I'm Addicted to Pornography

Dear GoodTherapy.org:
Thank you for this opportunity that you have given us to ask questions. My name is Joseph and i would like to ask a question related to addictions and complusions. For about 6 years now i have been addicted to porn and masturbation. I have prayed about it, it,read articles but nothing seems to work. Kindly guide me on what i really need to do. - Addicted

 

 

Dear Addicted,
Well first of all congratulations for seeking help, the single most important step you can take. Secondly you freely admit you are addicted which takes courage and self-love, so the truth is, just in seeking help for the problem you have made a crucial step that many others never take. Fact is, addiction is extremely hard to overcome on one’s own without help. So you’re right to seek help for this very complex issue. Sounds like your prayers have worked because you have been steered to a place that can offer assistance!

 

For starters, I’m obviously biased, being a therapist, but I do think seeking a counselor or therapist who is knowledgeable about sex addiction and/or addictions generally would be helpful. So much of this malady is caught up in issues of shame, self-loathing, relational injuries and so forth, that having emotional support and guidance is essential. I’ve recently posted blog articles about this addiction and how therapy can help, if you want to check on the site. (You could seek out a therapist on this website.)

 

I also recommend, in addition to therapy, some kind of group support. There are therapy groups that meet weekly and offer encouragement and a communal haven. Also there are religious support groups for porn; a client of mine attends a weekly non-denominational Christian support group for men addicted to pornography and says it is very helpful. Others have found Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) or Sex/Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA) meetings indispensable. Each program has a website with meeting information, including meetings by phone if you live in a remote area. http://saa-recovery.org/ or http://www.slaafws.org/

 

Finally I recommend several informative books, starting with Patrick Carnes’ pioneering study of sex addiction, "Out of the Shadows." "The Porn Trap," "In the Shadows of the Net," and "Untangling the Web" are other good resources.

 

Congratulations again on having the bravery to seek out help to what can be a very intractable problem, but also a gateway to a much better life when help is sought. You are not alone, and your willingness to seek transformation could be a much-needed help and inspiration to others in similar straits.

 

Thanks for writing!


Darren Haber, MA, MFT

 

Darren Haber, MFT is a psychotherapist specializing in treating alcoholism and drug addiction and co-occuring disorders such as anxiety, depression, relationship issues, secondary addictions (especially sex addiction) and trauma (both single-incident and repetitive). He works in a variety of modalities, primarily cognitive-behavioral, spiritual/recovery based, and psychodynamic. He is certified in EMDR, and continues to receive psychodynamic training in treating relational trauma, including emotional abuse/neglect, and physical or sexual abuse.

 

 

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