Porn addicts relapse because porn addiction is a serious
addiction that is similar to drug or alcohol addiction. The desire to
stop isn't enough for porn addicts to be able to overcome the power of
the addiction.
While it was once thought that addictive drugs altered the makeup of the brain, current research indicates that porn addiction and other "natural" addictions have a similar effect on the brain. The changes in the brain as a result of addiction are what make is so difficult for people to recover, in many cases, ultimately leading them to relapse. Professional help is required along with a deep personal commitment on the part of the addict.
The desire for pornography gradually sneaks up on people until they become addicted. It might be helpful to look at the stages of addiction in order to better understand how the addiction develops over time. Understanding the stages will shed some light on why addicts relapse. The stages, according to Gene McConnell and Keith Campbell in "The Stages of Pornography Addiction" on the Focus on the Family website, are:
1. Early exposure -
"Most guys who get addicted to porn start early. They see stuff when they are very young, and it gets its foot in the door.
2. Addiction -
"Later comes addiction. You keep coming back to porn. It becomes a regular part of your life. You're hooked. You can't quit."
3. Escalation -
"After a while, escalation begins. You start to look for more and more graphic porn. You start using porn that would have disgusted you when you started. Now it excites you."
4. Desensitization -
"Eventually, you start to become numb. Even the most graphic, degrading porn doesn't excite you anymore. You become desperate to feel the same thrill again but can't find it."
5. Acting out sexually -
"At this point, many men make a dangerous jump and start acting out sexually. They move from the paper and plastic images of porn to the real world."
All of these stages gradually change the way the brain responds to the natural reward for sexual behavior. In healthy people, the brain rewards natural behaviors such as eating and sex because they are important to survival of both the individual and the species. However, in addicts, the reward system becomes altered because of the over-stimulation of the pleasure and reward centers of the brain. As Donald L. Hilton Jr., MD puts it, "When we overuse pleasure centers, the cells that produce dopamine are overworked, and in what may be a defensive reaction, the brain decreases the amount of dopamine available for use and also causes shrinkage in the cells that produce the dopamine in the frontal control areas. Paradoxically, the pleasure cells in the nucleus accumbens may actually enlarge in the addicted state because they have less dopamine available for pleasure and are seeking to extract every possible molecule."
This process is what makes it so hard for porn addicts to overcome porn addiction. The brain is essentially making it impossible for the addict to fight the compulsion to engage in the addictive behavior due to its craving for dopamine.
"Thus, in addiction, normal pleasures are not enough to alleviate the craving for dopamine, and this craving in the newly reset pleasure thermostat in the brain is likely key in the desire to relapse," states Hilton.
Even the most committed people will struggle to prevent relapse with porn addiction because of this process within the brain. However, recovery from porn addiction is possible with the proper treatment.
While it was once thought that addictive drugs altered the makeup of the brain, current research indicates that porn addiction and other "natural" addictions have a similar effect on the brain. The changes in the brain as a result of addiction are what make is so difficult for people to recover, in many cases, ultimately leading them to relapse. Professional help is required along with a deep personal commitment on the part of the addict.
The desire for pornography gradually sneaks up on people until they become addicted. It might be helpful to look at the stages of addiction in order to better understand how the addiction develops over time. Understanding the stages will shed some light on why addicts relapse. The stages, according to Gene McConnell and Keith Campbell in "The Stages of Pornography Addiction" on the Focus on the Family website, are:
1. Early exposure -
"Most guys who get addicted to porn start early. They see stuff when they are very young, and it gets its foot in the door.
2. Addiction -
"Later comes addiction. You keep coming back to porn. It becomes a regular part of your life. You're hooked. You can't quit."
3. Escalation -
"After a while, escalation begins. You start to look for more and more graphic porn. You start using porn that would have disgusted you when you started. Now it excites you."
4. Desensitization -
"Eventually, you start to become numb. Even the most graphic, degrading porn doesn't excite you anymore. You become desperate to feel the same thrill again but can't find it."
5. Acting out sexually -
"At this point, many men make a dangerous jump and start acting out sexually. They move from the paper and plastic images of porn to the real world."
All of these stages gradually change the way the brain responds to the natural reward for sexual behavior. In healthy people, the brain rewards natural behaviors such as eating and sex because they are important to survival of both the individual and the species. However, in addicts, the reward system becomes altered because of the over-stimulation of the pleasure and reward centers of the brain. As Donald L. Hilton Jr., MD puts it, "When we overuse pleasure centers, the cells that produce dopamine are overworked, and in what may be a defensive reaction, the brain decreases the amount of dopamine available for use and also causes shrinkage in the cells that produce the dopamine in the frontal control areas. Paradoxically, the pleasure cells in the nucleus accumbens may actually enlarge in the addicted state because they have less dopamine available for pleasure and are seeking to extract every possible molecule."
This process is what makes it so hard for porn addicts to overcome porn addiction. The brain is essentially making it impossible for the addict to fight the compulsion to engage in the addictive behavior due to its craving for dopamine.
"Thus, in addiction, normal pleasures are not enough to alleviate the craving for dopamine, and this craving in the newly reset pleasure thermostat in the brain is likely key in the desire to relapse," states Hilton.
Even the most committed people will struggle to prevent relapse with porn addiction because of this process within the brain. However, recovery from porn addiction is possible with the proper treatment.
http://www.OnSexAddiction.com
helps individuals struggling with Sex Addiction, Porn Addiction,
Compulsive Masturbation, other dangerous sexual behaviors, and the
consequences of those addictions, get sober and into recovery so they
can lead richer, fuller, more successful and healthy lives. We provide
information, resources, articles, videos, CDs, DVDs, seminars,
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