What is porn addiction?

Addiction is a medical term that refers to the changes in brain chemistry and response to a particular substance or activity. Pornography can be addictive because it causes a strong release of dopamine, just like alcohol and substance misuse. It is considered an addiction when there is a feeling that the porn usage is interfering with daily life, or interfering with relationships.

When a substance or activity causes a dopamine release, some people may find that over time they require more of it or more intense usage of it to get the same ‘hit’. The person may then feel compelled to use more pornography, or to access more extreme material, as they become desensitised to material that they had previously enjoyed. This is known as porn addiction. Porn addiction can cause serious harm to close relationships and quality of life, so it is important to access support as soon as you recognise that there is a problem.

Why rehab for porn addiction?

Porn rehab offers a safe space away from daily life and routines. It can be particularly difficult to treat yourself for porn dependence when you have access to your electronic devices because pornographic content is so easy to access. With the increasing role of technology in our lives, we can now access porn on any device within moments.

While at home, it’s likely you will be surrounded by life’s daily stressors, which may contribute to the underlying reasons for the addiction. Porn rehab offers distance from these disruptions, and a focused environment, to concentrate on overcoming porn addiction. Therapy and round-the-clock support will assist you on your journey towards full recovery.

Possible side-effects of porn addiction

Pornography use can have a role in a normal, healthy sex life. However, when it starts to feel like it is taking over, or you are using porn even though you don’t want to, you can easily fall into the trap of a porn addiction. Side effects of this might be:

• Loss of libido, other than when using porn
• Loss of interest in intimate relationships
• Deception to hide your addiction from people close to you
• Loss of motivation and pleasure in daily activities
• Being drawn into extreme porn
• Risky behaviours, like watching porn at work

Recognising porn addiction

It is important to recognise when porn use has changed from normal, healthy use to something more problematic. Some signs to look out for are:

• Preference for porn rather than sex with partner
• Loss of interest in daily activities and responsibilities
• Preference for porn rather than socialising
• Continuing to use porn after identifying that you would like to stop or cut down
• Difficulties in close relationships
• Increased spending on porn – spending money that you cannot afford
• Using porn in inappropriate settings
• Using porn to cope with difficult feelings, such as sadness, loss, depression, anxiety
• Dishonesty to cover up porn usage

Getting help for porn addiction

It is crucial to ask for help, as porn addiction can be very difficult to treat alone. Some people feel uncomfortable discussing sexual matters with health professionals, but it is important to remember that your GP and mental health professionals are comfortable discussing these things. They are used to hearing about pornography and masturbation, as well as other sexual issues, and will not be judging you. They will be keen to help you and will encourage you to speak openly about what you are going through. Porn addiction is treatable and there is help out there.

Your GP may suggest that you see a counsellor to discuss underlying issues that may contribute to your addiction. Or, it could be that porn addiction rehab is advised to resolve these issues, particularly if the addiction is severe and affects your quality of life.

What does rehab for porn involve?

The idea of attending porn addiction rehab may be a little intimidating, but once you are there, you will find that this is a nurturing, supportive environment, away from life’s stresses, that allows you to focus solely on yourself and your recovery. Porn dependence treatment is about building connections with others in a similar position and finding coping strategies that work for you. You may also delve into what causes your addiction. Usually, an addition to porn is not really about porn. Addiction of any kind is not about the object of the addiction itself, but rather the difficulties in a person’s life that cause them to rely on addictive substances or activities to feel better.

You will start with the admissions process, which is about helping you to get settled, understanding what you can expect from your stay and what may be expected from you in the treatment plan. With porn addiction, there is no detox process, so you will not have physical symptoms. However, you may go through psychological withdrawal, and you will receive support for that in rehab.

The purpose of therapy in porn dependence rehab is to understand yourself and your life. You will learn about your addiction and what underlies it. You will start to understand how your current coping mechanisms may leave you vulnerable to addiction, and you will be exposed to different methods of how to cope more effectively with life’s stresses and challenges. You will also receive aftercare support to help you to maintain your progress at home.

How long does rehab for porn last?

The duration of rehab treatments can vary. For porn addiction, it is recommended that a treatment programme should range from around 4 weeks to 12 weeks, although a programme of at least 4 weeks is considered ideal. To achieve long-term recovery from porn addiction, it is essential that you stay for the whole programme and do not leave without completing the treatment. However, if you decide you are not ready for treatment, you can leave at any time.

Rehab options for porn addiction

If you suspect that you may be struggling with porn dependence, it is important that you reach out for help as soon as possible. Although it can feel daunting, support is out there, and you do not need to go through this alone. It can be hard to treat porn addiction on your own, but there is expert support and guidance available to take you through this journey. A porn addiction rehab service can support you in two main ways:

• Outpatient – outpatient support is available through a series of weekly appointments. You remain living at your home and attend group meetings at the selected centre
• Inpatient – you stay at the rehab centre and benefit from care from those who have been through the process themselves. It can help to be outside of your usual environment where you are faced with triggers that set off your cravings. Away from these factors, it becomes easier to see more clearly and understand what is causing your addiction

Private vs NHS

The NHS can offer treatment for porn addiction via your GP. You would first need to arrange an appointment with your GP and discuss your concerns with them. Your doctor would then make an assessment, decide if you require treatment and arrange this on your behalf. You may be put on a waiting list for several months for counselling or porn addiction rehab.

If you have private health insurance, it is worthwhile checking with your insurer to see if they cover porn addiction rehab treatment. Please make sure that you ask what they do and do not cover as there may be some limits. If your insurance company does offer this cover, you can start by speaking to your GP for a referral to porn rehab treatment.

However, the quickest way to access support is through private self-funding. It may not be as expensive as you think and there are often a range of options to suit different budgets. With some rehab treatment centres, you can receive treatment within 24 hours of your first enquiry.

What does rehab offer for porn addiction?

When you first go to rehab, you will be encouraged to start thinking about your addiction in a different way. You will be introduced to a ‘12 Step’ model that helps you identify how your addiction can be helped, by moving away from self-destructive desires towards a higher purpose or goal. You will learn about yourself in the process and discover what difficult thoughts and feelings underlie your addiction. You will receive specific psychological support to understand yourself better and learn how to cope with these difficult feelings so that you no longer need to turn to porn to cope. You will also learn to identify your triggers and vulnerabilities. Most rehab units offer holistic therapies, such as mindfulness and music therapy. These experiences provide different methods of managing your feelings more effectively, eliminating the need to turn to destructive activities as a coping mechanism.

Many rehab units will also offer social activities and encourage its clients to form a connection, as it can help to talk to others who have been through what you are going through. Staff in rehab centres are medically trained and can manage medication for other health conditions, including dual-diagnosis (mental health problems as well as your addiction). Rehab is a safe space where you can retreat from the outside world and focus entirely on yourself and your recovery.

Porn rehab aftercare

Porn addiction treatment does not end when you leave rehab. Rehab is a place to identify the underlying reasons for your addiction and develop new coping skills. Once you are at home, you will have to put this work into practice, and you may require support with this. It is important to ensure that any rehab programme you undertake offers a comprehensive support package at home. This may include counselling, group meetings and peer support. When you access porn rehab programmes through NHS services, charitable organisations such as Turning Point, or private rehab facilities, always make sure to enquire about their aftercare facilities.

How to help someone with a porn addiction

There is a lot of stigma around porn use and addiction that can make it hard to identify that there is a problem and seek help. Please be assured that health professionals are very aware of the challenges of porn addiction and want to help you. The first step is to reach out for support by contacting your GP or a specialist service for porn addiction. It is not too late to get the help you need so that you can put this addiction behind you and move on with your life.