How do you feel about porn being addictive?

Everyone has been familiar with the phrase "porn addiction" which suggests that those who watch porn are addicted as do drug addicts. But as the technology and scientific-based therapies advance researchers believe that we might have jumped to the "porn can be addictive" idea a bit too quickly without any scientific proof. When I say scientific proof, I refer to the study of the brain in relation to porn as well as scientifically proving that the brain on porn behaves similarly to other addictions that are well-documented.

But tests similar to these have been conducted and have concluded that porn can't be considered to be an addiction. In terms of how it causes people's brains to behave similarly to heroin addicts when they are exposed to their preferred drug.

Could we conclude that porn is more addictive to the user's habit than it is neurologically addictive? If this is the case this means that those who enjoy watching porn could manage themselves and reduce their consumption of porn, if it's purely for enjoyment and enjoyment, not "ruining their lives" according to some claims. Let's see what the research and psychology have to suggest.

The concept of addiction to porn

The notion that porn is addictive is backed by a number of therapists who use an addiction model rather than using a different model that we'll talk about in the next section. There are many religious groups that adhere to the idea that porn addiction is a reality "porn addiction" due to the fact that it's their main source of income.

But, the study undermines the use of clinical language in their discussion of the controversial substance. But definitive evidence of "sex addiction" as well as "porn addiction" is still difficult to come by.

A new study proves otherwise.

Researchers from a group published an article published in Biological Psychology journal which further confirmed the notion that "porn addiction" as well as "sex addiction" in the way we think of them, aren't actual. It doesn't mean that those who engage in addictive behaviour aren't right regarding their thoughts. This is simply a sign that we've developed an incorrect method of dealing with the issue, and that's why we haven't been able to properly plan the treatment too.

This is, in fact, to today the largest study of neuroscience of porn addiction to date. A group of UCLA researchers compiled a questionnaire for 122 people who often watched porn and believed they were hooked to some degree. They were required to disclose what they thought about their connection to porn, while the "visual sexual stimulations" were examined to determine if they suffered difficulties as a result their use of porn.

For instance, when connected with Electroencephalogram (EEG) which is a device that monitors electrical activity in the brain, every person was shown a range of pictures ranging from neutral images to disturbing images of bodies that were mutilated and diverse sexually explicit pictures. The subjects' reactions were tracked to determine whether they are "problem users" or not.

The final result

In the final phase of the study, researchers presented an array of evidence which showed that those that were surveyed who claimed to be having issues due to the use of pornography didn't exhibit typical brain activity while watching sexual images. The reason for this was its late positive potential (LPP) which is a common measurement of the intensity of the mind's emotional reaction at any given time.

For reference the cocaine addict is likely to experience "increased LLP to cocaine-related pictures"--one of the most accurate indicators of psychological dependence. Contrarily, those who claim to be porn addicts do not show any increase in this indicator nor the similar LLP pattern when they view sexually explicit images. It is interesting to note that they "showed reduced brain responses when they were shown sexually explicit images, instead of increased activity"--the contrary of the kind one might expect to see in the brain of an addict. It is possible to think that their brain is just flooded with this kind of content , and not as in a state of being as who don't consume as much could be.

This is not to suggest that those who identify themselves "porn addicts" aren't suffering from legitimate problems due to their lifestyles. However, it does prove that, neurologically speaking they don't seem to share the neurologic connection to porn that the addicts of substances have to their substance of choice. What's more important, the thing researchers like to stress is that sex and porn addictions are not necessarily addictions at all in their real meaning and treating them as such can produce unproductive outcomes.

There is a lot of evidence

Although it might have been the most significant study so far, surely it's not the only one that has produced similar results to addiction to porn. The researchers behind the study conclude that "This study is likely to be an addition to the collection of studies that haven't been able to determine an addiction pathology that fits with substance dependence models."

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has said that the evidence for "sex dependence" isn't as reliable or conclusive as evidence for other addictions. This is the reason they're not as supportive of diagnoses for sex addiction and porn addiction that should incorporate into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as well. In 2012, they turned down a plan to include an illness dubbed "hypersexual disorder" to be added to the DSM-5.

Do you believe it?

The researchers of this large study have claimed: "Many people have misinterpreted our findings as indicating that people have been faking these issues, but we've never made this assertion."

All they had in mind was to prove the two forms of dependency (porn and sexual addiction) aren't identical to the other types that are added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). They hope that, by further investigation, counsellors will be able to give the right treatment that is "supported through research" and that will yield positive results. At present, these "addictions" are being addressed by the wrong model.

Yet, even until today there are therapists as well as large religious organisations that claim porn is addictive, and claiming that "brain scans reveal that an addict's brain is identical to the brain of an addict to drugs." That is why they continue to treat issues with porn and sex by using an addiction-based treatment approach.

However, research suggests that stating that there's a thing as addiction to porn and that it is similar to drugs is helpful to nobody, particularly those who really would like to alter their relationship to porn.

"Labeling the person's efforts to manage urges as a sexual addiction' could hinder therapies such as Acceptance as well Commitment Therapy (ACT) which may help to lessen the distressing sexual behavior," said co-author and Idaho State University psychologist Cameron Stanley.

Contrary to an addiction recovery program that attempts to curb problematic behaviour -- Prause informs The Daily Beast that an ACT strategy could involve "reducing viewing time-to-time but not necessarily removing it completely."

"ACT encourages people to find ways to feel comfortable with negative emotions that come with watching sexually explicit films, which in the end could lead to lesser consumption," she says.

What exactly is ACT?

ACT is a form of therapy that is built around the concept of acceptance and Commitment to the problems one faces and solving them with mindfulness and acceptance strategies. It is an Acceptance and Commitment Treatment that (ACT) is an innovative, scientifically-based therapy that teaches the person to improve their mental flexibility by committing to and behavioural change strategies.

Utah State University has already conducted preliminary research which suggested ACT as an effective method to assist people who have an "Internet porn dependence." In the initial study, therapists treated six patients by giving them eight 90-minute sessions of ACT. After three months, the patients had a reduction in their viewing of porn by up to 85% without the need to commit to any limitations to never view porn again.

They could simply lower their consumption of porn and they reformed their routines and realised they could enjoy this kind of content and not lose the power to manage their life , and even ruin relationships.

ACT is the kind of therapy that must be developed since it alters people's behaviour without imposing limits and diminishing your quality of life.

In the end, it appears as if porn and sex are both a part of the habitual dependence which have nothing to do with other addictions. That's why they need to be treated in a different way. However, to achieve success in the long run, we might need to put aside the term "addictions" first.