Habit or Addiction: Understanding Porn Stages

When it comes to porn and inappropriate behaviour, it is essential at the best addiction treatment center in Islamabad that you know the difference between an addiction to porn and having a habit of watching porn on “occasion.” Many porn addicts will define their addiction, How Technology Destroys Sleep and Increases Stress, as a “bad habit”; however, there is a distinct difference between an addiction and a habit. In many cases, what began Sleep Tips to Overcome Insomnia as a habit evolved into an addiction.

Habit VS Addiction

The definition of a habit is “a recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behaviour that is acquired through frequent repetition,” and the definition of an addiction is “a compulsive physiological and psychological need for a habit-forming substance and the condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved with something.” When the definitions are broken down, they translate to… addiction as something your mind and body have become accustomed to and need to function correctly and normally. A habit is something that is developed over time and becomes repetitive, but a habit does not affect your daily functioning. For example, if porn is a habit, it is only something you have become accustomed to, and while breaking the porn habit will be difficult, neither the porn habit nor the quitting of porn will interfere with your daily functions. If you are addicted to porn, it has gradually taken over your daily functioning; in other words, if you do not view porn when you have the urge, it can affect your thoughts and behaviour to the point that unless you view porn, you will not be able to make it through the day, you may become ill at the thought of not filling the cravings, and you will not be able to function daily without the porn.

You Can Fight the Addiction

When you have a porn addiction, there is always a solid and uncontrollable desire to view pornographic material. The chance of relapse for a porn addict is typically high because your addiction is easy to access. Breaking a porn addiction means instilling a change that is not only permanent but gradually introduced. When you decide to quit porn, the first thought will be, “I will just stop watching it,” but in most cases, you cannot break a porn addiction overnight. There are stages of a porn addiction that every porn addict encounters; learning these stages is beneficial in helping you recognize that when you view porn, it is not a habit; it is an addiction, but it is an addiction you can successfully overcome.

The Stages of Porn Addiction

If you have determined that you have a porn addiction, you must recognize the stages of porn addiction. The sooner you learn about your addiction, the easier to quit porn and start recovering. The stages of porn addiction include:

• Exposure-this is when you first begin to view porn on the internet, in magazines, or on DVDs. During this stage, you view porn as a harmless activity.
• Continuous use-what began as harmless viewing of porn and has increased to more frequent use.
• Addiction-the frequent use of porn has gradually turned into an addiction to porn. Viewing porn has now become a significant portion of your daily routine, and you cannot go one day without reading or viewing porn. At this point, you have begun isolating yourself from society family events, and neglected daily tasks and find that your urges to view porn are taking up most of your day.
• Escalation- When the addiction escalates, you no longer enjoy small amounts of porn. You may begin to search for porn material that is more graphic, extreme, and violent.
• Negative emotions-when you have reached the peak of your use of porn, you will become desensitized to even the most graphic sources of pornographic material. At this point, you may experience feelings of guilt, shame, and fear.
• Acting out-very rarely does a porn addict act out their fantasies. However, it may happen. During this phase, those who want to act out their fantasies will often seek prostitutes or practice reckless, unprotected sexual behaviors.
• Recognition-when you begin to recognize you have an addiction and that your porn is interfering with your life, you will, at this point, ask, “how do I quit porn.” You are recognizing the addiction and will be on your way to learning about recovery.
• Overcoming your porn addiction-there are several ways to deal with porn addiction, such as engaging in social activities or finding a hobby. Still, the most beneficial way to overcome your addiction is with support. You will need support through friends, family, and a support group. It is also highly beneficial to talk with a counselor that specializes in porn addictions.
• Preventing relapse-a porn addiction is extremely difficult to cope with; the material is everywhere, and you can access porn anytime or night. While you are in recovery, you must avoid temptation at all costs. Never believe that only looking once will be okay.
• You have come significantly far from your addiction; you have proven your strength and courage in recognizing the addiction, fighting the addiction, and not letting your addiction run your life. Do not give up on yourself, and never lose faith in yourself. You can beat your porn addiction and live a happy, healthy life.