What Does Porn Addiction Look Like? 5 Signs To Be Aware Of

Pornography, commonly referred to as ‘porn, is a big umbrella term for any visual substance or material that is intended to cause sexual arousal. 

Internet pornography is widely associated with the risk of pornography addiction, or porn addiction. 

Porn addiction refers to the dependence on pornography use that disrupts daily life, such as in relationships, at work, or in school, and the ability to function on a day-to-day basis. 

Data has suggested that excessive pornography use is associated with sexual aggression, lower sexual satisfaction and problematic perception of sexuality, moral incongruity, and compulsive sexual behavior disorders. 

There are some medical diagnoses and terminologies used to describe what may resemble porn addiction, including but not limited to:

• Compulsive sexual behavior disorder
• Hypersexuality 
• Hypersexual behavior
• Online sexual compulsivity
• Problematic pornography use or problematic online pornography use

This article will discuss the signs, symptoms, and causes of porn addiction, how to overcome it, and when to see a doctor or therapist about it.

5 Signs of a Porn Addiction

You may wonder, “Am I addicted to porn?”

The signs and symptoms of an addiction are generally similar, whether it is an addiction to video games, gambling, alcohol, or pornography. They revolve around:

• Being unable to control your desire or craving
• The negative impact of the addiction on your daily life and social function
• The manifestation of physical symptoms from addiction
• Risky behaviors associated with addiction, such as irresponsible spending of wealth, law-breaking, and so on. 

Here are some signs that may indicate a porn addiction:

1) You think about pornography a lot

Constantly thinking about pornography, whether it is watching porn or reading erotica, is one of the first red flags that you may be addicted to porn. 

You may be thinking about pornography a lot to the point where it interferes with your daily function. 

Sometimes, the thoughts are so overwhelming that you start to lose interest in other things. For example, you are unable to focus at work because you are constantly fantasizing about pornography. 

This could be thinking about when you’ll be viewing porn next or about pornographic content you’ve watched. 

You may sometimes give up certain tasks or interests in order to view porn. For example:

• Skipping an appointment with friends or family members to watch porn
• Not attending a work meeting or performing poorly at work because you were distracted by porn
• Neglecting personal care, house chores, or responsibilities in favor of viewing porn
• Losing interest in other hobbies

2) You no longer feel satisfied with intimacy 

Being constantly exposed to porn can affect your intimate relationships and personal sex life. You may start to compare your experience with that portrayed in pornography. 

Sometimes, you may be disappointed with reality because you are consumed by fantasy. 

These comparisons may include physical appearance, sexual abilities, and performance. The pressure associated with such comparisons may negatively impact your experience during sex or intimacy, including dissatisfaction and frustration. 

Soon, you may no longer feel satisfied with intimacy as you struggle to achieve what the actors or characters have in pornography. 

3) Your relationship with your partner is affected

Studies have shown that people who are addicted to porn tend to pull away emotionally from their partners. 

They may start to develop traits such as secretiveness or become depressive due to the addiction. 

Not only that, the frustration and dissatisfaction from porn addiction may also affect your partner’s self-esteem when they notice that they cannot cope with your expectations in bed. 

Additionally, when someone realizes that their partner is favoring pornography over intimacy, they may feel disheartened. 

As a result, your relationship with your partner may be negatively affected by porn addiction.

4) You are spending a lot of money on porn

Porn addiction, as with many other types of addiction, may lead someone into splurging or ignoring risks and rationality to satiate their craving. 

One of the signs of porn addiction includes spending a lot of money on porn. Subscriptions to porn websites, live cam sessions, or magazines often come with a cost. 

5) You feel angry or anxious when not watching pornographic content

Being addicted to porn may lead to feeling anxious or angry when you are not viewing pornography. 

These emotions are part of the “withdrawal symptoms” of porn addiction. Physical symptoms such as headache may also manifest. 

According to a study, other negative emotions associated with porn addiction withdrawal include:

• Depression
• Mood swings
• Anxiety
• Inability to focus or ‘brain fog’ 
• Fatigue
• Inability to sleep or insomnia
• Restlessness
• Loneliness
• Frustration
• Irritability
• Decreased motivation
• Having erotic dreams

What Does Porn Addiction Look Like? 

You may notice that you or someone you know may have some or all of the signs and symptoms listed above. This may be a cause for concern as they may indicate an addiction to porn. 

In a nutshell, porn use is problematic and worth addressing if:

• It is affecting your relationship with other people
• It is negatively impacting your performance at work or school
• It’s negatively impacting your mood
• It is affecting your sex life
• It is causing you to neglect other needs, such as personal hygiene and care
• It’s costing you more than you can afford

What Causes Porn Addiction?

People develop an addiction to porn for various reasons. Like with any form of addiction, porn addiction is often a complex, multifactorial problem.

Factors	Examples	Remarks
Biological	Structural differences in the brain	Certain structural differences in the brain may cause some people to be more vulnerable to behavioral and substance addictions. Conversely, pornography use can also potentially change the chemistry of your brain and cause addiction.
	Genetics	Certain genes are associated with higher susceptibility to addiction. Hence, people with these genes may be more susceptible to developing an addiction.
Psychological	Underlying mental health problems	Some people with poor mental health may use pornography as a coping mechanism to deal with stress, anxiety, or depression. When they depend too much on using porn as an escape, it might turn into an addiction.
Social	Relationship problems	Some people with difficulties in their intimate or sexual relationship(s) may use porn as a way to fulfill their sexual needs and desires. Problematic porn use can also cause relationship problems.

Treatment For Porn Addiction

Treating porn addiction includes addressing the effects of this problem in your daily life. From your emotions to your relationships, and productivity, the treatment of porn addiction should be individualized and tailored to each person. 

Here are some treatment strategies for porn addiction:

1) Psychotherapy

Certain forms of psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), aim to help “rewire” unhealthy thought patterns. 

CBT may be beneficial in helping you understand your thoughts and behavior patterns toward porn. 

As a result, you can tackle the issue by developing healthy coping mechanisms whenever the pattern is recognized. 

Psychotherapy can also help you understand your relationship with porn and address other underlying psychological distress or illnesses. 

Sometimes, these underlying psychological problems may be a contributing factor to the porn addiction. 

2) Relationship counseling

Sometimes, porn addiction can be caused by or cause relationship issues. Hence, relationship or couple counseling aims to improve the dynamics and restore the trust between the couple. 

3) Medications

Medications can help, especially if you have an underlying condition that contributes to porn addiction. 

For example, if you use porn as a coping mechanism for your anxiety, treating the anxiety with medication can help reduce problematic porn use. 

Medications can also help to manage the effects of porn addiction. For example, if you have developed symptoms of depression from your porn addiction, antidepressants may help alleviate those symptoms. 

Nonetheless, the root cause, which is the porn addiction, must be addressed.

4) Lifestyle changes

Certain lifestyle changes may help to deter the behavior and reduce the intensity of the craving. This may be difficult initially, but it is an important step towards change.

Lifestyle changes may include:

• Spending less time in the same space with the object of addiction, i.e., computer, mobile phone, magazines
• Going offline whenever possible
• Delete and block porn websites
• Finding a new hobby 
• Spending more time outdoors or with nature
• Practice mindfulness activities like meditation and yoga
• Exercising more
• Finding a confidant to check in with you and your progress in quitting porn
• Joining a support group to check in with whenever you have urges to view porn

When To See a Doctor or Therapist? 

If you are struggling with porn addiction, you should speak to a doctor or a licensed therapist about it as soon as possible. 

Porn addiction can be difficult to treat alone. It is important to stay honest and open when discussing your issues with your therapist so that they can help you holistically. 

Here are some ways to know if you need to see a professional for help:

• You feel ashamed or guilty over your porn viewing habits
• You want to stop viewing porn, but you are unable to do so
• Your sex life is affected, for example, you constantly feel dissatisfied with sex
• You experience an increase in sexual dysfunction, for example, you have trouble achieving orgasm from sex or if sex becomes painful.
• You experience symptoms of anxiety, depression, insomnia, or other mental health conditions
• People around you start to point out that your behavior has become problematic 
• You begin developing concurrent addictions or dependencies such as gambling, drinking, or drug use

Conclusion

• Porn addiction, much like other dependencies, may have many adverse effects. There are some tell-tale or warning signs that can help you identify problematic porn use, such as relationship issues, mood changes, and a preoccupation with pornography. 
• Porn addiction treatment aims to reduce the negative impacts of this problem. Professionals can rehabilitate this problematic behavior by utilizing methods such as psychotherapy, lifestyle changes, counseling, and so on. 
• Treatment strategies are often tailored to the individual to achieve the best outcome. If you know someone or if you are struggling with porn addiction, know that you are not alone and that help is available. 
• Consider speaking to your healthcare provider or a licensed therapist for more information. 

Explore More

Death Grip Syndrome: Causes and Treatment.