Classifying Addiction: Pornography
Odds are you can probably think of at least one person you have come across in your life that looks at pornography excessively. Pornography is an interesting topic that is overlooked in the broad realm of addiction. Many of us can find humor in someone who sits in his room all day cleaning the pipes to Internet porn, and not think another thing of it. A little information on this issue will inform you of what a porn addiction means or at least understand what the kid down the hall may be going through.
There is much debate as to whether a pornography addiction actually exists. Presently there is no medical diagnosis for a porn addiction. People who argue it as an addiction claim it has the same controlling abilities that alcohol or gambling does. The condition is best described as using pornography in excess to an extent that disrupts daily life.
Some harmful effects could include relationship or commitment issues with people, and isolation. Believe it or not there are people out there who stigmatize themselves through porn viewing, as opposed to sexually acting out. The presence of porn via the Internet can easily facilitate obsession with a few clicks.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:
- Excessive viewing of pornography and the inability to stop
- Loss of time and other activities due to ongoing porn viewing
- Denial of the problem/refusal to accept any help
- Petulance when discussing sex/pornography issues
Some doctors have gone as far to say that a porn addiction is in fact a chemical imbalance. The body produces an over abundance of adrenaline and epinephrine- a hormone that stores memories of arousal in the brain.
Whether or not you choose to identify excessive porn viewing as a problem, there certainly are enough people out there that are reaching out to help. Counseling, recovery institutes, and help lines are as abundant for porn obsession as drugs and alcohol.
There is no shame in admitting to porn usage…we all do it. However it might not be too crazy to admit that some struggle with the problem, and in that sense should be resolved carefully as with any other vice. Don’t forget that many things are good in moderation.
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If you suffer from this, you may like some of these links:
Porn Addiction Survey – https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=rXTwaAG_2fPS4xY6mjC0zZ5w_3d_3d
Nate Larkin’s story (video) – http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2009/04/03/porno-saint-nate-and-the-pirate-monks/
Jimmy Needham’s story (video) – http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2009/06/23/jimmy-needham-on-porn-addiction/
Breaking the Cycle of Porn Addiction – http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2008/12/09/breaking-the-cycle-of-porn-addiction/
I really like this common-sense summary of the porn addiction issue. And as you rightly point out, we all do it and there’s no standard measure of how much porn to watch. For some guys it’s a very occasional thing, others might watch it with their partners every day.
I’d agree with those problem signs and symptoms – it’s really a problem when your porn habit holds you back and prevents you from enjoying other things in life. This might be your relationships, leisure time, work and study. If you find yourself using porn to avoid the stresses and responsibilities of everyday life, it’s time to think about making some changes.
And if you do become concerned about your porn habit, try not to go to war with yourself. Feelings of isolation, shame and guilt will only lower your self-esteem and you’ll hit the porn harder than ever. It’s easier to talk about this issue than ever before.