Additional reporting by Danielle Adams.

Every day, our minds are bombarded with images of scantily clothed women and men in suggestive poses. These visuals heighten our sexual awareness, leading some down the road of an addiction to pornography. Consequently, the addiction starts in the mind.

This is Your Mind on Porn

Porn takes a stronghold in the mind. Just like an opioid, watching porn elicits the body's natural response to brain waves. To someone who’s become addicted, porn drudges up a “high” during sex or arousal that is similar to the kind one experiences during drug use.

Perhaps even more worrisome than becoming addicted is the fact that porn can easily be justifiable. Sex is a natural thing we do, so it makes sense that our bodies crave this from time to time. However, porn addiction begins when we compulsively feed our urges rather than mindfully choosing when to engage in sexual activity.

Porn doesn't ever start out as an addiction. In fact, it begins as a subtle curiosity that grows into a consistent habit. Once the user reaches their threshold, the brain is rewired to demand more supply to make the user feel good.

Effects of Porn Addiction

The impact of porn addiction extends beyond ourselves. Porn addiction can affect sexual intimacy and the ability to experience pleasure with our partners. Since porn is an unrealistic exploitation of sex, it's nearly impossible to get the same experience from everyday relationships. Once our brains are hardwired to a certain level of porn, we will crave it more and more. As a result, we're in danger of never being sexually satisfied and, worse, damaging the trust of those we love.

Porn doesn't just leave marks on one's mind. It also leaves a trail through someone's psyche, emotions, and conscience.

Serial porn users can experience:

• Guilt
• Shame
• Low self-esteem
• Lack of energy
• Anger or anxiousness when not able to view porn
• Compulsive viewing
• Intrusive thoughts

Long-term consequences include depression, as users become more obsessed with trying to "feel" pleasure and less satisfied with daily life.

On top of the brain's need for porn, can come fear and paranoia as behavior leans more toward hiding porn viewing habits. Even after a short while, stress can accumulate and generate more problems than the small moments of satisfaction.

How to Overcome Porn Addiction: 4 Steps

If you are struggling with pornography and sexual addiction, or know someone who is, here are 4 steps to take to help you reclaim your life.

1. Step out of the darkness.

For those affected by sexual addiction, the first step towards recovery is coming out of hiding. This can be an extremely hard step, as the first step usually is, but just remember that you aren’t alone. Like any addiction, isolation is one of the most common blocks addicts face and the moment you are able to come out of hiding is when you’re able to start developing a network of support. Whether that be a treatment center, support group, therapist or someone you trust, having a safe space to open up is key during your time of healing.

2. Create a plan.

As you begin the healing process, you should formulate a plan of action. This is an excellent long-term exercise where you write down actionable goals that you can commit to and track during your recovery. It’s particularly easy at the beginning of recovery to become discouraged, but establishing a routine can help you use these actions to keep moving forward. This is also why you’ll want to have someone to talk to and encourage you to stay committed to your recovery. Some of the things you can include in your plan are to attend recovery meetings, write in a journal daily, perform a service to others or find a healthy hobby that you enjoy doing.

3. Practice positive self-talk.

While on the road to recovery, you’ll likely experience your share of negative self-talk. However, these negative thoughts will only sabotage and defeat your efforts to recover. Instead, practice positive self-talk and know that it takes time to heal. In the book, You Can Heal Your Life, author Louise L. Hay recommends doing “mirror work.” This is where you look in the mirror and say something positive about yourself.

It may feel silly at first and negative thoughts may try to dissuade you from believing what you’re saying, but the more you practice this, the less silly it will become and the less power your negative thoughts will hold. Another great exercise is to have an affirmation on hand to repeat to yourself throughout the day. For example, “to wish to be well is a part of becoming well” is a quote by Roman philosopher Seneca and an affirmation of commitment to recovery and positive healing.

4. Tend to yourself.

Self-care is important to help you succeed in your recovery. When starting out, choose only one or two rituals from each of the personal, physical and spiritual categories to incorporate into your day. By only doing a couple of things, you’re less likely to get overwhelmed and forget to do them. Some things you can choose from are writing in a journal, taking a community course, exercising for 30 minutes every day, meditation, and helping in the community.

There are many things you can do to practice self-care. Remember, recovery takes time and it’s important to be patient. Don’t let your addiction define you. Take back your life today and start taking the steps to heal.

Help is Available

If you or someone you love are battling with porn addiction, there is no shame in asking for help. Call one of our centers today and speak to someone who can connect you with the help you need to regain control.