Porn Addiction Resources: Guidance, Treatment & Assessments
Author:
Zach Lutz
Clinical Review by:
Published:
Aug 13, 2024
,
05:04 p.m.
ET
Updated:
Dec 17, 2024
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03:09 p.m.
ET
Porn addiction is often referred to as compulsive porn use. This behavioral disorder is characterized by the need to consume porn, despite its negative outcomes. This addiction can impact several aspects of an individual's life, including their daily functioning, mental health and relationships.
Porn has become more accessible, anonymous and affordable (typically free for most), which has also increased the prevalence of porn addiction. Millions of global citizens struggle with this addiction, which can cause anxiety, depression, guilt, and shame. Compulsive porn can interfere with school, work and other responsibilities.
Recognizing that your porn use is a problem is a step in the right direction and essential for recovery. And the good news is that there are resources and tools you can use to get the support and help you need without judgment or shame.
What resources are available for Porn Addiction?
Assessments
Porn addiction remains stigmatized and underreported. Since it is not formally recognized in the DSM-5, it can also be left unrecognized. A porn addiction assessment can be used to help individuals and couples whose lives have been impacted by porn addiction. The questions are designed as a guideline to identify signs of porn addiction.
Birches Health offers free and confidential assessments. Individuals will work with a licensed clinician specially trained in the field of behavioral addictions. This form of virtual treatment allows individuals to maintain their anonymity while getting treatment from the comfort of home.
Take a free Porn Addiction self-assessment test online now!
Educational Materials
Educational materials can help individuals understand porn addiction, including the underlying causes and triggers. Some resources may be motivating enough to inspire individuals to reduce or quit their consumption of pornography altogether.
Birches Health offers many resources and informational materials focused on porn addiction. Here are some of the most notable:
Types of Treatment
There are many different types of treatment for porn addiction. The common options include psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), support groups, and medication-assisted treatment. Therapy may also help individuals understand the causes of their porn addiction.
Sometimes referred to as talk therapy, psychotherapy helps the individual more deeply understand their unhealthy relationship with porn. Through the course of care, many patients learn what leads to their compulsive urges and desires.
The most common types of psychotherapy include individual, group, couples and family counseling. Psychotherapy can also treat co-occurring disorders, such as substance abuse, depression or anxiety.
Support groups are another excellent resource for porn addiction. During the meetings, individuals will share their experiences and offer encouragement. Two of the most common support groups for porn addiction are Porn Addicts Anonymous and Sex Addicts Anonymous.
For some, medication-assisted treatment can also be effective for treating co-occurring disorders. Sometimes porn addiction can be linked to depression, low self-esteem, or anxiety. MAT combines the use of an FDA-approved medication with counseling or behavioral treatment.
Treatment Providers
Many addiction treatment centers offer inpatient and outpatient programs for individuals who struggle with porn addiction. This allows patients to overcome the withdrawal phase in a safe, controlled setting. Depending on the condition, this might include a combination of medication and psychotherapy.
The individual might also receive treatment for any other mental health conditions. Those who struggle with drugs or alcohol might enter a multi-interventional program. Some treatment centers offer 30-, 60-, or 90-day programs.
Birches Health also offers virtual treatment for porn addiction. This is a beneficial option for those who want to practice healthy coping strategies and get specialized clinical care from home.
Treatment for porn addiction can involve one of the following steps with Birches Health:
You can also call 833-483-3838 or email hello@bircheshealth.com to connect with the Birches team right away.
Porn Addiction treatment process explained
The porn addiction treatment process is a multi-faceted approach personalized to the individual's needs. The first step is recognizing the problem. A doctor or mental health professional will conduct an assessment to gauge the severity of the addiction, including any co-occurring disorders.
Next, the individual will learn about porn addiction and its effects on the brain. This helps the individual understand the compulsive behaviors and triggers that led to their addiction. Psychotherapy is the most common form of treatment for porn addiction.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one example of psychotherapy that allows individuals to identify their negative thoughts and feelings. It also detects the underlying issues that caused the addiction. Individuals whose addiction has impacted their relationships might need couples counseling or family counseling.
Follow-up sessions with a clinician are needed to address relapses, setbacks, and triggers, and adjust the treatment plan. The individual will also have a Relapse Prevention Plan that includes strategies for managing urges and triggers. Ongoing support via counseling and support groups can also help with recovery and relapse.
Medication might be used to treat compulsive urges or co-occurring disorders. Porn addiction treatment requires commitment from the individual, as well as professional help and a stable support system. Through this tailored approach, individuals can overcome porn addiction and live a healthier lifestyle.
Avoiding Relapse
Porn addiction is a complex disease. Avoiding or quitting porn doesn’t mean the addiction is under control. Many factors that can lead to a relapse, such as:
Daily stress
Emotional distress
Isolation
Overconfidence about beating addiction
Anger, boredom, or low self-esteem
One way to prevent an addiction relapse is to have a self-care plan in place. A healthy diet, exercise, good sleep, and mental health resources can aid in preventing relapse. The goal behind mindfulness is to be aware of your thoughts and behaviors. Meditation and mindfulness can help you be aware of your addiction. It can also help with curbing urges.
Setting up porn blocker apps across all devices can help break the addiction cycle. Porn blocker apps prevent access to adult content. Some apps might have educational resources, online courses, and support groups to aid your mental health journey.
Porn Blocker Apps
Want to quit porn? Or do you want to prevent your kids and teens from accessing adult websites? Studies have shown that excessive porn consumption can affect dopamine levels and have negative impacts on interpersonal relationships. Let’s run through some porn blocker apps that you can install on both Android and iPhone devices.
BlockerX - Pornblocker App: This app blocks over 2 million adult websites. It also offers individuals the opportunity to connect with an accountability partner. You can also join the BlockerX community and interact with others who share the same goal.
BlockerHero - Porn Blocker: This mobile app blocks access to pornographic material and adult content. It allows you to focus on work, school, and other priorities. You also can only uninstall this app if you get permission from your accountability partner.
Purity - Porn Block Browser: The Purity Safe Browser blocks your access to adult websites. It comes with features that will improve your recovery from porn addiction. Your accountability partner will receive an alert every time you visit an unsafe website. This browser also comes equipped with a safe search.
Covenant Eyes: This porn blocker is well-known among parents and those who struggle with compulsive porn use. Covenant Eyes offers more than just porn blocking. It also offers courses that help you and your loved ones live a porn-free life.
How is Porn Addiction defined?
Porn addiction refers to when an individual is unable to overcome their urge to look at pornographic materials, even if the desire to refrain is there. This compulsion can impact one’s work and personal relationships.
Porn addiction is referred to as “hypersexuality disorder” or “compulsive porn disorder.” The World Health Organization categorized compulsion sexual behavior (CSB) as a mental health disorder in 2018.
According to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), the definition of compulsive sexual behavior includes:
Compulsive urges: Inability to control strong sexual urges or behaviors
Repeating actions: Continuing to engage in sexual behaviors to receive the same high
Emotional distress: Compulsive porn use can cause great distress in one’s educational, family, interpersonal, occupational, or other vital areas of life.
Failed attempts: Failing to quit repeated sexual behaviors despite multiple attempts
Sex is the center of an individual’s life. They might neglect their daily responsibilities, hygiene, and self-care because of the addiction. This behavioral addiction also causes them to have an unrealistic view of sex and relationships.
Some individuals might engage in public sex, especially at work. The preoccupation with sex can interfere with one’s finances, bills, and other responsibilities. An addiction to porn is just one component of compulsive sexual behavior.
It’s not the pornographic material that causes the addiction. Psychological factors like underlying trauma can cause porn addiction. Individuals who struggle with excessive porn use might also struggle with anxiety or depression. They could use porn as an outlet to temporarily feel better from their negative thoughts and feelings.
Porn Addiction Warning Signs
There is no diagnostic criteria for compulsive porn use or porn addiction. There’s been debate as to whether porn addiction is a genuine addiction. Some experts refer to it as hypersexuality or a co-occurring mental health disorder. So how do you know if you or someone you know has a porn addiction? Common warning signs and symptoms include:
Fantasizing about pornography during work or school
Reduce or quit porn, but fail to do so
Increased money spent on porn materials and adult entertainment
Excessive porn use interferes with daily life and responsibilities
Ignoring self-care due to excessive porn consumption
Feelings of guilt or shame during or after porn use
Viewing porn in public places to increase excitement
Negative impact on relationships and intimacy
Decreased sexual libido
How common is Porn Addiction?
Pornography is accessible. However, some don't believe porn consumption is a problem. One study found that 3% of individuals struggle with compulsive porn use, which means millions of Americans. Other studies found that as many as 3–5% of people admitted to having a porn addiction.
Porn addiction increased due to the availability of porn materials. While it’s natural to have a natural curiosity for porn, compulsive use can cause an addiction. According to Pornhub’s year-in-review, the U.S. landed in the top spot for pornography use. However, most studies are about American users rather than global users. Anyone with an internet connection can access porn with their smartphone, tablet, or computer.
As a result, studies found that porn use is on the rise in developing countries. Pornhub alone received over 2.14 billion visits from American users in 2023. There has been criticism against the adult website, including its ties to sex trafficking and porn addiction.
Sources:
Mission Frontiers - 15 Mind-Blowing Statistics About Pornography And The Church
Pornography Addiction: Why Is Pornography Addictive?
ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics - 6C72 Compulsive sexual behaviour disorder
