Porn Addiction

The use of pornographic materials is common but becomes problematic when it interferes with your daily life. Joshua Holloway, LCPC, and the team at Open Door Wellness Center in Great Falls, Montana, provide compassionate care for porn addiction, helping you understand your compulsive need to use pornography and develop skills to manage the addiction. Call the office to learn more about treatment for porn addiction.

What is porn addiction?

Porn addiction is a behavioral disorder in which you have a compulsive need to consume pornography despite the harm it causes. Currently, porn addiction isn’t a diagnosis, but it falls in line with compulsive sexual behavior, a newly recognized mental health disorder. 

People with compulsive sexual behavior engage in repetitive sexual activities to the point that it affects their personal and professional lives. With an addiction, the behavior is driven by a compulsive need that you can’t control even when you try. 

How do I know if I have a porn addiction?

Only mental health professionals like the team at Open Door Wellness Center can determine if you have an addiction. Signs and symptoms that may indicate a porn addiction include:

• Pornography consumes all of your thoughts
• You withdraw from friends
• You lose interest in other activities
• Porn use interferes with an intimate relationship
• You ignore your personal and professional responsibilities
• You watch porn in places you shouldn’t
• You have an intense craving for porn
• You find sexual encounters unfulfilling
• Attempts to stop watching porn fail

Researchers are still trying to understand the compulsion behind the problematic use of pornography, but they theorize that behavior changes normal brain function. These changes in the brain make it hard to stop consuming porn.

When should I seek help for porn addiction?

You should seek help for porn addiction if you use porn to the point that it affects your life. The team at Open Door Wellness Center specializes in addiction and can help you better understand and manage your compulsion.

What are the treatments for porn addiction?

The team at Open Door Wellness Center customizes your porn addiction treatment plan based on the results of your evaluation. 

Psychotherapy is the primary treatment for porn addiction. Your provider customizes your therapy plan using techniques that help you find your strengths, identify the problematic thoughts and behaviors, and develop skills to help you cope.

Porn addiction causes feelings of guilt and shame, but professional help is available. Call Open Door Wellness Center today.