Those struggling with porn addiction or sex addiction turn to porn for a variety
of reasons masking depression, anxiety and financial or professional stress, but
all get the same chemical payoff. Addiction to porn is just as real as other
addictions: drugs, gambling and alcohol. The chemicals in the porn addict brain
- adrenalin, dopamine and serotonin - are strong enough to cause withdrawal
symptoms in some men. Addicts report the sensation of viewing porn is a
concentrated version of the rush you feel when you are first in love and
intimate. Over time, the porn addicted brain will become over-reliant on
receiving another dose of mood-altering chemicals producing to urge to surf. If
a user becomes compulsive with online activity to produce a change in mood,
porn addiction is born.

Many become lost in the action of surfing for images. It is a safe fantasy world
full of excitement, flirting and imagining being in the action on screen. When in
this state, porn addicts can feel a sense of peace, contentment and control over
their environment. It is possible they may not have an orgasm or even get an
erection. Many porn addicts report they are able to easily surf for three to four
hours daily. That’s 21 to 28 hours a week…the equivalent of a part time job! If
you combine this schedule with existing obligations of an average employed
American male – 8-9 hours on the job, 8 hours sleeping, 1 hour commuting –
that leaves only 2-3 hours of free time each day to interact with wives or
significant others. Some porn addicts report increased daily use of up to 5-6
hours a day. For these seriously addicted men, this level could mean surfing for
porn during every available moment of their day. It is no wonder the sex lives of
these addicts diminish or cease altogether and the partners feel abandoned and
isolated.

Relationship Rescue for Wives and Girlfriends of
Internet Pornography Addicts

This site is for informational purposes and is not meant to be a substitute for professional counseling.

Initially a user may be satisfied viewing soft versions of pornography. Viewed
over time, the level of arousal begins to decline which leads addicts to look for
more explicit materials to maintain the sexual charge they seek. Addicts
understand their actions are shameful and could lead to them to acting out in a
downward spiral. Some may expand their activities to visiting strip clubs,
massage parlors, prostitutes or downloading gay or child pornography. Some
porn sites attempt to become more interactive to further engage them. One big
draw is live women - sites featuring live women on web cams performing very
explicit sexual acts. Others offer posting of nude photos and the ability for a
user to email other women – both locally and out of area.

Over time it is possible for a porn addict to blur the lines of reality and the
online porn world.

Psychological changes don't just stop with the user. Read on to learn how porn
addiction affects the users' wives or significant others.

Psychology of Men Struggling with Internet Porn

Most men facing problems with porn claim they are more sexual than the
average person thereby rationalizing their need to rely upon porn. In most
cases their sexual batteries are charged up because of their behavior,
focusing on the sex act for many hours a day, and not their genetics.