An addiction to pornography may seem far-fetched to some but for others it is a very real illness that is having a devastating effect on their lives. What may start off as harmless fun can become a compulsion that begins to impact on the affected person’s ability to carry out everyday tasks.
The internet has become a part of life, no longer being just something that can only be accessed from a desktop computer at home or in work. People can access online content no matter where they happen to be via their mobile device. This has made pornography more accessible and has led to a growing number of individuals developing addictions.
Obsession
There is a certain stigma attached to pornography addiction and many addicts never get the help they need because they are too scared of being ridiculed. However, with pornography addiction becoming a bigger problem, some of those affected are taking the brave step of speaking out in the hopes that other sufferers will get the help they desperately need.
Jessie Maegan from Devon is one such person. The twenty-nine-year-old has spoken out about how her addiction to porn has led to the breakdown of her relationship and costing her her job. Jessie’s then-boyfriend wanted to spice up their sex life by watching some porn, and while she was reluctant at first, she quickly became obsessed with it. She revealed that the pair began watching it at the weekend, but this soon led watching it every night. She admitted that it was exciting, and says of the first time they watched it, “I felt like a naughty schoolgirl. We had sex several times that night, and I can honestly say it was the best sex I’d ever had.”
Nevertheless, when the pair began watching it for hours every night, their sleep patterns were affected, and both were left exhausted during the day when they were at work. Jessie’s boyfriend decided to take a break from their relationship when his career began to suffer; when he met someone else, they broke up permanently. Jessie admitted to being heartbroken over the split and was soon watching porn alone for up to eight hours each night.
Her addiction led to her watching more and more, and she began watching online porn during her lunch breaks at work and moved to more hard-core porn as she sought to satisfy her cravings. She acknowledges that she was not eating properly and had no friends. She began paying for hard-core pornography and amassed large debts because of it. When she was fired for falling asleep at her desk, she knew she needed to get help.
Counselling
Jessie decided to get help for her addiction and started by cutting down the time spent visiting sex sites until she was able to quit entirely. She spoke to her parents, who she says were supportive and non-judgmental.
Jessie is not the first person to deal with a porn addiction. Thousands of others across the UK are suffering from similar addictions but are too embarrassed to speak out or seek help. They are worried about what others will think, which prevents them from getting help. Nonetheless, just as with any other addiction, pornography addiction is an illness. And just as with any other illness, it has to be treated. At the end of the day, addiction changes the way that the brain functions and so those affected have no control over their actions.
Getting Help
Rehab Helper understands that pornography addiction is an illness that requires professional treatment; our aim is to assist those affected by putting them in touch with centres from where they can get that treatment. If you or a loved one needs help for addiction, contact Rehab Helper today.
Source:
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3246653/Woman-watched-porn-EIGHT-HOURS-night-reveals-devastating-addiction-destroyed-relationship-got-fired-left-4-000-debt.html
