This post was developed via a partnership with BetterHelp.
Watching porn, in general, is not a sign that something is wrong with you. In actuality, it can signify you have a perfectly normal interest in sex. For the most part, watching pornography is not an unhealthy habit. However, suppose it starts getting the way of developing healthy romantic relationships, or you begin using it as a means to avoid or replace uncomfortable feelings that are a result of an external stressor. In that case, this might mean that you’re contending with a porn addiction.
If you consider yourself one of these people, and you’d like to stop relying on porn as an emotional crutch, consider the following tips to help you quit.
Signs Of A Porn Addiction
A telltale sign you may be struggling with porn addiction is if you have to fight an uncontrollable urge to consume pornography no matter what time of day or where you are, even if it’s inappropriate to do so.
There’s no official psychological diagnosis for porn addiction. Still, like any substance, if you find yourself unable to function normally without it and it interferes with your relationships, you might not have a healthy relationship with it. And no matter what, the goal is to get to a place where you feel mentally at peace again and can begin leading a fulfilling life.
Here are some signs you can look out for that signify you or someone you know may be struggling with porn addiction:
- Real sex becomes difficult to enjoy if it doesn’t involve the consumption of porn
- Responsibilities and personal relationships come second to watching porn
- There’s a great deal of shame or guilt that comes with watching porn
- You’re unable to stop watching porn even when you don’t want to
What Causes Porn Addiction?
It’s difficult to say where behavioral addictions such as porn addiction begin or come from. However, research suggests it happens in the same way that other substance abuse cases occur, at least in the brain.
It’s possible that it can happen if you feel a rush of euphoria or positive feelings after experiencing a period of loneliness, depression, or boredom. This pleasurable stimulation replacing negative emotions can cause you to turn to porn to make you feel better. Before you know it, you’ve developed an insatiable dependence on it that you can’t seem to free yourself from.
It’s very similar to social media addiction or other forms of internet-based addictions that become so commonplace they sneak up on you by the time they’ve become a problem in your life.
What You Can Do
If you recognize that you are struggling with porn addiction, here are some things you can do to better cope and ultimately recover from your addiction:
- Start by acknowledging that you have a problem. When you do, you are one big step closer to getting better. Remember that you are not alone and not inferior to anyone for struggling with addiction.
- You need to create some space between you and the pornographic content. If it’s physical, throw it away, and if it’s online, delete all your history and look into how you can filter your searches so that porn is more challenging to find.
- Find someone to keep you accountable. This can be a close friend or even a licensed mental health professional that can guide you on your journey to recovery. If you’re interested in learning more about how a therapist can be helpful for addiction, read more here.
- Don’t beat yourself up if you experience a relapse. Recovery isn’t a linear path, so returning to old habits is sometimes part of the process. Just know that it’s just another opportunity to try again.
- Try replacing your porn watching with a healthier habit. Whenever you feel the urge to consume porn, do something more productive instead. For example, go exercise or watch a movie or television show you love. Whatever you need to do to avoid indulging in your addiction.
