The patterns of porn addiction may include:
- Viewing/Seeking Patterns:
- Seeking additional pornographic material regardless of what is already available.
- Spending money consuming pornography regardless of its effects on our financial situation.
- Collecting pornography in its various formats, no matter how much we have already obtained and currently possess.
- Endlessly seeking the “perfect” material.
- Addiction Patterns:
- Viewing to escape feelings.
- Spending more and more time seeking pornography without the ability to determine when to stop.
- Hiding pornographic media - whether digital or physical - to ensure that we are never "found out."
- Covering our digital tracks on our devices.
- Isolating from friends and family.
- Changing activities and plans to accommodate our active addiction.
- Neglecting obligations, commitments and our own needs or the needs of others.
- Needing pornography prior to or during sexual activity with a partner, or ourselves.
- Going to physical viewing locations to obtain a fix.
- Purging our computers, devices and homes of pornographic material after a binge.
- Behavioral patterns:
- Inability to sleep without viewing.
- Having to view pornographic material prior to leaving our place of residence.
- Viewing late at night so no one will notice.
- Fantasizing about anonymous partners.
- Inappropriate sexually oriented comments and jokes.
- Losing interest in our sex life with our partners.
- Justification/Low Self-esteem Patterns:
- I could never get a date anyway.
- No one likes me.
- This is safer.
- Who would like me, I am too _____ for anyone.
- I am not enough of a _______ for anyone.
- Denial Patterns:
- "I’m not affecting anyone else, only me. I’m not hurting anyone.”
- "It will be manageable this time."
- "It's not that bad. I can stop whenever I want to."
- "At least with pornography, I always get what I want."
- "I get it whenever I want it."
- "It's always there for me."
- "I’m going to end up doing it sooner or later anyway."
If you're struggling with porn addiction, you may find it helpful to explore resources such as [pornaddictsanonymous.org or [https://joinrelay.app].
