When does viewing adult pornography become a problem?
People who think that the way they look at adult pornography is out of their control might say it is like an addiction to alcohol or drugs. They might have some of the same problems, for example:
- feeling preoccupied with adult pornography itself or thinking about searching for it
- experiencing withdrawal, craving the adult pornography, or finding it difficult to stop thinking about it
- unable to stop or reduce time spend viewing adult pornography, eventually spending more time viewing it, searching for it, or thinking about it
- becoming desensitised and needing to view more, or more extreme adult pornography over time to experience the same effects
- continuing even though there are negative consequences, including for relationships or mental health, or when you begin breaking the law by viewing extreme or abusive imagery.
Exercise 1: Is adult pornography a problem for you?
How can you tell if your use of adult pornography is a problem? Use the quiz below to find out.
The more questions you agree with, the more problematic your pornography use appears to be. If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions, you might find this module helpful.
The impact of adult pornography on your life
Everybody is different. Some people can view adult pornography without experiencing any problems or negative effects.
But for many people, adult pornography can have a negative impact on their real-world life.
For example, it can:
- affect relationships by creating distance between people. You might find it easier to spend time alone online
- breakdown an intimate, sexual relationship with a partner. Adult pornography can lead users towards an easier way of getting regular sexual pleasure
- dull a person’s senses to real-world experiences. Some people might put pressure on their partner to copy what they’ve seen online, creating tension and resentment
- lead to pornography-induced erectile dysfunction, which is when it is no longer possible to be aroused by the person in front of you
- affect your attitudes about what sexual behaviour between adults you think is acceptable in the real world
- lead to anxiety and depression
Exercise 2: Is adult pornography affecting your real world?
These questions will help you work out whether your adult pornography use is affecting your real world.
- In what ways might have/has adult pornography changed the way you view yourself?
- How has it impacted your relationships (both sexual and non-sexual)?
- How has it affected your work, sleep, and ability to look after yourself?
- How might adult pornography have impacted your view of the world and other people?
- Has your use of adult pornography contributed to you being in trouble with the law?
- Is your use of adult pornography changing the way you deal with life problems?
- What effect does it have on other areas of your life that are important to you?
