Alcohol Addiction (sure)…. Drug Addiction (understood) …. Pornography Addiction (really?)

by Ed Farough

When someone hears of alcohol addiction, or drug addiction, there is a modern understanding that a person has become addicted physiologically to a mind altering substance through usage over a lengthy time period.  People see the reality that someone can reach a point in which their need for the “fix” from the substance can outweigh important priorities such as family time, work, time with God, etc.  These addictions form very powerful lives of their own and wreak havoc among individual behaviors and touch many lives over many months and years.

As the body and mind become expectant and dependent upon the chemical transfers within the brain, it usually takes a series of consequences such as physical change, a loss of relationship, or a financial/legal consequence before one reaches a point in seeing that help is going to be required for the body and mind and one’s thinking and behaviors to normalize and change.   This can be a lengthy process.  Once a person sees their need for help and the depth of the problem, their first step is to reach out beyond self and seek recovery.  Thus a true healing process can begin and real change and hope can slowly manifest and grow.

Over the last 15-20 years, clinicians and experts have seen a large increase in another area of addiction which often is not recognized with the same attention or seriousness as either alcohol or drug addiction.  If the phrases ‘sexual addiction’ or ‘addiction to pornography’ sound surprising, the statistics and the volume of people being seen and treated for these problems is growing every year.  Addiction?  Really?  YES, REALLY.   As alcohol or drug use each have a chemically altering influence on the brain, so too does pornography.  Some who are reading at this point might be thinking, “C’mon, are you serious, I mean, just unhook the computer and go for a jog or install a filter”.   It is not that simple for the addict who has built up dependency and tolerance within addiction to pornography.

If it were simple to discontinue, the pornography industry would not be a multi-billion dollar industry.   Did you know that at any given minute, worldwide, 42.7% of the users online are viewing pornographic imagery?   A recent Promise Keepers survey at one of their stadium events revealed that over 50% of the men in attendance were involved with pornography within one week of attending the event and nearly the same percentage shared that it was an ongoing problem within their lives.

Here, you may be asking the question….. “How does one become addicted, or dependent on ‘pornography or sexual experience’?”   It just doesn’t make sense.   There should be awareness, the behavior should just stop via more self control, and the person should be more pure and committed.   All of this seems reasonable doesn’t it?  Often, there is a miss-perception that sexual addiction is simply just mental, or habitual and that it is not as strong as say cocaine addiction.   Clinical information begs to differ.  There is a powerful chemical transfer within the brain during the cycle of sexual acting out.   These escape behaviors carry with them very powerful brain altering processes which affect everything from sleep patterns to waking thoughts and even can rearrange things physiologically so that without the next ‘fix’ or ‘high’, a person will become irritable, depressed, isolated, and lost inside a secret life.

Just as alcohol and drugs alter the brain chemically, so does pornography usage.    Here’s how…..

Altered Brain Chemistry
The brain chemistry of an individual with addictive behavior is complex.  Simply put, there are Neurotransmitters which function inside the brain.  Neurotransmitters are endogenous chemicals that transmit signals from a neuron to a target cell across a synapse. When addictive behavior is taking place, whether it be visual/physical interaction with pornography, or chemical use as with cocaine, nicotine, alcohol, or heroine, just to name a few, the brain gets flooded with various neurotransmitters.  Over prolonged participation (usage), the frequency and intensity must increase and intensify to deliver the same results due to the reality that the sensors and receptors involved in these transmissions begin to lose sensitivity and wear down.  The term for this is called Tolerance.   The body and mind slowly develop a dependency through which the day to day function is normal only when these transfers are achieved and the altered state of comfort or relief is accomplished.

Within Sexual Addiction Behaviorally
There are two main areas of the brain within an individual in Sexual addiction that are affected.  These are within the Limbic system in the brain
involving the Nucleus Acubon (pleasure center) and the Amygdula (emotion,recall,arousal).

There are 5 different Neurotransmitters (chemicals) involved when visual images of sexual immorality are taken through the visual cortex and into
the brain…..

• Epinephrine (provides a “rush” stimulus effect)
• Dopamine (associated with movement, perception, and the brain’s pleasure/reward center)
• Oxytocin (involved in muscle contraction and nerve sensitivity, combines with dopamine)
• Catecholamine (group of endorphins with an opiate effect produced from adrenal glands)
• Serotonin (a relaxing chemical which effects sleep, depression, etc.)

In summation within the brain chemistry, there is a “rush” from stimulus or arousal, paired with intense transmissions within the brain’s pleasure/recall  center, a heightened sense of muscle contraction and nerve sensitivity and an endorphin rush of opiates (EXTREMELY addictive) and lastly a relaxing feel good ‘satisfied’ feeling.

The combination of factors experienced via pornography over time is very addictive and can progress to an alarming level.  Even though there can be severe consequences, one may not be able to stop the behaviors.  A person involved will see alterations in their lifestyle, relationships, spiritual interests, work performance, financial accountability, and will feel much shame and guilt due to what is occurring in their ‘secret’ life.  Often, this shame and guilt keeps one walled up about what is going on, and they do not seek to share about the issues or behaviors thus everything continues progressing and more tolerance and dependence take hold.   This is why some addicts (and people close to them) do not understand why two years ago, there might have been 3-4 hours per month possibly on the internet viewing pornography.  Now it has progressed to 3-4 hours per night.

As sexual addiction grows, it cannot be ignored any longer.  It is affecting church members at alarming rates.  Marriages, work loss, financial consequences, relational isolation, spiritual indifference, sleep deprivation, and many other realities are being impacted by this ‘secret other life’.  As it takes time for this to progress, it also takes time for recovery.  The good news is, similar to other proven recovery outlets and methods that already exist for other addictions, there are structured and proven effective programs for sexual addiction as well.   Often within just 90 days, real progress and recovery can begin to take hold and thoughts and behaviors begin to change.