One of the biggest challenges when identifying an Addiction Disorder is determining when the safe and responsible participation in a certain behavior or substance has become unhealthy and dangerous. Porn consumption is a behavior that can quickly become addictive, leading to significant mental, emotional, financial, and social consequences.
Understanding when porn use becomes a Porn Addiction is the key to seeking professional help and intervention when you need it. Learn more about the symptoms and challenges of Pornography Addiction and see how Blair Wellness Group can help you find personalized, effective treatment with this guide.
What Is Porn Addiction?
Porn Addiction is a Mental Health Disorder that involves an undeniable compulsion to view pornographic images, videos, and other materials. As a Behavioral Addiction, Porn Addiction shares many maladaptive symptoms—including certain thoughts and behavioral patterns—with Gambling Addiction, Gaming Addiction, Shopping Addiction, and other Addiction Disorders.
Many people consume porn recreationally or as a way to relieve stress. For some people, though, pornography becomes an escape. They use it as a way to avoid unwanted thoughts and feelings instead of facing and processing mental or emotional challenges. This makes engaging with pornography a maladaptive coping mechanism. Over time, that coping mechanism feels more and more vital, leading to dependence and addiction.
There are many signs that porn use has become a Porn Addiction. Some are general to all forms of Addiction Disorders, while others are specific to Pornography Addiction.
Neglecting Responsibilities and Personal Relationships
Addiction has a way of taking over your life and shutting down everything else that matters to you. The more you use porn, the more necessary it may feel in your life. This shifts your focus and priorities, forcing your life to revolve more and more around porn consumption as time goes on.
As a result, you start neglecting other aspects of your life. You might cancel plans or stop talking to loved ones as much. Responsibilities can fall to the wayside as you intentionally neglect or forget about chores, appointments, and errands. This behavior strains both personal and professional relationships, causing further distress and leading you to further rely on porn usage as a maladaptive coping mechanism.
Feelings of Shame, Guilt, and Self-Hate
Many people who develop an Addiction Disorder know that they have a problem, even if they cannot put words to that knowledge. This can lead to a lot of negative emotions surrounding your porn use and growing addiction.
Over time, you might feel overwhelming guilt or shame regarding your porn consumption. This can lead to an increase in negative feelings about yourself, deteriorating your self-image and causing you to feel frustrated or scared. You might even try to hide your porn consumption from others in an attempt to avoid the feelings of shame and self-loathing.
Seeking Out Increasingly Graphic or Violent Porn
Increased usage leads to increased tolerance, and increased tolerance leads to more intense cravings. Just as someone with a Substance Abuse Disorder might seek out increasingly potent or dangerous drugs, someone with a Pornography Addiction may seek out increasingly intense porn.
This might mean turning to more graphic videos rather than pornographic images. It can also lead to seeking out increasingly violent or dubious porn—to the point of seeking out illegal pornography. Without intervention, Pornography Addiction eclipses your regard for social and legal ramifications and the safety and care of others.
You Get Angry or Defensive Over Porn Consumption
Anger, frustration, and irritability are all symptoms of Addiction Disorders. You might experience feelings of anger when you cannot access pornography or when you have not used it in a while. You might also grow defensive—even to the point of lashing out—when others bring up your pornography consumption. These feelings of anger only grow over time, causing further distress and making it difficult for you to open up to others or even yourself about the issue.
You Feel Withdrawal Symptoms
As with any type of Addiction Disorder, withdrawal is one of the biggest symptoms of a Pornography Addiction. Withdrawal occurs when your reliance on pornography becomes so severe that you feel mental, emotional, or physical distress when you do not use it.
Mental withdrawal symptoms include cravings, irritability, fear or worry, difficulty concentrating, and a decrease in empathy. Physical withdrawal symptoms can include muscle tension and aches, changes in appetite, digestion problems, trouble sleeping, fatigue, sweating, and a rapid heartbeat.
You Have Less Interest in Sex
Addiction creates dependence. In the context of Porn Addiction, this means your ability to feel sexual desire becomes reliant on porn consumption. Over time, you can lose interest in real sex. You might struggle to feel attraction toward other people. This can even lead to a decrease in attraction and desire toward your current romantic partner.
You can also become less responsive to romantic advances or sexual engagement. You might struggle to feel satisfied with intimacy in your real life. As time goes on, you will feel like you need more stimulation to feel aroused. Some individuals eventually struggle to feel aroused at all without the use of porn.
You Have Unrealistic Ideas About Sex
Just as movies rarely depict real life, porn does not reflect real sex. The more your porn addiction grows, the more it warps your view about sex and relationships. It can create unrealistic expectations and standards that are harmful to yourself and to your partner. This, in turn, can lead to frustration, guilt, isolation, discomfort, and even physical or emotional harm.
Consequences of Untreated Porn Addiction
Like any Addiction Disorder, Porn Addiction requires professional intervention. Without treatment, you can face significant consequences in your personal and professional life. Porn Addiction can lead to irritability, distraction, and a loss of productivity at work. It can also create severe consequences for your career, especially if you engage with porn while at work.
You might also face relationship problems. Intimacy issues are a common result of Porn Addiction. However, you can also face challenges in communication, emotional closeness, healthy boundaries, and other critical relationship aspects. Porn Addiction can also create stress and complications within platonic and familial relationships due to feelings of anger, shame, isolation, and other symptoms.
Blair Wellness Group Can Help
Pornography Addiction does not have to rule over your life. Evidence-based treatment such as Mentalization-Based Therapy allows you to address the root of your Mental Health challenges so you can overcome addiction and build a healthier life. If you are looking for a Licensed Clinical Psychologist offering Mentalization-Based Therapy, contact Blair Wellness Group. Schedule an appointment today and start your journey to better Mental Health.
