Sex And Porn Addiction

It may be a little misleading to speak of sex and pornography “addiction,” and that is because it isn’t listed as a diagnosable condition in the American Psychological Association’s DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders). Finding a definition of what constitutes pornography has also proven tricky, which complicates the matter. Nonetheless, the term points to a serious condition in which a person engages in compulsive sexual behaviors.

Naming sexual behavior as “compulsive”means that a person’s drive to have sex, consume material for sexual gratification, or indulge in sexual thoughts has a significant effect on their life and they struggle to mitigate that impact. Sexual addictions can come in many different forms, and these may include addiction to inappropriate behaviors such as exhibitionism or voyeurism, sexual acts, watching or consuming pornography, prostitution, masturbation, or sexual fantasies.

Thus, a person may structure their life and activities so that they can perform sexual acts or indulge in sexual thoughts several times a day. They struggle with and be unsuccessful in their attempts to control their behavior, despite the severe negative consequences that flow from it.

Some signs of sex and pornography addiction

Enjoying sex isn’t a sign of sex addiction. Sex is one of God’s many gifts to us, and so it should be enjoyed and bring enjoyment as he intended. However, sex and pornography addiction are not about this – in fact, it may not be about the sex at all, and one of the signs we’ll see below is that enjoyment of sex actually diminishes with sex addiction. As with other addictions, sex and pornography addiction cause problems in a person’s relationships,as well as mental, physical, and emotional health challenges. Some signs of sex and pornography addiction include:

An inability to control sexual behavior despite severe negative consequences. This can manifest in several ways. If a person’s thoughts and time are focused on sexual fantasies or pursuing sexual activity, their professional and personal relationships may suffer as a result. The individual may end up missing deadlines, having affairs, or otherwise compulsively engaging in thoughts and behaviors that undermine their relationships.

They may be at risk of getting fired or divorced, but they persist in the behaviors. Another way this can manifest is by engaging in risky sexual behavior despite its dangers. Sexual addiction can drive behaviors that are risky, illegal, or dangerous such as having unprotected sex, having sex with strangers and multiple partners, or soliciting sex workers despite the dangers inherent in these behaviors such as sexually transmitted diseases, loss of income, and imprisonment.

A lot of time is spent thinking about and seeking ways to consume porn or have sex. If much of your time is taken up with thinking about and looking for ways to masturbate, watch pornography or have sex, it’s quite likely you may have a sexual addiction. You may find that thoughts of sex, watching porn and the pursuit of sexual activity take precedence over other things that are part of the daily stuff of life, work, and relationships.

Using sex to cope with anxiety, stress, or to escape feeling alone. If you find that you use sex frequently for this purpose, that may also signal sexual addiction.

Having compulsive sexual thoughts, urges, and fantasies. If a person’s thoughts and fantasy life are dominated by thoughts of having sex, sexual imagery, and scenarios, and they’ve tried unsuccessfully to reduce or control those sexual fantasies, urges, or behavior, that compulsive behavior may signal sexual addiction.

Being secretive about sexual behavior and lying to cover it. If a person hides what they’re doing sexually from their spouse or an accountability partner, that’s a red flag.

Having plenty of sex but deriving little pleasure from it. Sexual adventures and consuming porn may often result in feelings of regret, shame, depression, and anxiety. Though feeling compelled to engage in sexual activity, doesn’t bring the satisfaction or fulfillment that healthy and meaningful sexual activity should. Instead, sexual addiction leaves a person feeling anxious, empty, ashamed, and guilty after engaging in sexual activity.

The causes of compulsive sexual behavior aren’t definitively clear, but there are several possibilities:

• The imbalance of naturally occurring neurotransmitters such as nor epinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine which help to regulate a person’s mood may be linked to compulsive sexual behavior.
• Sex addiction may be due to a form of impulse control disorder.
• The treatment of certain conditions such as Parkinson’s with dopamine agonist medication may lead to hypersexual behavior. In some forms of mental illness such as bipolar disorder, hypersexuality may be a symptom. Hypersexual behavior has also been known to be caused by and be a symptom of neurological disorders such as epilepsy or dementia. These may affect certain parts of the brain that influence sexual behavior.

Is there help for sex and pornography addiction?

Yes! Like other addictions, sex and pornography addiction can be managed and overcome. First,it’s important to see a mental health professional so they can assess your symptoms and history. While sexual addiction isn’t diagnosable under the DSM-5, a mental health professional such as a Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist (CSAT), a psychologist, or psychiatrist can nonetheless help to assess the situation and chart a way forward for treatment.

In some circumstances, couples counseling or marriage counseling may be required to help restore a relationship that’s been affected by sex and pornography addiction. A treatment plan will vary based on the underlying causes, but it will typically be conducted on an outpatient basis with the use of counseling and behavioral therapies such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), psychodynamic therapy, or Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). CBT can help a person in various ways:

• by identifying triggers for sexual impulses,
• helping them become aware of any unhealthy behaviors and thought patterns while teaching them to adopt healthy ones.

These various therapies can take place within either an individual or group therapy context. There are also support groups that can help with one’s recovery from sexual addiction. Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) is atwelve-step program that follows the same model as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and it can help address sex addiction through group meetings that provide a good accountability and support system.

In addition to out-patient treatment, there are some in-patient treatment options. In these programs, a person is removed from their usual routine for at least thirty days to help them begin the process of healing and regain control over their impulses. Typically, in-depth individual and group therapy sessions are held to address the effects of sexual addiction in their life and any underlying issues as well.

If the sex and pornography addiction manifests or is associated with an underlying mood or anxiety disorder, the treatment plan may include medications prescribed by a doctor. While antidepressants may work to reduce sexual urges, these will be prescribed to address anxiety and mood disorders that often accompany sex addiction and not sex addiction per se. Presently there are no medications specified or recommended to treat sex addiction outside of these clinically classified disorders.

Our culture gives mixed messages about sex, and many of those messages don’t help us handle God’s gift of sex well. People don’t have to struggle with sex and pornography addiction alone – healing can be found in Jesus.

Whatever your unique story may be, your counselor is dedicated to creating a safe and compassionate space for you to deal with addiction and understands the complex feelings and pain that converge around sexual addictions. Your counselor will offer you support, accountability, and a non-judgmental space to find the healing and redemption that is yours in Jesus.

Christian counseling for sex and pornography addiction will help you and your loved ones:

• deal with feelings of shame, guilt, or regret, and begin your journey toward healing and learning to connect with others in healthy ways
• understand sex and pornography addiction
• unearth any issues causing and fueling the addiction
• develop healthy sexual habits and form a positive sexual identity rooted in God’s purposes for sex and sexuality
• foster healthy, loving, and intimate connections with God and others

You don’t have to continue walking alone. You can find freedom by walking in the light and seeking counseling for sex and pornography addiction today. Reach out and contact us for more information or to book your risk-free first session.