Problems With Porn: Do You Have An Addiction, Compulsion, Or Just A Habit?

Visit this website for tips on how you can use counseling to reconnect with your family members and cultivate meaningful relationships.

Problems With Porn: Do You Have An Addiction, Compulsion, Or Just A Habit?

Problems With Porn: Do You Have An Addiction, Compulsion, Or Just A Habit?

11 November 2020
 Categories:
, Blog


With approximately 22 million subscribers signed on to one of the most popular porn sites anywhere, porn is generally considered an acceptable activity and within the range of normal human behavior, but it can also have a dark side to it, too. For some, viewing porn begins as a casual experience and evolves into a compulsion, eventually turning into a serious and life-altering addiction. 

The Difference Between Compulsion And Addiction

A compulsion is generally a repeated behavior with no real purpose other than to satisfy a desire. It could be anything from washing your hands an unnecessary number of times to sitting down with some ice cream whenever you've had a difficult day at work. Often, you know your compulsion isn't healthy or warranted; however, the impulse to act upon it is very strong. As such, you end up doing it anyway.

An addiction, on the other hand, leaves you with very little or no control whatsoever to resist. When you can't or don't have whatever it is you're addicted to, you'll also very likely experience symptoms of withdrawal, which isn't the case with compulsions. While both a compulsion or an addiction can be a dangerous situation, addiction is far more serious and usually comes with greater consequences.

How You Might Know You Have An Addiction To Porn And Not A Compulsion

Whether it's porn, gambling, a substance, or something else, addiction can creep up on you without you even knowing. The first signs may be subtle, but before long, different symptoms may show up as well. 

  • Your porn habit takes precedence over responsibilities, like work, family, and personal hygiene 
  • You're spending time and money you don't have
  • You become anxious when you can't view it
  • You're wrought with feelings of guilt, depression, and worry
  • Sleep may be elusive or simply disturbed
  • Others notice changes in you, either behaviorally or in terms of actions
  • You feel as if you just can't go without it

Being addicted to anything leaves you feeling helpless even if you haven't yet quite admitted you have an addiction. There's actually academic, professional, and societal debate over whether or not pornography can become a clinical addiction, though most people agree it can and does become very problematic for some.

The Help Available From A Pornography Addiction Counselor

Be it a strong compulsion or an outright addiction, getting help is essential to resume a normal, productive life. An addiction counselor might look to resolve underlying issues that led to the current problem, like witnessing or experiencing trauma at some point in your life, having an addictive personality, or being afflicted by anxiety and/or depression that forces you to self-medicate. 

Counselors also extend short and long-term therapeutic solutions that help you to regain control, along with revealing the explanations for your behavior. You might be a good candidate for counseling in a group or family environment, besides individual counseling. Additionally, different methods of coping without your addiction will be introduced to help you get through the withdrawal components. A real dependence on anything, such as alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, or cocaine, is extremely difficult to overcome alone and pornography is no exception.

You may have a compulsion or an addiction, but the two are so closely related, you may not even know which is taking over your life. If you think it's "just" a compulsion, keep yourself in check. Be aware of any sacrifices you're making to keep your connection to pornography, such as time with loved ones, work, and other important activities. If you suspect you're addicted, get help soon. Addictions are rarely self-resolving and you have no way of knowing now how far out of control this could get. Contact a pornography addiction counseling program for more information.  

About Me
Understanding Counseling For Siblings

Hey everyone, I’m Sam Welch. Welcome to my website about counseling for siblings. When I was growing up, I had to find a way to connect and cooperate with my seven siblings. The full house meant that everyone needed to work together to maintain a peaceful environment. As we grew into adults, however, we decided to go our separate ways in search of personal space. After several years, we attempted to work on our relationships to no avail. Counseling sessions allowed us to gain understanding and develop the skills required to cultivate new connections. I will use this site to help others learn why going to counseling with your siblings can be beneficial.