Porn Addiction Withdrawal

Is porn addiction withdrawal real?

One of the criteria for measuring a substance addiction or behavioral addiction is feeling withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness, and mood swings when the stimulus is taken away or use stops suddenly. Porn withdrawal symptoms present much the same way when use stops, often categorized by an underlying issue such as cravings or behavioral changes.

Watching porn, whether masturbating to it or not, affects the brain’s reward system by flooding it with dopamine. For some people, watching pornographic material is a harmless form of gratification that can relieve sexual frustration or be a fun addition to a healthy sex life.

But for others, it can become a dependence that forms part of an overlying mental health condition or sexual dysfunction. People who become addicted start chasing the dopamine rush that porn gives them and are unable to find the same level of pleasure with other activities or interests. While porn addiction, like other forms of sexual addiction, is not clinically recognized as a condition, many medical professionals class compulsive behavior and dependence on it as containing the criteria for addiction.

Those who have a relationship with porn that outweighs other parts of their lives or that they cannot control may be considered to have an addiction to it.

Is watching porn bad for you?

For most people, watching porn or viewing pornographic material is not harmful and can be part of daily life. For some, though, porn can affect the brain’s chemical dopamine balance and lead to harmful behaviors towards sex.

A study by the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge found that people with compulsive sexual behaviors, such as those found in people with porn dependence, displayed similar brain activity to those with substance use disorders when shown pornographic images.^[1]

Another study outlined in the journal JAMA Psychiatry showed that regular porn viewers displayed reduced function in areas of the brain that were more active in those who didn’t engage with porn.^[2] The report did suggest that these results may be linked to preexisting mental health conditions and could potentially be exacerbated by sustained interaction with porn.

These reports highlight the argument that porn holds the potential to alter behavior, increase compulsive tendencies, and display the attributes associated with addiction. Addiction can be devastating and can significantly change a person’s life in negative ways. Excessively watching porn to the point where the individual gives up other activities or requires pornographic images to feel normal can lead to their lives becoming unstable and can damage relationships.

When should you stop watching porn?

For those who watch porn regularly, these are some porn addiction signs you should look out for when wondering if you have a problem:

You experience withdrawal symptoms when not watching porn

If you feel uncomfortable when not watching porn or struggle to focus on daily tasks, then you may have a problem with it. Though it is difficult to stop watching porn once dependence has formed, it is essential to ensure mental and physical health is not damaged.

You notice behavioral changes and start to prioritize porn

Your attitude towards people, activities, and responsibilities changes, often leading to watching porn becoming more important than engaging with the outside world.

There are changes in your sexual activity/libido

Your sex drive becomes lower, and there is less impetus to engage with sexual partners in favor of watching porn.

You are developing distorted ideas about sex

Mainstream pornography displays a fantasy image of sex, which can be potentially harmful. Over-consuming pornography can increase aggression during sex (especially in males), loss of mutual respect for sexual partners, and unhealthy conceptions of approaching sexual partners.^[1]

You start having unrealistic expectations about your partners and experience body dysmorphia

Not only does porn affect how we view sexual relationships, but it also warps our view of what is ‘attractive.’ Pornstars are notoriously desirable to look at and do not, by and large, represent the general population. This can lead to feeling negative about other people’s appearances and your own. It may also cause erectile dysfunction in men and an inability to perform regular sexual intercourse without the presence of explicit material.^[3]

Can you get help for porn addiction withdrawal?

If a porn habit has developed to the point where withdrawal symptoms present themselves when not engaging with it, it is time to seek professional help. While it may not be recognized in the DSM-5, mental health professionals can help with treatment for porn addiction.

It is possible to have a healthy relationship with pornography, but once a dependence or addiction has formed, it can be difficult to view it without feeling the same impulses or behaviors again.

Therapists are trained to identify the underlying causes of pornography addiction, examine the behaviors and triggers that lead to compulsion and addiction, and develop toolkits to deal with impulses and understand why addictions present themselves. They can help individuals reduce or stop watching porn, manage relapse triggers with porn use, and offer a confidential space so people can discuss their porn addictions without feeling judgment or guilt.

If you are worried about the level of porn you watch or think you may be displaying porn addiction withdrawal symptoms, then look for an addiction specialist or treatment center today. Help is a call away.