Jane Mulvey
Jane is an expert patient educator with over two decades of experience in relaxation training mental health support and addiction medicine care. She holds an MSW in Clinical Medica...
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What Is Porn or Sex Addiction?
So what is porn addiction? What is sex addiction? Porn or sex addiction can be defined as a compulsive pattern of behaviour involving excessive consumption of pornography or engagement in sexual activities despite negative consequences. It's important to realise that there's a lot of pornography circulated on the internet today, and parental controls are not always enough to prevent children from having access. In fact, most children have their first exposure to pornography before their teenage years. This trend in recent years harms a growing person's conception of healthy intimacy. It sets up a pattern of expectation of continual novelty and hyperstimulation, which has a physical effect in the body.
What kind of help is recommended?
I encourage anyone experiencing these symptoms to seek help, but specifically from a therapist specialising in sexual addictions. If you are a loved one of someone with a porn or a sex addiction, it's important to provide non-judgmental support.
What causes or contributes to porn or sex addiction?
Factors that may contribute to the development of a sex or porn addiction include genetics, also childhood experiences, trauma and mental health issues like anxiety or depression.