Understanding Pornography: Interventions for Compulsive Users
(An ITTI Training Program)
Module 6: Impact of Pornography on ADULTS
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Impact of Pornography on Adults in America
A 2016 study identified that men’s sexual difficulties and the sharp rise in erectile dysfunction, delayed ejaculation, decreased sexual satisfaction, and diminished libido during partnered sex in men under 40 is directly related to overuse of internet pornography. The study concluded that alterations to the brain's motivational system are the etiology underlying pornography-related sexual dysfunctions (Park et al., 2016). Their explanation is that the characteristics of internet pornography may be potent enough to condition sexual arousal that do not readily transition to real life partners. These characteristics include:
- Limitless novelty
- Potential for easy escalation to more extreme material
- Video formats
- The result of the impact of internet pornography is that
- sex with desired partners may not register as meeting expectation and arousal declines.
- Clinical reports suggest:
- Terminating internet pornography use is sometimes sufficient to reverse negative effects (Park et al., 2016).
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Is Compulsive pornography use an addiction?
Four characteristics are now associated with the physical changes in brain function because of the addiction process. These are:
- De-sensitization
- Sensitization
- Impulse control mechanism – Hypofrontality
- Dysfunctional stress circuits
Desensitization is a numbed response to pleasure, especially to natural rewards, like food or bonding with others. It is usually the first addiction-related brain change porn users notice. They feel depressed, bored, flat and lackluster. Reduced dopamine signaling and other changes leave the heavy user less sensitive to everyday pleasures and ‘hungry’ for dopamine-raising activities and substances. They need greater and greater stimulation to get a buzz. They may spend more time online, prolonging sessions through edging, watching when not masturbating, or searching for the perfect video to end with. But desensitization can take the form of escalation to new genres, sometimes harder, stranger, even disturbing. Remember: shock, surprise and anxiety produce adrenaline jack up dopamine and increase sexual arousal.
Sensitization is the only thing that gets a person’s attention and raises their spirits is the object of their desire, the addicting behavior or substance of choice. This is because they have become very ‘sensitized’ to it.
Sensitization triggers powerful cravings or unconscious super-memory of pleasure, ‘euphoric memory’, when activated.
The cue-memory link is the brain that ‘wires together, fires together’ process in action. This conditioned Pavlovian memory makes the addiction more compelling than any other activity in the addict’s life. Rewired nerve connections cause the reward system to buzz in response to addiction-related cues or thoughts.
Cocaine addicts might see sugar and think of cocaine. An alcoholic hears the clink of glasses or smells beer as he passes a bar and immediately wants to go in.
For the internet porn addict, cues such as turning on the computer, seeing a pop up, or being home alone, trigger intense cravings for porn. Is a guy suddenly much hornier (true libido) when his wife, mother or roommate goes shopping? Unlikely. But perhaps he feels as if he is on autopilot, or someone else is controlling his brain. Some describe a sensitized porn response as ‘entering a tunnel that has only one escape: porn. Maybe he feels a rush, rapid heartbeat, even trembling, and all he can think about is logging onto his favorite porn website. These are examples of sensitized addiction pathways activating the reward system, screaming, “do it now!” Even the risk of committing a sexual offence won’t stop them.
Hypofrontality, or reduced brain activity in the prefrontal regions, weakens willpower or self-control, in the face of strong subconscious cravings. This happens as a result of the shrinkage of the grey matter and white matter, in the pre-frontal regions. This is the part of the brain that helps us put the brakes on choices that are not good for our longer-term wellbeing. It helps us say ‘no’ to ourselves when we feel temptation. With this area depleted, we have a weakened ability to foresee consequences. It can feel like a tug-of-war. The sensitized pathways screaming ‘Yes!’ while the higher brain is saying ‘No! Not again!’ With the executive-control portions of the brain in a weakened condition, the addiction pathway usually wins. Adolescents are doubly vulnerable to addiction. Not only do they have more dopamine driving them to take risks (the accelerator pedal is fully depressed), but the frontal lobes have not fully developed, (the brakes aren’t working too well).
Dysfunctional stress circuits. This makes even minor stress lead to cravings and relapse because they activate powerful sensitized pathways.
These four phenomena are at the core of all addictions. One recovering porn addict summed them up: ‘I will never get enough of what doesn’t satisfy me and it never, ever satisfies me’.
Withdrawal. Many people believe that addiction always entails both tolerance (a need for more stimulation to get the same effect, caused by desensitization) and brutal withdrawal symptoms. In fact, neither is a prerequisite for addiction – although today’s porn users often report both. What all addiction assessment tests share is, continued use despite negative consequences. That is the most reliable evidence of addiction. HOWEVER: Mental Health Organizations have not identified pornography addiction as a mental health disorder
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Self-Perceived Pornography Addiction
By 2016, an estimated 40 million adults in the U.S. regularly view Internet pornography 10 percent of whom admit to having an addiction to Internet pornography
Self-perceived pornography addiction (SPPA) has increasingly emerged as a concept in research & popular culture.
“Pornography or porn addiction” is not a formally recognized disorder & there is disagreement among researchers regarding its definition or even its existence however there are reliable findings about its impact
How Compulsive Pornography Use is operationalized often varies & this influences conclusions made about the impact of Compulsive Pornography Use
Compulsive Pornography Use is most frequently operationalized as excessive pornography use with negative consequences
Compulsive Pornography Use is reported to affect users & their partners in similar ways, such as increased feelings of isolation & relationship breakdowns
There still exist a debate regarding the definition & etiology of Self-Perceived Pornography Addiction as distinct from self-perceived sex addiction (Health & Medicine, 2016).
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Psychological Distress Directly Related to Compulsive Pornography Use
A 2015 study examined how the notion of perceived addiction to Internet pornography might be related to other domains of psychological functioning
The study demonstrated that:
- The notion of perceived addiction to Internet pornography is very robustly related to various measures of psychological distress
- The relation between psychological distress & perceived addiction to Internet pornography persisted, even when other potential contributors (neuroticism, self-control, amount of time, spent viewing pornography) were controlled for statistically (Grubbs, et al., 2015).
Impact Exposure of Pornography on Young Adult Development
In 2012 a study of the role of exposure to pornography during adolescence in predicting intimacy among young adults was conducted with college students (aged 18–25 years) who were surveyed online. Respondents provided information about:
- pornography use at ages 14 & 17
- perceived realism of pornographic depictions of sexual activities
- attitudes towards recreational sex & relationship intimacy
- significant gender differences in pornography exposure
- perceived realism of pornographic contents
- attitudes towards recreational sex
- No direct relationship was found between adolescent exposure to pornography & relationship intimacy in young adulthood
- The realism of pornography was related both to exposure & intimacy, but only among female participants
- The association between the appraisal of pornographic realism & intimacy was shown to be mediated by attitudes towards recreational sex (Štulhofera, et al., 2012)
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Supportive Research of Addictive Nature of Online Pornography Sex Addiction
In their research reported in 2022, Blinka et al reported that their study was done to enhance our understanding of whether the phenomenon of men who seek help for their problematic sexual internet use (PSIU) should fall within the hypersexual, compulsive-impulsive, or addictive spectrums of disorders. In this respect, the patterns of the problematic behavior, the manifestation of symptoms, and the development of the issue over time were analyzed and supported, especially the relevance of the addiction conceptualization.
This pattern emerged relatively early in young adulthood and became persistent for years. The majority of participants fulfilled the criteria for behavioral addiction (as defined, e.g., by the components model of addiction), with loss of control and preoccupation being the most pronounced and withdrawal symptoms being the least. Together with the onset of erectile dysfunction, negative consequences were reported as being slowly built up over years and typically in the form of deep life dissatisfaction, regret, and feelings of unfulfilled potential.
This study concluded that: The Addiction model is relevant for describing the difficulties in treatment-seeking men who suffer from problematic sexual internet use. However, the manifestations of the additional criteria are nuanced. In the case of negative consequences, their onset might be very slow and not easily reflected. While there was evidence of several forms of tolerance, potential withdrawal symptoms in online sex addiction need further attention to be verified. (Blinka, et al. 2022)
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10 Signs of Pornography Addiction
1.Inability to stop watching porn
2.Insatiable appetite for viewing porn/porn use
3.School and work are starting to take a toll
4.Reduced interest or drive to have sex
5.Unreasonable demands before and during sex with compulsive sexual behavior
6.Developing low self-esteem due to excessive and compulsive porn use
7.Experiencing physical symptoms due to excessive online porn addiction
8.Finances taking a toll from porn extreme/porn addiction
9.Isolation due to excessive porn addiction
10.Developing aggressive behavioral addiction
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What are signs of “Porn Addiction?”
Porn addiction can be described as a compulsive attraction to porn material. Some of the common signs of porn addiction include:
- Intrusive thoughts – constantly thinking about watching porn even when doing other activities.
- Increase use of porn material – spending a significant amount of time watching pornography without it ever being enough. This causes you to neglect other responsibilities to dedicate the time to watching more porn.
- Risky consumption – you may find yourself watching porn at inappropriate settings and times, like when at work.
- Hiding – you try to hide your porn-watching lifestyle from the people close to you because you imagine they would disagree with the habit.
- Sexual dissatisfaction – you cannot feel sexual satisfaction until you watch porn. This affects your sex life with your partner.
- Getting into debt – spending an increasing amount of resources on porn material and subscriptions.
- Increasing urge for more hardcore porn – you find that you need to watch extreme porn to get the same satisfaction over time.
- Unable to quit – you cannot seem to stop yourself from viewing pornography, no matter how much you try or the negative effects the habit has on your life.
- Shame and guilt – you feel ashamed of the habit and an increased sense of guilt, but you still cannot stop.
- Withdrawal symptoms – you exhibit signs of withdrawal symptoms like mood swings and agitation whenever you try to quit porn. (Galla, 2024)
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Pornography “Addiction” is a problem for Women as well
Women who are “addicted” to pornography find that eventually, the time spent can start to take its toll.
- Work does not get done
- Family obligations are not met, and excuses are made
- Time watching pornography interferes with eating, sleeping, or working
- Time slips away faster than intended until life has passed you by
Stages of Pornography Addiction for Women
Early exposure – Women who started watching porn from a very young age are more likely to develop a dependence on it.
Addiction – Watching porn becomes a routine and it feels impossible to quit.
Escalation – The need for more and more graphic porn becomes an issue; porn that would have originally been disgusting becomes exciting.
Desensitization – Now, even the most graphic, degrading porn is no longer exciting. There is desperation to feel something, but the addict becomes numb.
Acting out sexually – Many women make the dangerous leap to acting out sexually. They move from viewing porn to acting out in the real world (Willow House, 2024)
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Pornography use habits, religiousness, and moral incongruence are tightly involved in the Addictive Quality of Compulsive Pornography use
Despite controversies regarding its existence as a legitimate mental health condition, self-reports of pornography addiction seem to occur regularly. In the United States, prior works using various sampling techniques, such as undergraduate samples and online convenience samples, have consistently demonstrated that some pornography users report feeling dysregulated or out of control in their use. Even so, there has been very little work in US nationally representative samples to examine self-reported pornography addiction.
This 2019 study sought to examine self-reported pornography addiction in a US nationally representative sample of adult Internet users (N = 2,075).Results The results indicated that most participants had viewed pornography within their lifetimes (n = 1,461), with just over half reporting some use in the past year (n = 1,056). Moreover, roughly 11% of men and 3% of women reported some agreement with the statement “I am addicted to pornography.” Across all participants, such feelings were most strongly associated with
- male gender
- younger age
- greater religiousness
- greater moral incongruence regarding pornography use
- greater use of pornography
(Grubbs, et.al. 2019)
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Recent Statistics about Porn
What makes something porn?
- 84% of adults 25+ agree that if sex scenes make up most or all of a video, with very little storyline it’s porn.
- 61% of adults 25+ agree that close-ups or still pictures of the genitalia should be defined as porn.
- 26% of adults 25+ feel that fully nude still pictures are porn.
- 32% of adults 25+ believe that chatting or texting about sexual acts with someone you do not know personally is porn.
- 11% of adults 25+ feel that a partially nude show or dance is porn.
Porn Use
- 49% of young adults (18-24) say all or most of their friends use porn on a regular basis.
- 41% of young males (13-24) who are practicing Christians actively seek out porn at least once or twice a month.
- 33% of Americans seek out porn at least once a month.
- 57% of young adults seek out porn at least once a month.
- 46% of men seek out porn at least once a month.
- 63% of U.S. teens and adults 13 and older claim to search for porn for the purposes of personal arousal.
- 27% of older Millennials started viewing porn prior to puberty.
Porn and Culture
- 66% of young adults (18-24) rarely or never talk to their friends about porn.
- 55% of adults 25+ say viewing porn is wrong.
- 32% of teens and young adults say viewing porn is wrong
- 31% of young adults say porn is bad for society.
- 59% of U.S. teens, young adults and adults 25+ who are practicing Christians say porn is bad for society while only 16% of those who aren’t feel the same way.
- 50% of Millennials believe porn’s impact on society is negative.
- 77% of weekly porn users claim they are comfortable with how much porn they use.
- 39% of teens and adults 13 and older who are practicing Christians claim they are comfortable with how much porn they use while 40% would rather not use porn at all.
- Only 50% of daily porn users say porn featuring teens is wrong.
Porn in the Church
- 20% of youth pastors admit to currently struggling with porn.
- 14% of all pastors admit to currently struggling with porn.
- 34% of all pastors believe they are more at risk of porn temptation when compared to other professions.
- 53% of all pastors within the last 12 months has learned that someone they know in ministry struggles with porn.
- 41% of pastors say that the nature of their job makes it easier to use pornography secretly.
- 64% of pastors who use porn believe that it has on some level negatively impacted their ministry.
- 75% of practicing Christians believe that porn is a bigger problem for the Church now than it was 20 years ago.
- Only 38% of pastors say porn use is a major (3%) or significant (35%) problem in their church.
- 59% of practicing Christian married men have sought a pastor’s help for porn use.
- Only 19% of practicing Christians who use porn are currently trying to stop.
- 52% of senior pastors and 72% of youth pastors have recommended accountability to those who have sought their help.
- Just 7% of pastors say their church has a ministry program for those struggling with porn.
- Only 14% of youth pastors believe porn is a big problem among teens in their church.
- 41% of self-identified Christians say a pastor should be fired if he uses porn.
Stopping Porn Use
- 87% of adults 25+ say they have no one in their life who is helping them avoid pornography.
- 91% of U.S. self-identified Christians 25+ say counseling is very or somewhat effective for dealing with porn use.
- 83% of U.S. self-identified Christians 25+ say accountability groups are very or somewhat effective for dealing with porn use.
- 71% of U.S. self-identified Christians 25+ say internet monitoring or filtering is very or somewhat effective for dealing with porn use.
(Live Free Community 2024)
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Are Porn Addiction and Substance Addiction Related?
Various behaviors are all part of the disease of addiction. These behaviors repeatedly reinforce:
- Reward
- Motivation
- Memory circuitry of drug use
The theory is that porn addiction is when people can’t stop looking at porn, even if they want to. Eventually, the obsession with porn gets to the point that it interferes with:
- Relationships
- Work
- Other parts of everyday life - This is understandable when considering the widespread availability of internet porn today. For example, in 2019 the popular internet site PornHub recorded 42 billion visits, which is $115 million per day.
Is Pornography Actually Addictive?
Scientists are debating whether heavy use of pornography is an addiction in the medical world. The World Health Organization (WHO) added compulsive sexual behavior as a mental health disorder in 2018. Although it doesn’t specifically mention pornography or any other addiction, it does refer to repetitive sexual activities becoming a main focus of a person’s life to the extent that that person ignores his or her “health and personal care or other interests, activities, and responsibilities.”
A study of men who wanted treatment for problematic pornography use (PPU) showed that their brains responded to sexual images. This gives confidence to experts who say that the same brain activity seen in drug or alcohol addiction is also seen in those who continuously use pornography.
Signs of Addiction to Porn
The definitions of how much porn is too much differ, but most experts agree that if porn gets in the way of people’s everyday activities, they may be watching it too much. For example, if:
- Pornography becomes a central part of their life and they quit doing things that they used to really enjoy so they can see more of it.
- They neglect their personal care.
- They lose interest in other activities
- They lose interest in social encounters
- It harms their relationships.
- They dismiss other responsibilities
- It affects their schoolwork or job.
- They’re looking at it in inappropriate places like school or work.
- Their sex life becomes unfulfilling.
- They have a craving for more.
- They aren’t able to stop looking at porn even when they try.
- They can’t quit even when they stop enjoying it as much.
- They have been heavily looking at porn for 6 months or more.
Substance Addiction vs Behavior Addictions
Addiction to chemical substances has been clinically recognized. Dependence on drugs, alcohol, and other substances is common. However, according to behavioral scientists, anything or any source that is able to stimulate an individual could become addictive.
Nonsubstance-related addictive behavior has recently been recognized to be a mental health issue. Common nonsubstance-related addictions include:
- Gambling
- Internet
- Gaming
- Pornography, etc.
The idea is, that when habits become obligations, they set the development of addiction.
Addiction Stages for Substances and Porn
Addiction doesn’t just happen over time. There are certain stages that lead to addiction, whether porn or substances.
- The initiation or first use–Trying something out as an experiment or out of curiosity.
- A regular pattern of use–Developing a regular pattern of use such as indulging on weekends, with friends, or when alone.
- Risky use – As the pattern of porn use increases, it becomes risky and leads to a pattern:
- affecting social or occupational functioning
- affecting relationships with family, friends, and partners
- Dependence – In this stage, a person has built a tolerance to substances or behaviors. This means that the person needs more of the behavior or substance to receive the same pleasure. In addition, by this point, a person would be so dependent that abstinence would cause withdrawal symptoms. Very often, people give in to dysfunctional behavior just to avoid the withdrawal symptoms.
What Are the Similarities Between Substance and Porn Addiction?
- The mental health challenges involved in both addictions are very similar and progress through the same cycle of development.
- The seriousness of both conditions is equally concerning. Because there is no chemical being consumed in behavioral addiction doesn’t mean that it is less harmful.
- Recovery from both addictions has always been challenging and adequate professional help is necessary.
Substance and porn addiction have the same cycle of:
- Use
- Abuse
- Dependence
- Tolerance
- Withdrawal
Both types of addiction are a result of an unstable coping mechanism. People often resort to substance use or an addictive behavior for immediate stress relief.
Psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy (medications) are equally important for both conditions depending on the case.
Source: https://www.harmonyridgerecovery.com/drugs-and-porn/
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Relationship of Pornography with Sex Trafficking
Sex trafficking in porn is a much bigger issue than most people realize. According to cases reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, pornography was the 3rd-most common form of sex trafficking, after escort services and illicit massage businesses(Polaris, 2020).
What, exactly, is sex trafficking?
The legal definition of sex trafficking it is a type of human trafficking, and human trafficking - buying or selling humans. It’s the purest form of objectification—the literal commoditization of a human being. The vast majority of human trafficking victims come from vulnerable populations, and of the approximately 24.9 million victims of forced labor, an estimated 4.8 million—about 19%—are trafficked for sex. Even more disturbingly, more than 1 in 5 sex trafficking victims—an estimated 21%—are children (International Labour Organization, 2017).
According to one report, of the domestic minor trafficking victims who had been forced into porn production, the average age they began being filmed was 12.8 years old (Bouché, 2018).
Sex trafficking can happen to anyone from any background, those who are most vulnerable to trafficking include those living in poverty, those experiencing substance dependency, racial minorities, those who have experienced abuse or trauma prior to being trafficked, and runaway, homeless, or LGBTQ youth (Feehs & Wheeler, 2021).
Modern sex trafficking shares a variety of symbiotic connections to pornography:
- Sex trafficking victims can be forced, tricked, or coerced into pornography production
- Porn performers can be trafficked into acts they didn’t consent to
- Porn can be used to groom trafficking victims and “train” them on what is expected of them
- Porn can normalize sexual violence and objectification to the extent that in some cases, the desensitization of consumers can manifest in more willingness to buy sex, thus increasing the demand for sexual exploitation and sex trafficking
- A trafficking victim in a porn video is not likely going to turn to the camera and announce they are being trafficked. In fact, even if the victim does register their distress, it’s still virtually impossible to distinguish, because rape and abuse-themed porn are so mainstream,8and producers can edit content any way they choose. (Bridges, et al., 2010).
- When considering these issues, it’s also important to remember that most young people are exposed to porn before they have a healthy understanding of sex, let alone an understanding of how porn can fuel sex trafficking. (British Board of Film Classification, 2020).
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Immediately Have Adult Clients Make Their Homes Safe from Pornography & Other Negative Materials on Internet
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Strategies When Working with Adults with Compulsive Pornography Use
In planning your Intervention with an Adult with Compulsive pornography/sex use, you want to follow the steps recommend by Delboy (2015):
Step 1. Client Background and Case Conceptualization
1.Complete an Initial Clinical Assessment and Treatment Plan
2.Use of Self-Assessment or Professional Assessment Instruments to determine if the client is a compulsive pornography/sex user
3.Delineate the Symptoms which are signs of the problem
4.Do a complete Psychosocial History & include assessment of ACE Factors (Adverse Childhood Experiences)
5.Provide a complete diagnosis for the client including Principal, Provisional & Other Conditions That May Be a Focus of Clinical Attention
Step 2. Literature and Research Review
Step 3. Appraisal of Existing Literature
Step 4. Treatment Plan Development
Step 5. Implementation Considerations
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Step 1. Client Background and Case Conceptualization
A. Complete an Initial Clinical Assessment and Treatment Plan - You want to be sure you complete an Initial Clinical Assessment and Treatment Plan http://coping.us/cliniciantreatmenttools/clinicalassessmentplan.html
B. Assessments (http://www.coping.us/pornographyintervention/strategieswithadults.html)
Self-Assessment for assessing Compulsive Pornography/Cybersex Use
- Self-Assessment: Am I addicted to Internet Sex?
- Cybersex Addiction Self-Assessment Screening
- Am I a Sex Addict Self Assessment
- PATHOS Screening Tool for Compulsive Pornography Use
Professional Assessments to Assess Compulsive Pornography/Cybersex Use
- Hypersexual Behaviors Inventory (HBI) with Scoring
- The Hypersexual Disorder Screening Inventory (HDSI)
- Love Addiction Screening Test (LAST)
- Sex Addiction Screening Test (SAST)
- 4-self-tests- Sexual Addiction, Sexual Anorexia, Binge-Purge, Collateral indicators
- Sexual Compulsivity Scale
C. Delineate the Symptoms which are signs of the problem
E. Provide a complete diagnosis for the client including Principal, Provisional and Other Conditions That May Be a Focus of Clinical Attention. Remembering that hypersexual, compulsive pornography/sex use are not diagnosable, so utilize a mental health disorder Co-Morbidities of Depression (F34.1 Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia) (DSM-5, 2013, p.168) or Anxiety (F41.1 Generalized Anxiety Disorder (DSM-5, 2013, p.222)
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Read the following: Treatment of Compulsive Pornography Use by Adults at: http://coping.us/pornographyintervention/treatmentofadults.html
Step 4. Treatment Plan Development
Recognizing the treating of Compulsive pornography/sex use is similar to Addictions in the Alcohol and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Protocols so utilize the tools available for you in:
Step 5. Implementation Considerations
Consider implementing an Alternative 12-Step Program which will not set up resistance due to the fear of stigmatization. A readily available program is The Self-Esteem Seekers Anonymous (SEA’s) Program at: http://coping.us/seasmanual.html
Feel free to utilize any and all of the units in the Online Books on Coping.us.
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Addressing Adults' Specific Issues Related to Compulsive Pornography/Sex Use
Years of data have shown that individuals who are engaged in compulsive pornography/sex use are typically:
1.Victims of abuse (sexual, physical, emotional)
2.Come from rigidly disengaged families
3.See themselves as shameful, bad, unworthy persons
4.Are codependent & believe no one will love them as they are
5.See sexual activity as the most important way of taking care of their emotional needs
6.Engage in a variety of sexual behaviors
(Levert. 2007)
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1. Victims of abuse (sexual, physical, emotional) ACE Factors:
2. Come from rigidly disengaged families:
3. See themselves as shameful, bad, unworthy persons
4. Are codependent and believe no one will love them as they are
5. See sexual activity as the most important way of taking care of their emotional needs
6. Engage in a variety of sexual behaviors
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Dealing with Relapse in Recovery from Compulsive Pornography/Sex Use
Relapse is a common experience among sex addicts, and the disclosure of relapse has a range of consequences for addicts and their relationships, however, voluntary disclosure of relapse (rather than the partner discovering relapses independently) has been found to be associated with positive relational outcomes (Corley, et al., 2013).
Relapse is an everyday reality in recovery from any addiction and it is important for therapists to be armed with tools to share with their clients to help them get back on the way when relapse happens, figure out why it happened and do specific things to reducing the change of relapse in the future.
Toolbox for clients to use as they deal with Relapse
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12-Step Program for Adults with Compulsive Pornography/Sex Use
Supportive communication received through 12-step processes may enable pornography/sex addicts to change their behavior or motivated pornography/sex addicts who change their behavior diligently attend 12-step processes, either way such programs appear to be highly productive (Wright, 2010).
It is for this reason that we highly recommend that therapists initiate a 12 Step Program known as the Self-Esteem Anonymous-SEA’s Program which is non-stigmatizing since there is no mention of Pornography or Sex Addiction in the program’s Title or Programs:
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Online Recovery Programs for Adult Compulsive Pornography Users
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References
Blinka, L., Sevcikova, A., Dreirer, M. Skaiupova, & Wolfing, K. (2022) Online Sex Addiction: A Qualitative Analysis of Symptoms in Treatment-Seeking Men. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13: 907549. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.907549
Brezing, C., Derevensky, J. & Potenza, M (2010). Non–substance-addictive behaviors in youth: Pathological gambling and problematic internet use. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America,19(3):625-41. doi: 10.1016/j.chc.2010.03.012. PMID: 20682225; PMCID: PMC3673531.
Bridges, A. J., Wosnitzer, R., Scharrer, E., Sun, C., & Liberman, R. (2010). Aggression and Sexual Behavior in Best-Selling Pornography Videos: A Content Analysis Update. Violence Against Women.16(10):1065-85. doi: 10.1177/1077801210382866. PMID: 20980228
Cashfield, C.S., Giordano, A., King, K., Lankford, C. & Henson, R. K. (2017). Emotion Regulation and Sex Addiction among College Students. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction 15(1) DOI:10.1007/s11469-016-9646-6
Corley, M.D. , Pollard, S.E., Hook, J.H. & Schneider, J.P. (2013) Impact of Disclosure of Relapse for Self-Identified Sexual Addicts. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity. 20(3):157-170
Delboy, S. (2015). Evidence-based practice for sex addiction: A clinical case illustration. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 22, 273-289. DOI: 10.1080/10720162.2015.1072487
Grubbs, J.B., Volk, F., Exline, J.J. & Pargament, K.I. (2015). Internet pornography use: Perceived addiction, psychological distress, and the validation of a brief measure. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 41(1), 83-106. DOI: 10.1080/0092623X.2013.842192
International Labour Organization and Walk Free Foundation. (2017) Global estimates of modern slavery: Forced labour and forced marriage, International Labour Office (ILO), Geneva, 2017 ISBN: 978-92-2-130131-8 (print) ISBN: 978-92-2-130132-5 (web pdf)
Levert, N.P. (2007). A comparison of Christian and Non-Christian males, authoritarianism, and their relationship to internet pornography addiction/compulsion. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 14, 145-166. DOI: 10.1080/10720160701354771
Live Free Community (2024). Porn Use Statistics. Retrieved at: https://livefreecommunity.org/porn-use-statistics/#_form_1
Park, B.Y., Wilson, G., Berger, J., Christman, M., Reina, B., Bishop, F., Klam, W.P. & Doan, A. F. (2016). Is internet pornography causing sexual dysfunction? A review with clinical reports. Behavioral Sciences, 6. doi:10.3390/bs6030017
Scharrer, E., Sun, C., & Liberman, R. (2010). Aggression and Sexual Behavior in Best-Selling Pornography Videos: A Content Analysis Update. Violence Against Women, 16(10), 1065–1085. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801210382866
Štulhofera, A., Buškob, V. & Schmidtc, G. (2012). Adolescent exposure to pornography and relationship intimacy in young adulthood. Psychology & Sexuality, 3(2), 95–107 doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2010.537367
Wilson, G. (2012). The great porn experiment. TEDxGlasgohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=wSF82AwSDiU
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