What Is a Porn Addiction?

[OrphanSlug]

While we can suggest addiction can apply to just about anything, it is the impact that tends to vary from subject to subject.

It is not all that outlandish to suggest that porn addiction is real, with its own set of observed consequences by mental health experts. There is an argument based on this addiction not appearing in DSM-5 as others do, but I would not dismiss it.

The whole point of these areas of academia is to observe, study, learn, develop, and help.

 

[code1211]

It isn't an addiction in the medical sense of the word like being addicted to heroin. It's a psychological addiction. It could be considered an obsession but there is brain chemistry involved. We are programmed genetically to like sex, food, alcohol, socializing, and so forth. When you substitute something in for those things and find you like the substitute better that's when it can become an issue.

I have heard, and it seems logical to accept, that addicts have addictive personalities and that this reveals itself in addicts who are, almost universally, addicted to more than one thing at a time.

Anything to which one may be addicted causes a good feeling, at least at the start of the addiction. Obviously, porn and related activities stimulate pleasure centers and provide chemical secretions in the brain.

Compulsive behavior(s) usually incorporate ritualized processes that are reenacted by the addict leading to use.

The actual object used to satisfy the addiction seems by this to be only incidental.

I was very addicted to smoking cigarettes and did so for 30 years almost to the day. In addressing that, I did plenty of study to find the way out.

In my case, now being aware of my personality trait in this area, I find that I have various ritualized behaviors in various daily actions. Most are pretty benign, but some can turn hurtful.

Most of us are not as compulsively driven as the TV detective, "Monk", but we all have some sort of odd little habits that we perform routinely for no good reason.

I was very amused when Monk said in one episode that he was gripped by COD. He explained that COD is like OCD, but he needed to put the letters in the right order.

 

[Stealers Wheel]

Is there a timeline cut-off

Sodom and Gomorrah | Description, Summary, & Controversy

Sodom and Gomorrah, notoriously sinful cities in the book of Genesis, destroyed by ‘sulfur and fire’ because of their wickedness (Genesis 19:24). The cities are referenced throughout both the Old and New Testament and the Qur’an. Learn about the biblical account and significance of the cities’...

www.britannica.com

So S&G were destroyed as a result of pornography. I did not know that. Thanks.

 

[code1211]

Well the release of serotonin or dopamine can be similar to that cases by a substance. But because you aren't putting anything into yourself you're just stimulating the response is say it isn't chemical.

If the body secretes the pleasure chemicals, that is chemically induced pleasure.

I'm not a biologist. When a guy injects an addictive drug, does the addictive drug do all the work or does the body dispense other chemicals as a result of injecting the addictive drug?

 

[code1211]

it destroys society and rots it

I've heard that the porn industry creates a cash flow to support the exploitation of various folks "employed" to create the porn.

Taking away the porn eliminates the cash flow and thereby the exploitation.

 

[ALiberalModerate]

Same with internet or hoarding, one we had to deal with recently. Pretty much anything can be addicting if you're that type of person.

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Gambling addictions are on a whole different level though.

 

[code1211]

Unfortunately, pornography can become rather addictive and one of the main reasons for that, is that it's easily accessible. Not only that, but it allows for far more different taste to be satiated and peaked at the same time.

I've had more than a few patients over this last decade who have battled with such problems and it's only getting worse with the more I see come through my door.
One of the main issues I have with it however, is that when someone outgrows their ability to satiate this need for gratification online. They will either implode, or find some way to take it out into the real world. Which is something that you can see in some convention settings, though I must stress. That these situations are few and far between. Unless you're thinking of the "Furry" variety of sufferer. Which for some reason attracts far more than what the other sources seem to attract, even considering most animation centered groups. Though I believe that this is because the "fursona", or personality that the other undertakes in these instances. Is guarded by the amount of anonymity added by the suit, or costume applied.

One of my worst patients had ended up doing some rather extreme procedures to his genitals and in the act of exciting himself, while also under observation. Which I must add, also made his situation more gratifying.
He managed to pull his penis off.

So, apologies for that little tirade. But I've seen more than my fair share of this problem and I'd wish there were more than just a few limited treatments for it.
And I'm also sorry to say that his case was not by any means the worst that I've had come through my office.

Yeow!

 

[code1211]

There is no such thing as "porn addiction". Or 'sex addiction".

Just did a little internet search. Apparently, you're wrong.

All kinds of self test sites, self help sites, definitions and support groups.

 

[code1211]

Gambling addictions are on a whole different level though.

I don't understand why you see a differentiation between the two addictions outside of the controlling addiction.

It seems like saying that alcoholism that relies on whiskey is different than alcoholism that relies on vodka.

 

[Dayton3]

Just did a little internet search. Apparently, you're wrong.

All kinds of self test sites, self help sites, definitions and support groups.

You could probably find a self help site or a support group somewhere for Star Wars or Star Trek "addiction".

doesn't mean it really exists.

 

[maquiscat]

Gambling addictions are on a whole different level though.

In what manner? I would put a shopping or hoarding addiction right on that same level.

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[maquiscat]

So S&G were destroyed as a result of pornography. I did not know that. Thanks.

It was all live action at the time, since they didn't have TV or anything......

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[ALiberalModerate]

In what manner? I would put a shopping or hoarding addiction right on that same level.

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As someone that grew up in a major horse track town, I have seen people get past shopping and hoarding additions, I have never seen anyone beat a gambling addiction.

 

[ALiberalModerate]

I don't understand why you see a differentiation between the two addictions outside of the controlling addiction.

It seems like saying that alcoholism that relies on whiskey is different than alcoholism that relies on vodka.

The psychology of gambling addiction is not the same as hoarding, shopping, or sex addictions (which all have their own unique characteristics).

 

[CLAX1911]

If the body secretes the pleasure chemicals, that is chemically induced pleasure.

I'm not a biologist. When a guy injects an addictive drug, does the addictive drug do all the work or does the body dispense other chemicals as a result of injecting the addictive drug?

It depends on the drug. the point I was making is serotonin dopamine are normal things in the body. It is in chemical dependence because you have it in your body. If you don't have it in your body that is a disorder.

 

[maquiscat]

Characteristics of neither fit the customary definitions of an "addiction"

Since you decided to not answer the question on the definition of an addiction, I have graciously done so for you.

Addiction is a psychological and physical inability to stop consuming a chemical, drug, activity, or substance, even though it is causing psychological and physical harm.

The term addiction does not only refer to dependence on substances such as heroin or cocaine. A person who cannot stop taking a particular drug or chemical has a substance dependence.

Some addictions also involve an inability to stop partaking in activities, such as gambling, eating, or working. In these circumstances, a person has a behavioral addiction.

So yes those things do fit the definition of addiction.


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[Dayton3]

Since you decided to not answer the question on the definition of an addiction, I have graciously done so for you.



So yes those things do fit the definition of addiction.


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And yet interestingly enough neither sex nor pornography are listed there.

 

[maquiscat]

And yet interestingly enough neither sex nor pornography are listed there.

Your comprehension ability is severely lacking if you have to have each possibility spelled out for you. Let's review a key line here on behavioral addiction:

Some addictions also involve an inability to stop partaking in activities, ...

Last I checked, having sex and viewing pornography were activities. Do you think the examples were the end all be all list of possible behavioral addictions?

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[Fledermaus]

Same with internet or hoarding, one we had to deal with recently. Pretty much anything can be addicting if you're that type of person.

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Everyone has an addiction.

Choose yours carefully.

- Too Much Coffee Man

 

[maquiscat]

Everyone has an addiction.

Choose yours carefully.

- Too Much Coffee Man

It's not an addiction when I have too much blood in my caffeine system. That's correcting a medical imbalance.

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[code1211]

You could probably find a self help site or a support group somewhere for Star Wars or Star Trek "addiction".

doesn't mean it really exists.

Seems like many, many people believe that it does exist.

Might be something else that destroys their life and they choose to claim that it was porn or some other sex-related addiction.

If bad things are happening to person and they feel that they understand the cause of the bad things, who are we to say they are wrong?

If the cause they cite is removed and the bad things stop happening, this seems like pretty strong evidence that they had the right cause identified.

If this or any other addiction does not affect you, then for you, it does not exist. That would be a good thing.

 

[code1211]

The psychology of gambling addiction is not the same as hoarding, shopping, or sex addictions (which all have their own unique characteristics).

I would disagree. I feel that all have a ritualized approach for the addicted individual. All have a reward for the addicted. All are triggered by some other event(s) in the addicted individual's life unrelated to the addiction itself.

All also employ 12-Step programs to overcome the addiction. I quit smoking about 18 years ago and finding the materials to help me was a bit less easy than now. The internet is a marvelous time saver.

Breaking the ritualized step by step process on the route to lighting any cigarette was the key for me. I feel, but don't know, that breaking that chain of progression must be key to breaking the dependency.

Worked for me, anyway. 12-Step Programs provide methods to break that progression, also. THAT may be the most critical key to their effectiveness.

 

[code1211]

It depends on the drug. the point I was making is serotonin dopamine are normal things in the body. It is in chemical dependence because you have it in your body. If you don't have it in your body that is a disorder.

There was some study referenced by one of my instructors in college about a chicken in a box. The box had a button. If the chicken pecked the button, food dropped out of chute into a dish.

The chickens would randomly peck around the box and eventually would peck the button again. The food would drop again. The chickens would continue the random pecking and once again hit the button.

When the button was hit randomly enough times delivering food, every chicken would eventually learn that pecking the button rendered food. They would then peck the button exclusively and eat happily.

The researchers would then turn off the food and the chickens would continue to peck the button for a ridiculous number of times before they learned that no food would be delivered as a result.

There is a lesson in this for party loyalists but I just can't seem to put my finger on it.

Anyway, the reward for engineered behavior was the key idea presented by the instructor. Striving to get the reward, whatever the source, is the path of the addict.

 

[calamity]

Pornography Addiction: Why Pornography Is Addictive?

Too much pornography use may cause personal and professional problems. Can you have a porn addiction?

www.webmd.com

Porn addiction is, in theory, when you can’t stop looking at porn, even if you want to. And the obsession gets to the point that it interferes with work, relationships, and other parts of daily life. It’s easy to understand how this could be a problem with the widespread availability of internet porn today. In 2019, for example, the popular site PornHub recorded 42 billion visits -- that’s 115 million a day.

Is Porn Addictive?
Scientists are debating if heavy use of pornography is an addiction in the medical sense of the word.

The World Health Organization added compulsive sexual behavior as a mental health disorder in 2018. And while it doesn’t single out a pornography (or any other) addiction, it does refer to repetitive sexual activities becoming a central focus of a person’s life to the point that they neglect their “health and personal care or other interests, activities, and responsibilities.”

And a study of men who sought treatment for problematic pornography use (PPU) showed that their brains did respond to sexual images. (more)
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If you are paid by each click on your ads, it sounds like porn is a safe & legal way of making money. Like YouTube. It's also a safe way of indulging your fantasies without involving any one else or risk getting covid or an STD.

I meant to reply sooner, but about halfway through reading this, I had a sudden urge to run to the bathroom with my phone.

 

[JacksinPA]

I meant to reply sooner, but about halfway through reading this, I had a sudden urge to run to the bathroom with my phone.

Good porn, both video & text, is highly attractive & obviously addictive. The hottest erogenous zone is between your ears.