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Understanding porn addiction

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Advice101

Member since
April 2023

12 posts

Posted Tue April 11, 2023 9:10amReport post

I am just looking for advice on a link between porn addictions and people who have offended online, someone close to me was arrested for downloading and uploading 2 teenage images, however, after the arrest it became apparent there had been a long term issue with accessing all pornography online, mainly an issue with chat rooms (all legal behaviour) throughout their teenage years, consistent use of the chat rooms and awake until 3am looking for another of age consenting adult online to engage in video sex with. They advised that the cases of offending behaviour had stemmed from issues accessing legal porn online, they couldn't give an explanation for why the offences occurred. I trust that this person does not have an attraction to children, from my understanding of people that do they are only attracted to children and tend to only access these images online. I'm confident that when this persons 2 cases occurred they were during a time where legal adult porn was also being accessed so it's not like they went out of their way to view these pictures, they were just there and they looked past them. I'm just trying to understand how people without an attraction to children end up doing questionable things online, and if anyone had advice or a similar situation?

edel2020

Member since
March 2022

375 posts

Posted Tue April 11, 2023 10:49amReport post

The simplest explanation, particularly for someone with a long standing addiction to porn, who is now looking at iioc, is that they were looking for something new or different, to what they had seen before.

The reasons why they became addicted to legal porn, are more complicated. It's often a coping mechanism, for dealing with some underlying stress in their lives. The cause of that stress, will be different for each individual.

Summer

Member since
July 2019

394 posts

Posted Tue April 11, 2023 9:21pmReport post

If you use the search bar on here for porn addiction it will pull up some useful information Lee is very knowledgeable about this and you will see her reccomendations, I'm sure one of them is fight the new drug

Advice101

Member since
April 2023

12 posts

Posted Tue April 11, 2023 11:14pmReport post

Thanks for the response, porn addiction is so hard to understand, not in the sense that it can occur as I know that chemical alterations in your brain can cause addiction same as alcohol and drugs, but just understanding how they can justify such horrific actions in the persuit of this feeling. I guess people with substance addictions go to extremes as well risking their lives for this feeling so it makes sense how you can do such questionable things, just hard to wrap your mind around when you aren't in the situation yourself.

Cherry

Member since
January 2023

107 posts

Posted Wed April 12, 2023 7:22pmReport post

It can change the brain structure from what I've read so what would have normally disgusted them wouldn't they are desensitized from it that they are just needing the fix addiction is very selfish they don't care who gets hurt in the process and if it's coupled with mental health than that will also hinder their thought process being stuck in a cycle of shame and guilt leading them back there. I also still think why didn't he get help before going to illegal but I don't think some of these men think they are addicted until they are in it some are in denial and some like my ex thought they could stop themselves through pride and not wanting to ask for help being ashamed and embarrassed.

Cherry

Member since
January 2023

107 posts

Posted Wed April 12, 2023 10:50pmReport post

I agree with everything you said Lee I'm going to look at all that information you have given as I've only started learning about this through my therapist as she works with offenders and treats sex/porn addiction. I never realized my ex had a porn addiction I new he watched it but I was under the impression it was once in a blue moon so when I found all this out it was a massive shock, so traumatizing and the worst of it is that we have a disabled daughter that's dependent on the adults around her.

Cherry

Member since
January 2023

107 posts

Posted Thu April 13, 2023 12:04amReport post

Post deleted by user


Edited Fri April 14, 2023 8:38pm

OverthinkersWorstNightmare

Member since
December 2023

1 post

Posted Fri December 22, 2023 11:10amReport post

Yes, my partner found himself in the same boat. After years of porn addiction, he became addicted to it and found himself looking at stranger and stranger things. He said at first he began looking at men dressing as women, then increasingly homosexual material. He is straight, and is not homophoblic he just really isn't into men. He crossed a line with animated porn and began looking at younger and younger depictions, and he didn't say specifically but I am under the impression most of the subjects were male.

From what I've read, the taboo subjects seem to increase as time goes on. It seems to be linked to a morbid curiosity if not actual attraction. Then, no matter how dark, the dopamine brings them back. Because they realise this is wrong, this manifests as guilt and shame.