Author: Matin (Maddie) Motamed RP MA
Addiction to pornography serves as an anxiety-reducing method or a coping mechanism when feeling stressed or bored. Exposure to previous and early sexual abuse and one’s unique interests can contribute to pornography addiction tendencies. Individuals who struggle with chronic addiction to porn report reduced quality of intimate sexual relationships. Furthermore, porn addiction can contribute to a lack of excitement towards one’s sexual relationship due to a lack of excitement and because of the unrealistic expectations that pornography can form.
Other underlying causes for pornography addiction are exposure to a stressful environment, unsatisfying relationships, and overall, under stimulation in intimate relationships and one’s personal life. Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder is often (not always) diagnosed among many individuals with porn addiction (De Alarcón, de la Iglesia, Casado & Montejo, 2019). However, the reasons why individuals engage in pornography can differ for every person.
As a psychotherapist, it is vital to ask clients what their unique reasoning may be and the purpose of pornography addiction in one’s life. It is often likely that pornography addiction is a way to self-regulate, soothe, or distract oneself from anxiety and depressive symptoms. The first step to begin the therapeutic process for the treatment of pornography is to shift from guilt and shame towards understanding and self-compassion.
Functional analysis of pornography addiction is divided into four categories: sensitization, de-sensitization, dysfunctional prefrontal circuits (hypo-frontality) or over-stimulated brain (De Alarcón, et al., 2019). Some evidence-based and effective psychotherapy approaches for treating pornography addiction are cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and psychodynamic therapy to address and overcome the shame and guilt revolving around porn addiction.
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Reference
De Alarcón, R., de la Iglesia, J. I., Casado, N. M., & Montejo, A. L. (2019). Online porn addiction: What we know and what we don’t—A systematic review. Journal of clinical medicine, 8(1), 91.
