Is your partner’s porn addiction making you upset and frustrated? Knowing that your partner is addicted to porn may make you feel ashamed, angry and worthless. You think they aren’t attracted to you, and you’re not enough.

The good news is that porn addiction is treatable. With the right help, your partner can break free of their addiction, and you can repair your relationship.

 

What Is Porn Addiction?

Porn addiction is when a person can’t stop viewing pornographic material. It’s a behavioural addiction, much like gambling, shopping, or social media addiction. When someone watches porn, dopamine levels in the brain rise. Dopamine is the chemical responsible for feelings of reward, pleasure and motivation. People become addicted to the dopamine rush of viewing porn.

Porn addiction is much like drug addiction. Drug addicts often move on to harder drugs, much like porn addicts crave more intense material when their addiction progresses.

Do you recognise any of these signs in your partner? If you do, they are likely to have an addiction:

  • They can’t stop viewing pornographic material online, despite you encouraging them to take a break.
  • They crave viewing porn and often leave the room to watch online content.
  • Your partner has lots of mood swings, including anger or irritation if they can’t view porn or if you question their habit.
  • You know they watch porn in secret.
  • They have lost interest in having sex with you. If you have sex, your partner needs increased stimulation to enjoy it.
  • Your partner asks you to do sexual activities you aren’t comfortable with. They often suggest things that are out of character or things you haven’t done before.
  • Your partner has physical pain in their hands, wrists, or neck due to excessive self-stimulation or computer use.
  • They keep watching porn even though they know it’s affecting their relationships, finances and employment.
  • Wasted time. Your partner spends hours watching porn and has neglected the activities they usually enjoy.
  • The content they view is becoming more extreme.

You can take our porn addiction assessment to find out if you are showing signs of porn addiction.

 

Why Do Some People Get Addicted To Porn?

Casually viewing porn can sometimes lead to a full-blown addiction. We live in the internet age, and people can access thousands of pornographic websites through their mobile phones and laptops. It’s easier to get addicted with so much ready access. People can watch porn anywhere as long as they have an internet connection.

Porn websites load new videos and photos daily, so fresh content is always available to satisfy an addict. Live webcams also entice addicts to immerse themselves further, as they feel like they are getting a tailored, personal experience, which fuels their addiction.

High libido is often cited as one of the reasons behind porn addiction. And some people become addicted to porn as they’ve been exposed to pornography, sexual activity or sexual abuse at a young age. People often watch porn if a present or past partner has sexually rejected them or if friends encourage them.

People often use porn as a coping mechanism to reduce stress and negative emotions, as a form of relaxation and to stop boredom.

 

How Do I Help My Partner?

Don’t avoid talking to your partner about their addiction, hoping it will go away. Try to speak to them openly and honestly about their habit, asking them why they think they are addicted. Let them know how their addiction makes you feel. Many porn addicts feel ashamed about their addiction, so tell them you will listen without judgement.

Try to celebrate the small steps if your partner reduces their porn consumption, for example, if they don’t watch porn for a few hours.

Encourage them to get professional help, signposting them towards addiction rehab or local support groups. Sexaholics Anonymous offer a 12-step programme for people addicted to sex or pornography, and there is likely to be a group in your area.

Addicts are often reluctant to seek professional help as they feel ashamed. You must tell your partner how their porn addiction makes you feel and how professional help such as rehab could improve your relationship.

 

Effects Of Porn Addiction

It’s tough on your mental health if you’re a partner to someone with a porn addiction. One of the most common feelings is thinking you’re not good enough. You may lose confidence and question if you’re attractive. It’s important not to feel rejected by your partner’s addiction. Understanding that viewing porn is a treatable addiction can help you navigate your emotions.

You may often feel sexually inadequate due to your partner’s addiction. They may make you uncomfortable as they ask you to indulge in sexual activity outside your comfort zone. A partner of a porn addict often tries to please their partner sexually but often feels uncomfortable. Loss of intimacy is common, leading to a lost emotional and physical connection and relationship breakdown.

Porn addiction can also be expensive. Many websites are pay-as-you-go or subscriber-only and require further spending to access private chats and performances. You may notice that your partner is having financial trouble, but you’re not sure why.

In some cases, porn addiction can lead to job loss. Addicts often find themselves watching porn at work, even though they know it’s inappropriate and against company policy.

 

Our Services At Ocean Recovery

Ocean Recovery is private addiction rehab centre in the UK. We’ve helped countless people beat drug, alcohol and pornography addictions.

We offer residential rehab run by addiction experts who are the best in their field. Our teams consist of doctors, psychiatrists, mental health professionals and nurses with a wealth of experience treating many addictions. Some of them have personal experience of addiction, so they understand the challenges first-hand.

Our tailored treatment programmes combine individual counselling and complementary therapies, group therapy and 24-hour support, so we’re here for patients all day, every day. Patients also benefit from 12 months of aftercare when they leave our centres, vital support to help them live a life without addiction.

Get help for porn addiction today. Call us on 01253 847 553 or email info@oceanrecoverycentre.com.

 

John Gillen - Director at Ocean Recovery

John Gillen - Author - Last updated: July 11, 2022

John is one UK’s leading professionals in the addiction recovery industry. Pioneering new treatment techniques such as NAD+ and ongoing research into new therapy techniques such as systematic laser therapy, John is committed to providing the very best treatment for people throughout the UK and Europe. During his extremely busy schedule, John likes to regularly update our blog section with the latest news and trends in the industry to keep visitors to our site as well informed as possible on everything related to addiction treatment.