Despite the increase in the number of people suffering from anxiety, depression, sexual problems, relationship distress, and other serious consequences of habitual porn use, few therapists feel comfortable and confident addressing porn-related concerns. The explosion in porn use has happened so fast that many therapists have been caught unprepared they may not yet comprehend the extent of the problems porn can cause, or how deeply its use can harm individuals and their intimate partners.
No wonder sexual addiction experts, such as Patrick Carnes, have begun calling pornography addiction ‘our newest and most challenging mental health problem’.Ĭhanges in how people access and use porn have taken the therapeutic community by surprise. In total, up to half of all regular pornography users report some type of negative consequence or concern about their use. An MSNBC study in 2000 revealed that 70 per cent of porn users keep their use secret and that from eight to 15 per cent of regular internet porn users develop compulsive sexual behaviors that significantly impact their lives. The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the British Nielsen NetRatings organization have identified it as a major cause of divorce and relationship difficulties. According to a 2004 survey in Men’s Health, more than 70 per cent of the men surveyed said they’ve looked at more porn since the advent of the internet, and one in two expressed concern about their use of it. Not surprisingly, concerns about the effect of porn on individuals and relationships are also on the rise. And, according to a 2008 Nielsen Online survey, a record-breaking 25 per cent of employees in the US are accessing porn at work, despite the risks involved. One third of all downloads each month and one quarter of all online searches each day are for porn. Others, like Scott, visit them daily, spending more than 15 hours per week. Some porn users visit sites for only a few minutes at a time. According to statistics on the Internet Filter Review site, 40 million Americans visit internet porn sites at least once a month. The revolution in accessibility has led to record consumption. It’s become a substantial part of our economy, boasting annual revenues in excess of $100 billion worldwide. But in recent decades, new technologies, such as cable television, computers, and iPhones, have transformed it into a product that’s available to anyone, anytime, anywhere, and often cheap or free. Hardcore pornography was difficult to obtain. When I began counseling in the mid-1970s, cases like Scott’s were rare and almost inconceivable. His story is typical of men and women of all ages, backgrounds, incomes, and lifestyles who are seeking counseling for serious problems related to pornography. He could see the damage his internet porn habit was having on his marriage, health, and career, but he couldn’t stay away from it. Scott, a successful lawyer with a wife and two children, turned up for his first session confused and angry about his relationship with pornography. But before I know it, I’m back at it again. I beat myself up afterwards, hate myself, and swear that was the last time.
It makes me feel dirty and has hurt my relationship with my wife. I’ve conned myself thinking it’s OK, but deep down I know it’s wrong. What a rush! What a release! The internet puts an endless stream of images at my fingertips. ‘Porn is an easy outlet, a one-way outlet. Pornography addiction is being described in the US as ‘our newest and most challenging mental health problem’, but despite the numbers of people suffering serious consequences from habitual porn use, few therapists feel confident addressing their concerns. Pornography addiction is being described in the US as ‘our newest and most challenging mental health problem’, but despite the numbers of people suffering serious consequences from habitual porn use, few therapists feel confident addressing their concerns The Porn Trap by Wendy Maltz
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