Addicted to Pornography

People become addicted to pornography for many different reasons. Experts in the mental health field often disagree on the root causes of addiction. Some experts believe it’s simply a behavioral problem in which someone has access to something they really enjoy and because they enjoy it, they want to engage in it as much as possible. Other experts believe there’s a genetic component to addiction, which is why some people can enjoy pornography without becoming addicted to it. In either case, the result is the same, people are addicted to pornography and they wonder why this has become such a problem.

It Feels Good

When you first started engaging with pornography, it was likely just for a good time. Maybe it was something that would get you in the mood before having sex with your partner, or you watched it with friends because it was entertaining. Since engaging with it brought on good feelings, you want those good feelings more often, especially when you’re having a hard day. The more you do it, the more you want to do it because you don’t want that good feeling to end. As you do it more, it starts to take over your life, and that’s when the addiction starts. 

You Believe You Depend on It

Dependency is usually the first peak of addiction. You may start to believe that you need to watch a porn video before having sex or you won’t be able to get aroused. This belief grows as you do it over and over again, and soon, you may not even feel like having sex because you’re aroused enough and satisfied just by engaging with pornography. 

You Think It Doesn’t Cause any Harm

Engaging in pornography doesn’t hurt anyone, right? Well, it depends on how you look at it. If you want to watch pornography instead of having sex with your significant other, you’re harming that person. If you want to engage in it instead of working, you’re hurting your boss and yourself if you get fired. If you have spent too much money on porn and can’t pay your bill, you’re also hurting yourself and family if you have one to support. While at first when you were just using pornography as a form of entertainment, it may not have harmed anyone. After a while though, addiction took control, and it has started to cause harm. 

How to Stop Watching Porn

It feels good, you believe you depend on it, and you think it doesn’t cause any harm are all reasons you may be addicted to pornography. Those feelings, beliefs, and thoughts can be changed, so you can stop your addiction. The best way to stop watching porn is to cut off all access to it, speak to a professional about your problem, and then begin living life without porn in it. As you do this, you will start to see how much you’ve missed because of your porn addiction.