Porn Addiction Therapist Chicago
Are you trying to find help for Porn Addiction in the Chicago IL area? Porn Addiction is generally described as an impulse to continually watch or view pornographic material, despite the apparent negative consequences to oneself as well as others. Once a person becomes addicted to something, they will require some form of intervention to stop the unhealthy behavior.
Pornography addiction which is actually a type of process addiction is founded on an increasing need to see sexually explicit images. Like many addictions, there are stages. Anxiety Therapist Chicago recommends reading self help books by Dr. Patrick Carnes, a leader in the field of sexual addiction. You can find help by doing a simple Google search for therapy online.
Porn addictions are considered to be a part of a larger group of symptoms called sexual addictions and as a consequence are viewed as process addictions – process addictions means related to an activity.
According to statistics, a large percentage of those who suffer from a pornographic addiction will suffer the loss of a marriage and career. Similar to what occurs in other types of addiction, such as drug or alcohol addiction, neurochemical changes occur in the brain which contribute to the maintenance of the porn addiction. A common trait among porn addicts is feeling vulnerable, bored and anxious right before acting out. The idea is to identify cognitive triggers and change circumstances before acting out.
Symptoms of porn addiction
This kind of addiction creates signs and symptoms that can directly impair the normal, day-to-day life of those who suffer from it. The most notable are the legal issues such as viewing illegal porn or social issues. Furthermore, porn addicts usually have limited sexual encounters with their partners. Also, their family and friends relationships are affected by the time they spend alone watching porn.
Other signs and symptoms include:
- Extreme interest in pornographic content
- Decreasing time spent doing other activities
- Isolating oneself from others
- A lot of time spent for self satisfying sexual behaviors
- Decrease in the number of responsibilities
- Increased risk of unprotected sexual encounters
- Use of drugs or alcohol to heighten sexual experiences
Consequences of porn addiction include:
- Severely damaged intimate relationships
- Self shame and guilt
- Moderate to severe work or school damages
- Financial insecurity
- Legal issues
- High risk of divorce
- Increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases or infections
Porn addiction treatment
Pornography addiction requires treatment experienced therapists who are well versed in addictive behaviors. Just like any kind of addiction, there are two sides to it: the physical and the psychological one. Just like the physical aspect, the emotional one must also be examined closely and treated in order to make a complete recovery. As such, individual and group therapy is as vital as the attention paid to the physical addiction. Chicago has a sexual addiction group to get support.
Adult site internet addiction treatment usually falls under the treatment protocol of sexual addiction. Ultimately, the patient’s mental and physical health will be the decisive factor on whether an inpatient or outpatient treatment is more appropriate. What is more, porn addiction treatment provides addicts not only professional help but also the power to turn their lives around and become once again healthy, responsible and happy individuals. Clients can expect CBT sessions as part of healing.