Discussing porn addiction, which is a subset of sex addiction, can refer to a range of behaviours that are done in excess and negatively impact one’s life.
Understanding Porn Habits
Pornography is now often the first experience with sexuality that youth have. Its prevalence in our modern culture has had extensive cultural impacts on sexuality, in general, in terms of preferences, fetishes, body image expectations and relationship dynamics. It can affect relationships and sexuality in multiple ways, detrimentally and could become a porn addiction and manifest in maladaptive relationship behaviours like infidelity.
There is no one porn addiction definition but people who are addicted often exhibit identifiable behaviours. some examples of possible addictive behaviour as it relates to consequences in our own lives and relationships. Some pornography-dependent individuals who exhibit compulsive sexual behaviour lose their appetite for real-life sexual situations and the amount of time spent porn viewing can be detrimental to the relationship.
This can impact the formation or maintenance of romantic relationships. Others cannot climax without porn, or fantasizing about porn. Others still cannot reach sexual arousal or satisfaction without involvement with certain pornographic material or pornography fetishes or acts. This can set unrealistic or impossible expectations in sexual relationships, often causing them to cease in the real world.
Due to the compulsive nature of the symptoms of porn addiction. Often, other compulsive behavioural addictions occur creating cross-addiction scenarios. Personality disorders can also underpin the compulsive and destructive nature of the problem if it is not treated. Learn why pornography is like a comfy couch:
Pornography Statistics
- 40 million adults in the U.S. visit internet pornography sites on a regular basis.
- 1 in 5 internet searches on a mobile device is for pornography.
- Men who are happily married are 61% less likely to look at porn.
- 20% of men admit to viewing pornography at work.
- 88% of porn scenes contain physical aggression. 49% contain verbal aggression.
Pornography viewing can be an enhancement to a great sex life and add a little spice or personal satisfaction or it can become a problem. When it morphs into sexual addiction or sexual dysfunction, it impacts sex drive, relationships, and even productivity in daily life. It can also have negative workplace impacts, financial impacts, and general mental health. The main thing that distinguishes porn use from porn addiction is the compulsive nature of the urge to view pornography and the level of disruption to regular life.
The Shift Protocol is an innovative method of treating various behavioural problems, including porn addiction.
The approach integrates principles from cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and a unique technique known as Reconditioning. The purpose of this method is to systematically reduce or eliminate limiting beliefs, which are the subconscious thoughts that often contribute to self-defeating behaviours.
CBT is a proven therapeutic approach, based on the concept that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are interconnected. Cognitive distortions or irrational thought patterns often underlie various mental health issues. By changing these maladaptive thought patterns, we can influence our feelings and behaviour. Porn addiction, like any addiction, can be characterized by these cognitive distortions such as magnification, overgeneralization, or dichotomous thinking.
The Shift Protocol applies CBT in its approach to tackle porn addiction by first identifying the irrational thoughts that contribute to the addictive behaviour.
These may include beliefs such as “I need porn to relax,” “I can’t control my urges,” or “I’m worthless without it.” The first step of the protocol is to help individuals recognize these limiting beliefs.
Next, using cognitive restructuring, a core CBT technique, the protocol encourages individuals to challenge these limiting beliefs. This process involves examining the evidence for and against the belief, looking at the belief from different perspectives, and assessing the impact of the belief on one’s life. Through this process, individuals are able to weaken their limiting beliefs and start creating healthier, more rational ones.
While CBT forms the foundation of the Shift Protocol, the application of Reconditioning introduces a novel way to dismantle these deeply entrenched limiting beliefs.
Reconditioning the responses of the “walnut brain” (pre-evolutionary brain) using psychological techniques similar to classical conditioning. We often use the analogy of rehabilitating a rescue dog afraid of work boots. The goal is to replace the dog’s fear response to work boots with a sense of safety by gradually exposing the dog to the boots in controlled, positive situations. This process parallels the idea of reprocessing traumatic associations in humans, achieved through incremental exposure and controlled responses, known as classical conditioning in reverse.
In the context of porn addiction, this might involve exposing individuals to triggers that usually lead them to view porn, such as stress, loneliness, or specific environments, while preventing the usual response of viewing porn. Instead, healthier coping mechanisms are employed. Over time, the link between the trigger and the addictive behaviour weakens, effectively reconditioning the response.
This creates better, automatic responses for our clients…
Things like less reactivity, stronger boundaries, healthy assertiveness, smoother communication, improved mood-optimized performance… and many more… The goal of our therapy is to get to the root cause of your concerns, as opposed to just coming up with band-aid solutions. This is achieved by providing strategies and tools for individuals to manage their triggers and maintain their newfound healthy behaviours. Over time, the individual learns to replace their previous dependence on porn with these healthier coping mechanisms.
The Shift Protocol also highlights the importance of self-compassion and self-forgiveness in the recovery process.
Recognizing that slip-ups are part of the journey and not a sign of failure can further help in dismantling limiting beliefs. This normalization and acceptance of setbacks work as a buffer against self-criticism, one of the primary limiting beliefs that could potentially lead to a relapse.
In summary, the Shift Protocol, with its combined use of CBT and Reconditioning, provides an evidence-based, comprehensive approach to treating porn addiction.
By systematically challenging and changing limiting beliefs, it provides individuals with the skills necessary to break free from addictive behaviours and cultivate healthier responses. Moreover, the protocol encourages self-compassion and acceptance, essential components in sustaining long-term behavioural changes.