In the era of high internet connectivity and extensive technology use, we’re exposed to all kinds of material, whether it is educational, informational, or addictive.
Due to high exposure to all kinds of videos available on millions of websites on the internet, young adults, or teenagers are unable to differentiate right from wrong, which may lead to an unhealthy addiction to watching pornographic content.
Porn is addictive, and despite the internet blogs saying that it is completely normal, Porn ruins lives, it ruins relationships, and distorts an individual’s perspective on how he views another human being.
Why is Porn Bad For Your Health?
Extensive consumption of pornographic material may lead to certain detrimental effects such as increased aggression, isolation, distorted perceptions and beliefs about sexuality and personal relationships, self-loathing, and neglecting certain areas of life.
According to a research titled Brain Structure And Functional Connectivity Associated With Pornography Consumption: The Brain On Porn published in the JAMA Psychiatry journal in 2014, a decrease in overall brain activity was discovered in regular porn viewers. The researchers further suggested that porn can alter an individual’s brain and hijack its functions.
According to a study conducted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS), numerous detrimental effects of pornography were discovered in children and young adults. It further revealed that pornography use can shape sexual practices and is associated with unsafe sexual health practices such as not using condoms and unsafe vaginal or anus sex.
The study further revealed that pornography might support attitudes of sexual, verbal, or physical violence against women because it exists within a broader sociocultural context where stereotypes of sexual objectification, gender, violence, and sexism attitudes are being implemented.
The study by AIFS further revealed that an extensive consumption of pornographic materials by both males and females portrayed an increase in body surveillance and self-objectification.
Furthermore, adolescents who consumed violent pornography were six times likelier to be more sexually aggressive as compared to those who viewed non-violent pornography or no pornography.
Overcoming Porn Addiction
Similar to every addiction in the world, overcoming porn addiction is not impossible. Are you addicted to watching unhealthy amounts of pornographic content on the internet every day and want to overcome this addiction? Then you are at the right place! In this article, we’ve compiled a list of different ways you can overcome your unhealthy porn addiction and lead a mentally, spiritually, and physically healthy life.
1. Group Therapy
Group therapy is a practice that helps individuals develop and improve their socialization and communication skills while learning to express the concerns caused by their own addictions while attaining critical feedback from others. In short, this therapeutic practice allows individuals to develop a strong sense of self-awareness by listening to the similar issues of different individuals.
In the podcast series “Undressing the Issue,” a California-based therapist named Julia Alperovich talks about healing from sexual addiction through healing personal traumas and additional group therapy.
Julia Alperovich states, “Connecting with others and experiencing emotional intimacy is a powerful tool in helping a person with this type of addiction.” She further mentions, “Trauma-focused approaches are also helpful to explore how trauma may have affected the person’s sense of safety being vulnerable with others.”
2. Behavior Modification
BetterHelp defines behavior modification as “the process of changing patterns of human behavior over the long term using various motivational techniques, mainly consequences (negative reinforcement) and rewards (positive reinforcement).” Through the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, an individual can become aware of his triggers and behaviors, which can help him overcome his porn addiction because the practice of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy works by helping an individual to identify, challenge and change his thinking patterns.
3. Getting Rid of all Pornographic Material
When you decide to quit watching porn, one of the best ways to avoid getting triggered is dissipating all the material you might have in print or online. Clear your search history. Throwing away any magazine, or picture which might trigger you to go back to evolve yourself in the addiction you’re trying to dismantle yourself from.
Conclusion
Anything is possible if done with consistency and commitment. If an individual works towards dissipating his unhealthy habit of overcoming porn addiction, he can do so with the help of his peers, medical health experts, and by following the aforementioned steps.
