Porn Addiction Treatment
People watch porn for a variety of reasons. For some people, they watch porn to explore their sexuality. They’re not sure if they’d like something in real life, so they watch porn of it to see how they feel about it. Other people watch porn because it’s the only form of release available to them. Real-life relationships haven’t gone the way they may have hoped, so they view porn instead. Some couples even use pornography in their sex lives.
Watching porn in and of itself is not a problematic behaviour. Porn can be part of a healthy sex life, but too much porn can have mental and emotional consequences.
Given the ubiquity of online pornography, many people consume porn. They may not talk about it, but it’s a behaviour that most people engage in.
The problem, however, is when that behaviour becomes an addiction and viewing pornography becomes a dominant part of a person’s life. Sivana Rehab is a world-class treatment centre that can help people overcome substance abuse, co-occurring mental health disorders, and process addictions.
What is a Porn Addiction?
A porn addiction is a type of process addiction wherein a person consumes pornographic material compulsively. People who have this addiction will struggle to control their cravings. They will watch porn regardless of any consequences they may suffer as a result.
Porn addiction can cause problems in a person’s sexual health. The overconsumption of porn can make it difficult for a person to perform in real-life scenarios. It can also have financial impacts on a person.
While porn on the internet is generally free, many people with a porn addiction find that they develop a tolerance and require more extreme or niche content to achieve the same level of satisfaction. This niche or extreme content is often inaccessible and hidden behind a paywall.
Another way in which a porn addiction can impact a person’s finances is through adult content creators. There are now websites on which people can subscribe to specific adult content creators, and these services allow people to send monetary gifts in addition to their monthly subscription fee.
Some subscribers can develop a parasocial relationship wherein they develop romantic feelings and send them tremendous monetary gifts as a way to get their attention and initiate a relationship.
A porn addiction can also cause people to struggle with their self-esteem. The performers in porn often have bodily proportions that do not reflect the general populace, and many people who regularly go on porn sites may feel inadequate in comparison.
Porn Addiction Treatment Options at Sivana Rehab
Watching pornography can be a difficult habit to break. But with effective treatment, a person can understand their relationship with porn better and recalibrate their habits regarding the use of pornography. Some of the aspects of our treatment plan include the following:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, is a form of psychotherapy that aims to help people identify and address negative thought patterns that can contribute to an unhealthy relationship with porn.
Individual and Group Therapy
Individual therapy and support groups can both be critical in helping people stop watching porn. In individual therapy, the therapist and the patient establish a rapport, and through this rapport, a person can get to the root of their addiction and develop healthy coping mechanisms.
Group therapy can be helpful for those who are struggling with porn addiction by offering them an environment where they can find support and encouragement.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Because mental health problems are often the root cause of addiction and addiction can usually exacerbate a mental illness, dual diagnosis treatment can be vital for recovery.
Under dual diagnosis treatment, both the addiction and the mental health condition are treated at the same time to foster comprehensive recovery for patients.
Holistic Treatment
As with any form of addiction, holistic treatment can be an essential part of recovery. Holistic treatments can help patients be more mindful, allowing them to feel their cravings without acting on them.
Other holistic treatments can also help manage stress, anxiety, and depression. As these can often be a trigger for addiction, managing them can reduce cravings.
What Causes Pornography Addiction?
There are numerous causes behind porn addiction. As with many forms of addiction, a person’s genetics can play a role. Addictive behaviours can run in families, and people with family backgrounds of addiction (any addiction) are more susceptible to addiction themselves.
The ubiquity of internet pornography has given rise to online porn addiction. Porn is so easily accessed online that it can be easy for a person to give in to compulsive porn viewing.
A lack of confidence in real-world relationships can also be a driving factor for pornography addiction. Many people may not be able to initiate a relationship, so they turn to porn as a substitute, developing a dependence and eventual addiction in the process.
Societal factors can also contribute to porn addiction. If a person is in an environment in which porn consumption is normalised, then that can influence them to start consuming porn themselves.
Medication
A person who is addicted to porn will display several signs and symptoms. Like with other forms of addiction, a person who has a porn addiction may neglect their responsibilities and withdraw socially in favour of looking at porn. Part of this social withdrawal may also be because they are trying to hide their habits.
By far, the most telling symptom of porn addiction is preoccupation. A person who is addicted to porn will think of porn all the time. It will become their highest priority and can lead to neglect of responsibilities and social withdrawal.
Excessive porn consumption can also cause physical symptoms. Because people consume porn from the internet, the use of porn can cause eye strain as people stare at screens for extended periods.
Legal issues can also be indicative of pornography consumption in some people. Some of the content they view may be illegal. Even if everything that a person doesn’t consume illegal porn, they may still face legal consequences as they use it in inappropriate circumstances, such as in public. They may also face professional consequences as some may watch porn at work.
Find Treatment for Porn Use in Bali
Excessive porn use can be hard. It can lead to feelings of guilt and shame, especially if a person grew up in a sexually conservative environment. It can stop a person from forming healthy sexual relationships.
But a problem with porn can be solved. With professional treatment, a person can overcome addiction to porn and create a life wherein they can have a healthy intimate and romantic life with other people. At Sivana Rehab, our treatment is designed to help people who are addicted to pornography retake control of their lives.
FAQs
Is Porn Addiction and Sex Addiction the Same?
No, porn and sexual addiction are not the same. They are related, but being addicted to porn refers to porn consumption, whereas sex addiction refers to the compulsion to engage in sexual acts with other people.
Is Pornography Use a Behavioural Addiction?
Yes, porn addiction is a process/behavioural addiction. This is when, in contrast to substance addiction, a person develops an addiction to a specific behaviour or process.
Does Addiction to Porn Only Affect Men?
No. Both men and women can be affected by the addictive nature of pornography; social perceptions suggest men are more likely to become addicted, but people of all genders can be affected.
When to Seek Professional Help for Problematic Pornography Use?
When porn consumption begins to have a detrimental impact on your life and you find it difficult to refrain from this behaviour, then it may be time to seek treatment for porn addiction.