“Online pornography use, also known as Internet pornography, use or cybersex, or porn addiction, may be one of those Internet-specific behaviors with a risk for addiction. It corresponds to the use of the Internet to engage in various gratifying sexual activities, among which stands the use of pornography, the most popular activity with an infinite number of sexual scenarios accessible. Continued use in this fashion sometimes derives from financial, legal, occupational, relationship trouble, or personal problems, with diverse negative consequences. Despite these adverse results, feelings of loss of control and continued use constitute “online sexual compulsivity” or Problematic Online Pornography Use (POPU). This problematic consumption model benefits from the “Triple-A” factors.” (de Alarcón R, 2019). The need for Porn Addiction Treatment Centers in on the rise in 2021.
What is porn addiction?
Porn addiction is officially defined as emotional and mental dependence on pornography. This can be through reading, viewing, or over obsessing about porn. Porn addiction is majorly categorized by the fact that these acts will negatively affect a person’s well-being and areas of their life including relationships, academic, professional, and social. As found in many other addictions, the behavior of the individual continues despite ever-growing negative consequences and a desire to stop.
Pornography addiction is also a form of sex addiction and can often co-occur with other compulsive sexual behavior. (Study: Porn Addiction on the Rise, As Technology Increases Access, n.d.)
Signs of porn addiction:
- They ignore other responsibilities to view pornography.
- They view progressively more extreme pornography to get the same release that less extreme porn once offered.
- They feel frustrated or ashamed after viewing porn but continue to do so.
- They find that the amount of time you spend watching porn keeps growing.
- They spend large sums of money on pornography, possibly at the expense of daily or family necessities.
- They insist that their romantic or sexual partner views porn or acts out porn fantasies even though they don’t want to.
- They use pornography to cope with sadness, anxiety, insomnia, or other mental health issues.
- They are unable to enjoy sex without first viewing porn.
Physical symptoms of porn addiction:
- Dry eyes and strained vision
- Pain and/or numbness in the hands and wrist
- Sleep disturbances
- Forgetfulness
- Headaches
- Extreme changes in weight (weight loss or weight gain)
Conditions that frequently co-occur with pornography addiction include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Mood Disorders
- Sex Addiction
- Substance Use Disorder
Correlation between the Internet and porn addiction:
“The easy access to pornography on the Internet and other devices makes resisting the urge more difficult and appears to be increasing pornography addiction. Some people are now porn addicts who arguably wouldn’t have gotten there without the new technologies,” says San Francisco psychotherapist Michael Halyard, MFT.
The University of New Hampshire conducted a study that found that nearly 73% of participants had viewed online pornography before the age of 18, with males both more likely and more often viewing porn than females (93% of all males had viewed pornography).
Porn addiction statistics:
- People addicted to porn spend at least 11 to 12 hours per week viewing porn.
- Around 35% of all internet downloads are pornographic.
- 84% of people between the ages of 18 and 49 had watched pornographic films.
- Forty million US adults regularly visit internet pornography websites.
Takeaways:
When it comes to the increase in porn addiction, the most apparent reason is the Internet and overall technology. Before the Internet was porn, people had only two options to consume pornography. This was by print form (magazines) or television (VHS and DVD.) So, what happened when the Internet was born? An entirely new venue of expansion within the porn industry was created.
Overtime pornography was not something that could only be accessed by visiting an adult book or film store. It became widely accessible and available to billions of people, online and they could take it wherever they were at the moment. But the one thing that caused the big boom was that it was often available without requiring any payment, and you usually could view it with just one click of a button.
Since the younger generation has embraced the growth of technology with open arms, the platforms that create, publish, and host pornography have continued to grow, which in turn has increased the likeliness that people will become dependent on porn.
Why Omega Recovery:
In our Community Integrated Treatment Model, our Omega clients are engaged in living in the real world once again—and we make it fun as we help them find their passion! Frequently, the screen is a substitute for a young person who feels bored, lost, depressed, adrift and lacking any real sense of purpose or direction. Omega Recovery helps them find that meaningful sense of passion, purpose, and direction in their lives. By living cooperatively in a treatment house in a vibrant community in the thriving city of Austin, we use all the social, nature-based, cultural, educational, and economic opportunities available in a fantastic city like Austin.
The recovering screen client gets the full clinical impact of an inpatient program in a much more comfortable, non-institutional alternative to traditional inpatient treatment. Dr. Kardaras has found that this treatment setting has better recovery outcomes as it is a more authentic and organic living and therapeutic environment, which translates into a smoother transition post-treatment.
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If you or someone you love is struggling and needs treatment, please reach out to us today! You cancontact us when you are ready at (512) 601-5407 or send us an e-mail at intake@omegarecovery.org.
