangnam Style. The internet is the most accessible platform anywhere, and most of it is free.
Many people are embarrassed by their addiction to pornography. Many of them end up losing time, money, and interest in daily activities. As a result of this, that anonymity is crucial to those addicted to pornography.
How Do you get addicted to porn?
Those that abuse pornography goes through the same mental process in reaching an addictive state as alcohol or drugs. Their tendency to spend entire days watching porn is because of an intense craving for more, much like those who abuse drugs that come with chemical dependencies.
There is some speculation as to how one starts to become addicted to pornography. Some may be “biologically wired,” but this assumption is under some investigation. Other people may be impacted by poor social experiences, such as oppression or family abuse, making them more susceptible to addiction. Those below 18 also have higher exposure to pornography on the internet. As much as 94 percent of boys and 62 percent of girls will see it.
What Are The Side Effects of porn?
Given that pornography addiction is purely behavioral, many of these will vary depending on the person. There are a few common factors that apply to everyone, which we will be going over in detail. Below are a few potential effects.
1. Sacrificing Time, Money, and Other Activities
Common factors in addiction cases are giving up time, money, and other activities for the sake of watching more porn. As they go deeper, they will spend money on additional content to satisfy their addiction. They dodge spending time with their family, social gatherings, and work opportunities to fill their addiction.
2. Having Little Interest in Sex or Increasing Demands During Sex
Watching too much pornography will give people unrealistic ideas about sex. Abusers may ask their partners to perform impossible sexual acts. They may also become aggressive, acting out a fantasy that they may have seen. When their improbable expectations fail, they lose interest in their partner. Either act damages their relationship.
3. Using it as a coping mechanism
It is common for people to use drugs, alcohol, or psychological addictions to escape from the world. If you notice that stress causes them to disappear into their room for long hours, this may be a sign. They may not want to seek better ways to deal with anxiety.
4. Consuming Illegal Content
When regular pornography doesn’t fulfill their needs, they may seek more substantial content. This desire may encourage them to find illegal content. This behavior is known as the problematic use of online pornography (POPU). For people with addictive personalities, regular pornography might be their “gateway drug.”
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Hypersexual Disorder
The definition of hypersexual disorder, or compulsive sexual behavior, is an obsession with sex. Examples of this can include frequent creation of fantasies, many sexual partners, and urges that are difficult to control. Abuse of pornography is a direct example.
Symptoms of Hypersexual Disorder
- You feel guilt after engaging in sexual activity.
- You feel as if you cannot establish or maintain relationships.
- You engage in sexual activity regardless of the consequences (STDs, injuries, physical strain, loss of time).
- You have a constant urge to address sexual desires through fantasies or pornography.
- You feel like you cannot reduce your sexual activity.
- You use sex as a way to escape your other problems.
Porn Addiction FAQ's
What are good treatments for porn addiction?
Useful tips for pursuing help in this matter are to consult a doctor, start therapy, and join a support group. All three of these recognize the need to lean on others for support. There is strength in admitting that you need help. Finding a helpful treatment center is easier than you may think. You can reach out to us anytime.
How should I start therapy?
We can assist. We have live virtual therapy sessions that allow you to get help from the comfort of your home! A doctor will be able to link you to a variety of resources in the area that can help you out. Family therapy will allow you to rebuild many of the relationships you may have destroyed during your addictive period. You can start by rebuilding yourself with a therapist. Given that all of this is confidential, there is no reason to worry about judgment.
Joining A Support Group
Support groups include people who have been there before. By reaching out, it helps to eliminate the feelings of loneliness that may have brought you to pornography addiction in the first place. You can choose to go to weekly or monthly visits, depending on what resources are available.
Finding Help
Behavioral addiction can be just as harmful as drug addiction. Whether it be related to psychological or biological factors, 7 percent of the population needs help in dealing with this. This term can also be interchangeable with hypersexuality disorder, but the results are the same. People that allow this to rule their life will lose time, money, and relationships. There is strength in looking for help, so reach out for help today.