How to Quit Porn Addiction:5 Effective Steps to Stop on your own
Pornography has long been a part of our culture, and it is always a topic of controversy.
Some individuals find it boring, while others find it terribly offensive. Some people indulge in it frequently, while others do so just rarely. Everything comes down to individual taste and decision-making.
Porn addiction is when a person’s everyday life, connections, and capacity to operate are affected by pornography. Such an affliction isn’t uncommon, in my opinion. Some experts believe that porn addiction falls under the broad definition of “hypersexual illness,” which covers habits like frequent masturbation.
3–6% of the population may suffer from these conditions, according to research published in 2019. However, since there is no official categorization, it has proven difficult to ascertain the rates.
What do studies suggest about porn addiction?
However, studies on the subject are diverse, with some claiming that there is no such thing as an addiction to pornographic material whatsoever!
Continue reading to discover more about the dangers of pornographic addiction, as well as how to deal with it.
Status of pornography watching in India
Indians appear to be among the world’s biggest consumers of porn, with a 95% increase in traffic to pornographic websites.
And this was during the pandemic lockdown. pornographic material consumption in the nation, the world’s fastest-growing smartphone market, has increased even more after the pandemic.
Although numerous Indian telecom providers have banned many pornographic sites, their material may still be accessible through mirroring domains.
How to know that you have a porn addiction?
Firstly, pornography addiction may lead to a lack of self-control if excessive intake takes up a significant amount of time, as is often the case.
Secondly, porn addiction may also put a burden on interpersonal connections.
The following are possible manifestations of this conduct:
- Keeping one’s porn activities a secret from other people and potential sexual partners.
- Spending too much on porn at the price of fundamentals.
- Resentful of the recommendation to cut down on your porn use.
- Finding the act of actual sexual contact to be less pleasurable.
- Moving on to engage in more severe types of porn for fun.
- Need for porn to deal with pain, worry, and despair.
- Shame from porn consumption, yet unable to quit.
- Unable to stop watching porn despite attempts.
- Consumption of porn under risky situations.
- Involvement in risky sexual activities.
Causes of this addiction
It’s difficult to explain why some people get addicted to porn. You may begin to browse porn just because you enjoy it. You can get addicted to the adrenaline boost it provides and crave it more frequently. Even if you eventually regret your binge-watching habits, it won’t matter at that point. You can’t help yourself when you’re in the throes of it. Try to quit, and you may find yourself unable to do so.
That’s how individuals grab addictive behaviors.
According to research, many addictive behaviors, such as online addiction, include brain mechanisms that are akin to those involved in drug addiction. Online porn addiction is in some way comparable to these.
Anyone may develop this kind of behavioral addiction. It may begin during a time of boredom, loneliness, anxiety, or depression.
Adverse effects of porn addiction
It’s simple for someone to get addicted to porn since it’s so widely available. People who regularly consume large volumes of explicit content show greater brain activity when exposed to pornographic triggers. The same happens when you expose tempting stimuli to persons with substance or gambling addictions.
But in addition to alterations in brainwaves, frequent porn intake can also have the following impacts:
Affects the relationship between a couple
Even though anybody may get addicted to pornography, males have a greater tendency to do so, which can lead to problems in their relationships.
Men who browse pornography are likely to withdraw emotionally from their partners. Because after binging on porn, these guys often become more secretive and perhaps even depressed.
Men are also more likely to watch less-affectionate porn than women, which might lead to a loss of closeness in a relationship.
Lower your partner’s self-confidence
One’s self-esteem takes a big hit when one’s spouse chooses pornography over physical contact with them. Individuals with hypersexual conditions may worry about their ability in bed, their partner’s likes, and other areas where they’re lacking.
Affects sexual satisfaction
A person who spends a lot of time seeing the bodies and personal relationships of others is more likely to compare themselves to them. Soon, they may compare their looks and sexual talents to those of actors in the adult industry.
Sometimes the person also directs this unhappiness towards their spouses, who compare themselves to the performers they watch.
Affects Routine functioning
pornography can also disrupt someone’s everyday routine. It may harm productivity at work, at home, and also in social situations.
May promote mental illness
Erotically stimulating content is additionally linked to anxiety problems. Hypersexuality may also lead to mental health issues and even drug misuse problems. Speculation also relates excess sexually explicit intake to erectile as well as other sexual dysfunctions.
Can you quit on your own, or do you need to visit a professional?
Every time you see porn, the brain receives a dopamine hit (a feel-good brain response). Your body becomes used to the dopamine rush over a period, and you begin to desire it. To achieve the exact dopamine reaction, you must also up the ante (i.e., watch more intense or hardcore porn). Because when your body starts to standardize what you’re doing, your mind doesn’t react similarly.
Addiction develops in this manner. So, you have to decide if you will be able to get rid of porn addiction by yourself or you require the help of a professional.
Five steps to stop porn addiction on your own
Get rid of the porn
Remove and prevent access to any and all pornographic content, including websites, on any of your digital devices. Have a trusted friend or family member install password-protected filters on your computers and smartphones. That means they have access to your account credentials, not you. Discard any pornographic physical copies.
Keeping your footing
Consider how watching porno has harmed your life the next time you want to indulge in the addiction. What did you lose because of this addiction?
Prevent any triggers
Avoid watching porn when you’re feeling triggered by specific situations. Don’t log on, for example, if you’re a night owl who likes to view porn on the computer. Have a strategy in place if you cannot prevent a trigger. Like in the previous example, it’s beneficial to envision an alternative healthy activity you can conduct in its place.
Plan a Project
Maintaining a busy schedule might help you forget all the dopamine rush associated with watching porn. Start to think about anything else to do instead of viewing pornography. Doing exercise, listening to music or even finding out your life’s purpose are some of the things that you can try.
Take the help of others
Take the help of an intimate companion who can both support you through the process of kicking your pornography habit and serve as a source of accountability.
And just in case the matter is out of your hands, take the help of a professional treatment.
What are the available treatment options
Porn addiction treatment methods aren’t thoroughly established since it’s not an official illness. However, you can use a variety of solutions to minimize the impacts.
Medication
Naltrexone is a suggested therapeutic option for erotic dependency. Some people also use it for the treatment of alcoholism and opioid dependency. This medication may reduce the desire for porn and the pleasure from indulging in its consumption. But you must not take this medication without a certified physician or doctor’s prescription.
Therapy
A mental health specialist can help you determine whether or not you have a habit or addiction. If you’re suffering from anxiety, sadness, or OCD, this might be extremely beneficial to you. The kind of treatment your therapist recommends depends on how much porn is affecting your life.
Counseling sessions might assist you in discovering the underlying causes of your habit. A therapist may assist you in modifying your relationship with pornography.
Peer support networks
A lot of individuals feel better when they can share their experiences with others who have been there. Ask your doctor, therapist, or hospital about support groups on porn or sex addiction.
What else can you do?
- Install porn blocking software on your PC like Bark, Covenant Eyes, Accountable2You etc.
- Replace it with an action that has a comparable impact, like physical activities, dancing, music, trekking etc.
- Become a member of a local or online group for people who wish to stop viewing porn.
Apps that can help you quit porn addiction
rTribe Counseling App
rTribe is a non-porn addiction-specific tool that enables you to discreetly speak with other experts and groups who may be experiencing the same issue. You may schedule text and video sessions with stress, anxiety, and addiction specialists.
porn Addiction Calendar – Quit
porn Addiction Calendar is a well-thought-out application with several features that make quitting porno even more enjoyable. First, there is a counter that keeps track of your success in refraining from viewing porn. Then there is a separate panel that displays the amount of time you have saved by doing so.
You can also come up with your own grounds to quit porn, or you may choose from the pre-programmed evidence-backed ones. These are present in the app itself!
Covenant Eyes
Covenant Eyes is a strong program that has made a big leap in the fight versus pornographic content. The software has a few tricks up its sleeve when it comes to holding users accountable.
ReWire Companion
The ReWire Companion application may be a huge asset in your efforts to overcome porn addiction. This app tracks your present record, historical relapses, and accountable companion’s records.
Victory
Victory motivates you with encouraging slogans and tracks you don’t surrender every day. And if you’re really bold, you may send your responsible companions a “Bat Signal” when you need prayer.
Summary
You don’t need to worry about having a problem if you watch porn sometimes or even on a regular basis. When everything else fails, see a mental health specialist who specializes in treating obsessive thoughts, addictions, and dysfunctional sexual behavior.
The good news is that, despite how pervasive porn may seem, addiction to it is treatable with willpower and the correct guidance from qualified experts.
