Pornography Addiction: Can It Happen?by Beth McHugh | More from this Blogger 18 Jul 2007 06:01 PM
Addiction to pornography does exist and, like any addiction, comes to rule the life of the sufferer. What starts out as a pleasurable habit ends up as a pit of pain and desperation. The official prerequisites for an addition to any activity or substance comprise the same criteria: there is an inability to perform everyday activities in the usual manner without the substance or activity occurring, there is a preoccupation with seeking out the substance or activity which provides the required feeling or mood change, an increasing amount of time is spent in pursuing and indulging in the activity, and work and social obligations are compromised. Let's look at the case of Miah. Miah was a recent immigrant from a country where pornography was largely unavailable to the masses. On coming to a Western country, he was somewhat overwhelmed by the difference in sexual mores but his real pornographic epiphany came when he was taking trash to the local dumping ground in the small town he lived in and found a pornographic magazine amongst the rubbish. Fascinated, he brought it home and spent hours pouring over its contents. He returned again and again to the rubbish dump looking for further copies of this magazine. Within a couple of years, he had acquired an enormous array of soft and hard core DVDs and magazines. While Miah found all this activity pleasurable for many years, he found to his horror that in order to achieve the desired results from viewing this material, he needed not only more and more publications, but more and more hard core material. He was finding it harder and harder to get his "hit." Miah was now essentially addicted. Worse, he found that he was increasingly unable to enjoy a sexual relationship with a woman. No one woman can be all that appears in the vast assortment of pornography that is available from any number of sources. Hence no one woman could satisfy Miah. He became a victim of his own addiction. He felt increasingly depressed because, although he yearned for a close loving relationship with a woman, he needed more and more stimulation in order to achieve sexual happiness. Like any drug addict, he needed more and more. As with most things in life, a little of something can bring an enhanced experience. Too much brings untold happiness. Miah suffered tremendously from his pornography addiction and ultimately required months of therapy to undo the damage that had been done. He had to slowly and painstakingly relearn sensations within his own body and relearn to have sex without the help of his addictive aids. Advocates of porn usually state that all partners are willing, and protesters against porn suggest that it degrades women. Both are correct. But what is often ignored is that the individual viewer is also being subtly manipulated, often to his own detriment. Contact Beth McHugh for further assistance regarding this issue. Related articles: Learn more about Beth McHugh  Beth McHugh began her career as a geologist and worked both in industry and as a university researcher. Relevantmental health tags marriage | sex | christmas | pregnancy | family | parenting | Kids | relationships | Scrapbooking | children User Comments  Beth McHugh (13186) 09 Aug 2007 12:55 AMAs you say, pornography addiction is no different to any other addiction. I believe the real losers in this are the addicts themselves. Again, like all addictions, what starts out as fun can evolve into problem behaviors and personal unhappiness. vgfischer (15) 05 Jan 2009 05:39 PMAs a recovering sex addict, I am so grateful to see an article that puts the matter straight. No person wakes up one morning and says, "I think I want to be an addict." Instead, we wake up one day wondering what happened and what do we do now? The miracle is that there are twelve step groups out there today to help an addict deal with the painful compulsions. Beth McHugh (13186) 11 Jan 2009 12:23 AMHI vgfischer, it's great to hear that you have successfully recovered from your addiction. Your experience in this area would be very valuable to others going through the same process. Thanks for contributing, Beth Mandi Hunter (50) 12 Oct 2009 09:01 AMI know it's been a while since this was posted but I agree with this...My husband was addicted to porn and we ended up breaking up for a few months while he figured things out...He realized his addiction while we were separated and together we worked threw it and now I tell him if he's looking it up to much or when I start getting worried and he stops :) Beth McHugh (13186) 14 Oct 2009 09:47 PMHi MHunter, yes, porn can be addictive but what a great job you and your husband have done between you. Setting that firm boundary as you have will assist him to keep himself in check. Addictions can be beaten but the propensity is always there for one type of addiction or another so your husband is lucky to have your support. Hope your future together is a bright one. Best wishes, Beth Community Tags addiction, depression, Internet Pornography Addiction, Masturbation Addiction, pornography, sex, sexual dysfunction, Substance Abuse Center Discuss this article
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The simple answer? Yes. Humans can become addicted to any substance or activity that causes pleasure as a result of the release of hormones that provide that sensation of pleasure. Whether it be gambling, smoking, eating, drug-taking or just plain old chocolate, addition is a real possibility when associated brain chemicals reliably change a mood or enhance an experience.
