If you suffer from porn addiction, you’re not alone and it’s nothing be ashamed of. Since men have higher levels of testosterone than women, they feel sexual desire to a very high degree and pornography gives them access to the visual stimulation that they want and need. However, porn addiction may take a serious toll on relationships and overall quality of life. For this reason, it’s very important to understand the symptoms of this disorder and how to treat it. Porn addiction doesn’t have to be life sentence which alienates romantic partners, costs you money and eats up all of your free time.

The first step to getting cured is admitting that you don’t have control over your desire to view porn online or via other channels.

Symptoms of Porn Addiction

Guys who are in the grips of porn addiction aren’t able to cease the usage of pornography, even when they make a concerted effort to do so. Most men with this affliction will become irritable or even enraged if they are encouraged to minimize or eliminate usage of porn.

Some men may feel that they have a secret, “second” life, because they have to hide what they’re doing from everyone. In addition, men who have this problem will continue to use porn even if they suffer negative consequences based on their actions. Lastly, guys who succumb to porn addiction will find that they’ve lost a lot of time to their addiction…

Does this sound like you? You have to be honest with yourself. Are you hurting your life with this stuff? If the answer to this question is, “yes”, then you’ll find that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It all starts with taking responsibility for what you do.

In particular, if you’re in a relationship, you need to think about how your addiction makes your partner feel. Chances are good that your partner is aware of what you do, via your Internet browsing history or the stuff that you keep on your smart phone. You are likely not fooling anyone. If you’re dating a woman, she may be very offended by the fact that you need to watch other women all of the time. It may be an eventual deal-breaker in your relationship!

How to Stop Your Addiction

So, how to stop? Well, therapy is probably the most effective way to break the pattern, once and for all. You may access self-help techniques online or see a therapist right in your own community. To get started, just Google the search term, “porn addiction therapy” in order to find resources. If you want to see a therapist face to face, add your town or city name to your Google keywords. Then, you’ll receive targeted results which make it easier to find a qualified therapist. Look for someone with real credentials, such as a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist.

Gay and bisexual guys may suffer from porn addiction as well. It affects people of all orientations and backgrounds.

The primary downside of sex addiction is that it affects (and often destroys) relationships. However, there are other downsides. For example, men who have this issue tend to become desensitized sexually. In other words, they find it hard to get the same rush from real-life contact that they do from pornography. So, it may negatively impact intimate encounters as well.

Porn addiction isn’t a crime. However, it’s a hindrance to a happy and healthy life. For this reason, we strongly encourage you to face up to things and then do something about it. Since therapy offers so much hope, it’s really the best way to move forward to a better life.