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Pornography addiction is a compulsive need to view pornography despite negative consequences. While many health and psychiatric professionals do not consider compulsive porn use a true “addiction,” the signs and symptoms are often strikingly similar to those of behavioral addictions.
What separates a porn addiction from a keen interest inpornis the negative consequences of the behavior. With porn addiction, you spend an inordinate amount of time watching porn instead of interacting with others or completing important tasks. The behavior persists even if it harms your career, relationships, or state of well-being.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
As the American Psychological Association (APA) notes, experts don’t agree about the effects of pornography.Proponents suggest that it can help people improve their sex lives and provide a safe outlet for desires. Opponents believe itdamage relationships, contributes to sexual aggression, and creates unhealthy or destructive behaviors.
This article discusses the symptoms and causes of porn addiction. It also covers some of the treatment options that may be helpful.
Press Play for Advice On Dealing With Porn Addiction
Arguments in support of healthy porn use don’t detract from the serious harm porn addiction can cause, both to the person dealing with the addiction and those around them.
If you are concerned about your porn viewing, there are some warning signs to consider. You might have a porn addiction if:
A 2020 study found that 56.6% of participants reported watching pornography at some point during their life. The study also found that compulsive pornography use was associated with higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression.
Sex Addiction and Hypersexual Disorder
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Identifying Pornography Addiction
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) made some effort to categorize porn addiction in the fifth edition of theDiagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the manual that mental health professionals use to diagnose mental health conditions. The APA proposed that it be added as a subcategory of hypersexual disorder. However, the scientific board eventually concluded that there was not enough evidence to support the diagnosis.
While porn addiction is not recognized as a distinct diagnosis, it does share some symptoms associated with addiction. Someone who compulsively views porn may meet at least two of the four clinical conditions associated with addiction, namely:
However, porn addiction fails to meet the definition of addiction in that:
Although some argue that these behaviors or associations can occur with porn addiction, the relationship is generally inconsistent or vague.
Are Addictive Behaviors Real Addictions?
What Research Says
Some psychiatrists have questioned whether porn addiction should be classified as a compulsive disorder along the lines of a drug or alcohol addiction. They suggest that there are changes in brain activity that are strikingly similar to what people who use drugs experience.
According to a 2015 study published in the journalBehavioral Science,anelectroencephalogram(EEG) can detect changes in brain activity (specifically, a reactive event called P300) when porn is viewed. The response can occur within 300 milliseconds of viewing pornography.
The researchers argued that the same response occurs when a person who uses drugs views drug-related images. While the association on its own is hardly conclusive, it does suggest that porn addiction has a physiological as well as a psychiatric component.
A 2017 study that looked at people seeking treatment for problematic pornography use found similarities to substance use and gambling addictions.Participants in the study demonstrated increased activation in an area of the brain called the ventral striatum, which predicted an increased desire to view erotic material.
Recap
Addiction as a Brain Disease
Because researchers don’t agree on the definition or even legitimacy of a true pornography addiction, there is no consensus on possible causes. Those who do believe that problematic pornography use represents a real addiction believe there are a number of factors that might play a role. These include:
The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) suggests that there is not enough evidence to support classifying porn or sex addiction as a mental health disorder. Instead, they suggest that characterizing porn as problematic is linked to harmful views about sexuality.
In fact, some evidence suggests that attitudes toward pornography play the greatest role in determining the distress that it causes.
If your porn viewing has become compulsive, is interfering with how you feel about yourself, and has impacted your ability to function in your relationships, at work, and other aspects of your day-to-day life, know that you can get help.
Even though the psychiatric community does not consider porn addiction to be a true addiction, it’s important that you treat your compulsive consumption of porn as though it were an addiction.
Dismissing compulsive porn viewing as “less of a problem” compared to other kinds of addiction can affect your recovery.
You don’t have to confront your porn addiction alone or quit “cold turkey.” A mental health professional who is experienced in treating sexual dysfunction can help you address how your behavior has impacted your life and the lives of those around you.
The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) website offers anonline locatortool that can help you find qualified therapists where you live.
Working with a psychologist who can provide the mosteffective treatment methods, such ascognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), will be essential to helping you develop effective relapse prevention skills as you address porn addiction.
The Best Online Sex Therapy Programs
Whether pornography addiction qualifies as a real addiction in the traditional sense, there are things that you can do to help cope if this behavior is causing problems in your life. In addition to talking to a doctor or therapist, you can also:
While it may be uncomfortable exposing truths about your behaviors and thoughts, you need to confront these realities to ensure you get the treatment you need. With the right treatment, you can achieve lasting recovery from porn addiction.
By bringing your compulsive behavior into the light, you can begin to answer some important questions about yourself. These answers will guide you to resolutions that will make you happier and your life more stable and productive.
If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
What to Know about Masturbation Addiction
7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Weir K, American Psychological Association.Is pornography addictive?.Monitor on Psychology. 2014;45(4):46.Camilleri C, Perry JT, Sammut S.Compulsive internet pornography use and mental health: A cross-sectional study in a sample of university students in the United States.Front Psychol. 2021;11:613244. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.613244Love T, Laier C, Brand M, Hatch L, Hajela R.Neuroscience of internet pornography addiction: A review and update.Behav Sci(Basel). 2015;5(3):388-433. doi:10.3390/bs5030388Gola M, Wordecha M, Sescousse G, et al.Can pornography be addictive? An fmri study of men seeking treatment for problematic pornography use.Neuropsychopharmacol. 2017;42(10):2021-2031. doi:10.1038/npp.2017.78American Assoication of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists.AASECT position on sex addiction.Grubbs JB, Stauner N, Exline JJ, Pargament KI, Lindberg MJ.Perceived addiction to Internet pornography and psychological distress: Examining relationships concurrently and over time.Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. 2015;29(4):1056-1067. doi:10.1037/adb0000114de Alarcón R, de la Iglesia JI, Casado NM, Montejo AL.Online porn addiction: What we know and what we don’t-A systematic review.J Clin Med. 2019;8(1). doi:10.3390/jcm8010091
7 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Weir K, American Psychological Association.Is pornography addictive?.Monitor on Psychology. 2014;45(4):46.Camilleri C, Perry JT, Sammut S.Compulsive internet pornography use and mental health: A cross-sectional study in a sample of university students in the United States.Front Psychol. 2021;11:613244. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.613244Love T, Laier C, Brand M, Hatch L, Hajela R.Neuroscience of internet pornography addiction: A review and update.Behav Sci(Basel). 2015;5(3):388-433. doi:10.3390/bs5030388Gola M, Wordecha M, Sescousse G, et al.Can pornography be addictive? An fmri study of men seeking treatment for problematic pornography use.Neuropsychopharmacol. 2017;42(10):2021-2031. doi:10.1038/npp.2017.78American Assoication of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists.AASECT position on sex addiction.Grubbs JB, Stauner N, Exline JJ, Pargament KI, Lindberg MJ.Perceived addiction to Internet pornography and psychological distress: Examining relationships concurrently and over time.Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. 2015;29(4):1056-1067. doi:10.1037/adb0000114de Alarcón R, de la Iglesia JI, Casado NM, Montejo AL.Online porn addiction: What we know and what we don’t-A systematic review.J Clin Med. 2019;8(1). doi:10.3390/jcm8010091
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Weir K, American Psychological Association.Is pornography addictive?.Monitor on Psychology. 2014;45(4):46.Camilleri C, Perry JT, Sammut S.Compulsive internet pornography use and mental health: A cross-sectional study in a sample of university students in the United States.Front Psychol. 2021;11:613244. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.613244Love T, Laier C, Brand M, Hatch L, Hajela R.Neuroscience of internet pornography addiction: A review and update.Behav Sci(Basel). 2015;5(3):388-433. doi:10.3390/bs5030388Gola M, Wordecha M, Sescousse G, et al.Can pornography be addictive? An fmri study of men seeking treatment for problematic pornography use.Neuropsychopharmacol. 2017;42(10):2021-2031. doi:10.1038/npp.2017.78American Assoication of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists.AASECT position on sex addiction.Grubbs JB, Stauner N, Exline JJ, Pargament KI, Lindberg MJ.Perceived addiction to Internet pornography and psychological distress: Examining relationships concurrently and over time.Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. 2015;29(4):1056-1067. doi:10.1037/adb0000114de Alarcón R, de la Iglesia JI, Casado NM, Montejo AL.Online porn addiction: What we know and what we don’t-A systematic review.J Clin Med. 2019;8(1). doi:10.3390/jcm8010091
Weir K, American Psychological Association.Is pornography addictive?.Monitor on Psychology. 2014;45(4):46.
Camilleri C, Perry JT, Sammut S.Compulsive internet pornography use and mental health: A cross-sectional study in a sample of university students in the United States.Front Psychol. 2021;11:613244. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.613244
Love T, Laier C, Brand M, Hatch L, Hajela R.Neuroscience of internet pornography addiction: A review and update.Behav Sci(Basel). 2015;5(3):388-433. doi:10.3390/bs5030388
Gola M, Wordecha M, Sescousse G, et al.Can pornography be addictive? An fmri study of men seeking treatment for problematic pornography use.Neuropsychopharmacol. 2017;42(10):2021-2031. doi:10.1038/npp.2017.78
American Assoication of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists.AASECT position on sex addiction.
Grubbs JB, Stauner N, Exline JJ, Pargament KI, Lindberg MJ.Perceived addiction to Internet pornography and psychological distress: Examining relationships concurrently and over time.Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. 2015;29(4):1056-1067. doi:10.1037/adb0000114
de Alarcón R, de la Iglesia JI, Casado NM, Montejo AL.Online porn addiction: What we know and what we don’t-A systematic review.J Clin Med. 2019;8(1). doi:10.3390/jcm8010091
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