Porn Addiction

What is the difference between occasional or even regular use of pornography, and an actual behavioral addiction? Here are some of the signs of porn addiction. If you or someone you love is a regular user and you’re wondering about addiction, consider the following symptoms:

• Inability to stop viewing porn if you try.
• Loss of significant amounts of time due to usage.
• Loss of money due to usage (for example, paid sites or other online services/experiences).
• Lack of interest in sex.
• Strong cravings to view porn.
• Unrealistic ideas about sex.
• Unrealistic beauty standards.
• Irritability.
• Constant distraction.

If these signs are familiar to you, you might be addicted to porn, or know someone who is. Porn addiction is insidious and can slowly eat away at your life and relationships before you even realize what’s happening. Don’t wait to reach out for help.

Addiction enslaves the addict. The substance becomes the master, whether it’s alcohol, drugs, or an activity such as viewing pornography. At Los Angeles Christian Counseling, you can call today to schedule your risk-free initial appointment, and take your first step towards freedom.

I’ve tried to quit porn, but I keep going back. How can I overcome porn addiction once and for all?

This is a prevalent issue with viewers of porn, or any other behavioral addiction (e.g., gambling or Internet addiction). You’ll make an effort to quit the behavior, but its hold on you is so strong that you eventually return to the same habits, regardless of your good intentions.

Continued defeat in your efforts to quit can lead to feelings of powerlessness, shame, depression, and even suicidal ideation.

Although we all cringe from revealing our most profound struggles, the only way to break free from the chains of porn addiction is to acknowledge your conflict to someone else. Accountability provides the help you’ll need to stay porn-free over the long haul.

When choosing an accountability partner, look for a trustworthy person who won’t be afraid to confront you if you backslide, but who will encourage you along the way. A Christian counselor can provide encouragement and accountability in a safe, shame-free, confidential setting.

One of the most challenging parts of porn addiction is that it’s tied to something that’s become essential to daily life – the Internet. For most people, it’s not realistic to entirely ditch Internet access. Many jobs require you to remain accessible, even away from the office. Internet filtering software can help bridge the gap between temptation and necessary Internet use.

Your accountability partner can help with this, too. They can hold the password for your software so that you’ve taken the option away from yourself. Companies such as Covenant Eyes and Open DNS Family Shield offer reliable (although not foolproof) filtering and accountability systems. Although there are always ways to cheat the system, the more difficult you make it for yourself to access the porn, the easier your recovery process will be.

As with all behavioral addictions, it’s essential to examine what happens just before you make the decision to view porn. What habits or routines do you have surrounding porn use? What events or emotions motivate you to turn to porn? Identifying your triggers can help you gain power over your behavior, as you to learn to avoid certain situations or make different choices in response to them.

Being tired is a common trigger for poor decision-making in every area, including porn addiction. If you know this about yourself, you can choose to set yourself up for success instead of failure. Maybe you ask your accountability partner to limit your Internet access in the evening or come up with a new bedtime routine that fills up the time, offering a distraction. Maybe you’re triggered by boredom. Think strategically about making plans to fill your time, alleviating the impact of this trigger.

There could be numerous other triggers for your addiction. As soon as you identify them and make a plan to overcome them, you’re taking your first steps down the road of recovery and freedom.

To win this battle, you’ll need to know what you’re truly fighting against. It’s not the Internet, television, magazines, or any other medium by which you access porn.

The battle happens in your mind and heart. The imagery and memories of pornography, along with lust-fueled imagination, can cause a struggle in your mind even when you’re not viewing porn. Therefore, you’re going to need a way to win the mental battle, not just change your behavior.

As you fight this battle, you’ll develop different strategies that can help you, whether that be memorizing relevant Scriptures, finding new interests to focus on, or processing your struggle through journaling, exercise, or other activities.

At Los Angeles Christian Counseling, we believe there is hope for overcoming porn addiction. Your Christian counselor can serve as an accountability partner and a voice of encouragement and hope.

Porn addiction is destructive not just for the addict, but for his or her family, especially the spouse. You may feel betrayed, even if your spouse hasn’t had a physical affair. And you can’t explain your deep pain as easily as if an actual affair had taken place.

It’s vital that you not blame yourself, no matter what. According to research, porn addiction is not caused by relationship or sexual dissatisfaction. Your spouse is not addicted to porn because you are somehow inadequate; this is a struggle they are facing as an individual, even though it drastically affects you.

Perhaps it is tempting to deny the seriousness of the situation or view it as normal, but even if porn addiction is pervasive, that doesn’t mean it’s okay. It’s still harmful and immoral. If you excuse it, you won’t be helping your spouse. It’s important to recognize that your spouse is addicted to a specific sin.

At the point where you’re able to acknowledge the addiction, you may also be tempted to try to change your spouse by yourself. If you can just fix them, they will be able to overcome the addiction. But no matter how much you try to guilt your spouse into quitting, it won’t help unless they are internally motivated to change.

It can be challenging to know how to respond wisely. Consider whether you discovered the addiction on your own or whether your spouse came to you and confessed. If your spouse is willing to change, you can both face the addiction together. He or she will need your support during recovery, and you will need healing from the pain of betrayal.

Professional counseling is a must along the way. For Christian counseling in Los Angeles, please give us a call at 949-386-7182. At Los Angeles Christian Counseling, we provide therapy for porn addiction and spousal support.

Mental health issues, behavioral addictions, substance addictions—all of these dilemmas can seem so powerful and impossible to overcome or manage. Christian counseling provides practical tools for recovery from porn addiction, but the most critical part of the equation is you. As the addict, you must be motivated to change for that change to last.

If you are only seeking counseling to appease a spouse or people who have challenged you (such as church leaders), Christian counseling will provide a band-aid, but not a permanent solution.

If you are strongly internally motivated to overcome porn addiction, the outlook is good. Christian counseling provides accountability and practical solutions for fighting addiction.

If you want to start the recovery process today, call Los Angeles Christian Counseling at (949) 386-7182 or browse our online counselor directory to see your options for Christian counseling for pornography addiction.

What should I look for in a Christian counselor for porn addiction?

Of course, you will want to meet with a counselor who understands your specific struggle, but it’s also vital that you feel comfortable with your counselor and that it is someone you can relate to.

And it’s essential that your Christian counselor provides ongoing accountability as you seek to overcome this addiction. A Christian counselor for pornography addiction will be able to give both compassion and strength in helping you fight this battle.

Call Los Angeles Christian Counseling today at (949) 386-7182 or browse our online counselor directory. Your first session is risk-free so that you can begin the process feeling comfortable with your decision.

There is hope for recovery from porn addiction. Take the first step towards freedom today.