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porn addiction, in the strict medical sense, isn't real. and confusing it with actual substance addictions makes it harder for people to get the right kind of support.
for most of the 20th century, addiction meant chemical dependence. alcohol, nicotine, opioids, etc. create physical changes in your body. stop using them and you experience withdrawal: shakes, seizures, blood pressure spikes, vomiting, and even death in extreme cases.
porn doesn't do that. you can't go into medical withdrawal from closing your browser.
in the late 20th century, researchers studying gambling noticed that compulsive gamblers had the same dopamine-driven anticipation spikes as drug addicts. this led to the concept of behavioral addiction: a compulsion that isn't fueled by an external chemical, but your brain's own reward system.
in 2013, the dsm-5 put gambling disorder alongside substance addictions, with gaming disorder listed for further study. in 2018, the icd-11 added compulsive sexual behavior disorder, which can include problematic porn use. but even here, they avoided the word addiction.
so, why is "porn addiction" such a popular term? not because of science.
religious and anti-porn groups jumped on the "addiction" framing to make their moral stance sound clinical. self-help industries label compulsions as addictions because it sells. people with cultural or religious shame regarding porn often self-diagnose as addicted even when their use is within a non-harmful range.
is compulsive pornography use real? yes, of course. it can absolutely harm relationships, self-image, and mental health. but it's not the same as substance dependence.
it's a habit loop. you feel stressed, bored, or lonely. you seek the quick dopamine hit porn provides. over time, it becomes a default coping mechanism. even when you want to stop, your brain craves the routine.
if someone is compulsively watching porn, but we treat them like they're coming off heroin, we're wasting their time. substance withdrawal protocols won't fix a behavioral habit loop. they'll just make people feel broken when the "detox" doesn't work. calling it what it is makes it feel fixable instead of like a life sentence. and lumping porn use in with drug epidemics doesn't just blur science, it fuels moral panic and shuts down nuanced conversations about consent, ethics, and realistic use.
the more we use the word addiction for things that are really just habits, the less the word means when describing actual life-threatening dependence.
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Vesper Vile
PSA: this was written by a junkie. before commenting, proceed with that context in mind.
Im a junkie too and I fully agree.
by Mutilomaniac; ; Report
Nehiri
"it's a habit loop. you feel stressed, bored, or lonely. you seek the quick dopamine hit porn provides. over time, it becomes a default coping mechanism. even when you want to stop, your brain craves the routine. " that is an addiction. You are describing an addiction. You're wording it fancily, but that is in fact, relying on a chemical compound(in this case, the dopamine spikes from orgasms).
While I do agree that most people are over-exaggerating the commonness and how severe it is, for a lot of people it is still a horrible addiction they're experiencing and something that is actively harming their brain
that is a compulsion i was describing, not an addiction. by your logic anything that triggers dopamine when you're stressed = an addiction. your body is not dependent on a chemical your brain creates naturally. actual addiction is defined by certain criteria: tolerance, withdrawal, and loss of control. calling every habit that causes dopamine to spike 'a horrible addiction' waters down the word until it's meaningless.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
ManaficentRose
Never thought about it that way, but I think you've got a point 👍🏾
evesatzuki
I think you have lack of research on the subject despite being someone who has abused substances. Although, you're partly correct, as the DSM-5 doesn't touch well on for example porn addiction. It has been discussed over the years if they can be called mental disorders. Still, there are two types of addictions: Substance use disorders / addictions to substances and behavioral addictions / process addictions. You are right about the physical effects not showing part too, but physical pain is not "more valid" than mental pain. Literally cognitive therapy or even anti-depressants could be needed to recover from porn addiction. This is no matter to take lightly especially now, when porn is free for anyone with a phone etc. to watch. Even children. This info is one google search away on reliable sources so please educate yourself. Experience gives you a respectable pov, for sure. It still doesn't beat a professional speaking on the topic.
the distinction is the whole point i'm making. they are not the same. a compulsion isn't an addiction. both can be destructive, both deserve treatment, but the experiences aren't interchangeable. when someone says porn addiction feels basically the same as withdrawal from substances, it's not a harmless comparison. it flattens two very different realities into one and erases what people actually go through. saying "mental pain is just as valid" doesn't change the fact that physical dependence and withdrawals are a different level of suffering. pretending otherwise makes it harder to have honest conversations about either condition.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
Tir3d.P4p3r
Of course it might seem that way from YOUR perspective, given your background, but just because someone experiences a different problem than you, it doesn't mean you should dismiss them. Yeah chemical addiction is bad, and any other kind, also bad. Porn addiction is very much real, even if its not in the DSM-5, bcs guess what? The DSM-5 is not the only source of mental health problems there is. It doesn't cause withdrawls or stuff like that, but it causes erectile dysfunction and low libido, and makes people overall more depressed, unable to enjoy other things and sexual acrivities like they used to. There is literaly a chemical imbalance in the brain, are you gonna just say its not a physical symptom just bcs its not the same as drug withdrawls? They need help, yes, not the kind they would give to someone with a drug addiction, but still get help. It is an addiction, its hard to get out of for many people, it has the same causes (trauma, loneliness etc), its an addiction. It may sound silly to you, but dont try to erase problems people have. I actually think that NOT calling it an addiction will stop people from realizing they have a problem, and its more harmful to call it just "a compulsion". Your whole post sounds like its judging others with other problems just because you experienced worse.
words actually mean things! the reason professionals don't classify porn as an 'addiction' is because addiction has a specific definition tied to physical dependence, withdrawal, and criteria established in psychiatric research . the DSM-5 is literally the manual psychiatrists use to diagnose mental disorders. saying ‘the DSM-5 isn’t the only source’ doesn’t change the fact that it’s the clinical standard. what you're talking about (low libido, trouble enjoying sex, compulsive use despite negative consequences) does fit compulsive sexual behavior disorder (ICD-11) or a maladaptive coping mechanism tied to depression, anxiety, trauma, etc. that's why professionals call it a compulsion or behavioral disorder, not addiction. there's no evidence that porn creates a literal 'chemical imbalance' in the brain. all rewarding behaviors (eating, sex, video games) activate dopamine systems. that's not the same as causing long-term neurochemical dysregulation like substances do. none of this means people don't suffer. people who use porn compulsively and feel its impacts on their life absolutely deserve help. but calling it an 'addiction' is inaccurate and makes treatment harder, not easier. precision matters. you don't help people by slapping a dramatic label on their behavior, you help them by pointing them towards the right kind of care. categorizing them the same way helps no one and is insulting to people who have gone through/survived chemical withdrawal.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
Clinical standard, huh? Yk what the DSM said in ealier versions? That homosexuality is a mentla illness, and they changed that in the newer version. They also classified Sadism and Masochism as personality disorders but then erased that bcs "It needed more studying". I dont care what some people say. The DSM is a good place to START, but its not the absolute truth for all mental illnesses and problems. I disagree with you. An addiction is an addiction. And yes they did see a difference, the gray matter in the brain was affected due to consistent use of porn. I will never belive anyone that comes and tells me being addicted to sex, porn and masturbation isnt real bcs i lived it. I was also addicted to smoking, drinking and other dumb shit, and i do consider porn as an addiction people have to fight themselfs to get out of. Just bcs its not the same as drugs, doesnt mean people arent addicted
by Tir3d.P4p3r; ; Report
it's not an addiction. i also lived it, and it is a compulsion, which is not an addiction. you don't go through withdrawals that could kill you from porn or sex/masturbation. you don't get the same physiological changes that happen when someone abuses substances. i'm not saying it doesn't negatively impact people's lives, just that it isn't the same and shouldn't be categorized the same.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
it is an addiction.
May God help you brother/sister.
by karlـــــــــﮩ٨ـ; ; Report
you are a 14 year old homestucker. i am not listening to a word you say. you were born in 2011. it is not an addiction, i have lived through addiction and compulsions. i have done research. it is a compulsion.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
Vesper, If you lost the argument, admit it. Don't judge the person's history/appearance/age. That's VERY IMMATURE and makes you lose your credibility. If you prefer to waste your time thinking about whether something is an addiction or not, knowing that each person is individual, it is completely useless. You haven't been through the same things as the other person. And if you have, it wasn't in the same way, and you may have reacted differently than them. Addiction or compulsion is still bad. And discussing it leads nowhere. No treatment, no awareness. Just nothing. But what's your goal? To reduce the burden of pornography on people? Or reduce the feeling of guilt for those who desperately consume pornography? If compulsion is a less advanced stage of an addiction, then that means you are diminishing the problems of someone who is addicted to it
by Vampires For My Funeral; ; Report
THIS!!!
by Suparabbit; ; Report
compulsions aren't "less advanced" stages of addiction they are two different things. neither the person you are defending or you are engaging with the argument, only responding with personal opinions backed up by no research or evidence. no where have i said that compulsive porn use matters less or doesn't deserve/require help. if you want to respond, respond to the points i made instead of making assumptions about my intentions or character. if your only response is to call me immature and say i'm acting like my feelings are hurt, you're deflecting not debating.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
You are a hypocrite, because you did all these things with all the people you responded to. But getting back to the topic, this discussion is pointless. After all, even if it is a compulsion or addiction, it is still something that needs to be treated seriously for the person to recover. But some HONEST advice, off-topic, please try to be less rude to those who argue with you and give them space to speak. It's not mockery, it's real advice
by Vampires For My Funeral; ; Report
i haven't made any assumptions about anyone. your only response has been personal attacks, not engaging with the points. if you wanna give advice, start by practicing what you preach: respond to arguments instead of making assumptions about the person.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
Alfonso
Did you forget about neurotrasmitters like dopamine and endorphins? Especially endorphins, since they're released during sex. The substance might not always be visible, but it's there.
Heads up, I'm not trying to be rude in any way. I struggled (and still do) with non-physical addictions, and it feels almost exactly like people describe physical addictions. I'm not conservative either, in fact, I'm anti censorship for fiction; porn is just fiction.
by Alfonso; ; Report
everything pleasurable involves dopamine/endorphins. comparing natural neurotransmitters to drugs is absurd. by that logic, anything enjoyable is an addiction because you get a chemical response from it. that's not how chemical dependence works.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
The amount of neurostansmitters released also matters; you wouldn't get addicted from a small drop of alcohol, after all.
by Alfonso; ; Report
yes, the intensity of chemical exposure also matters. a drop of alcohol won't create dependence. but natural neurotransmitters released during sex or porn aren't externally altering your body, and they don't produce the withdrawal, tolerance, or physical changes that define chemical addiction. they're fundamentally different phenomena. i get that compulsive habits can feel intense, but you clearly haven't experienced actual substance dependence: there's no vomiting, shaking, seizures, possible death, etc. from compulsive use of porn or sex, nor is it possible to overdose on either of those.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
I don't have the time or energy for your snappy, rude, and blatantly uneducated replies.
ps: They can produce some of those symptoms. I experienced it myself on another non-physical addiction.
by Alfonso; ; Report
saying you “experienced” some withdrawal-like symptoms from a non-physical habit doesn’t make it a chemical addiction. real substance dependence involves actual physiological changes, tolerance, and risk of life-threatening withdrawal. things you cannot get from compulsive porn or sex. you’re conflating intense habit feelings with clinical addiction, ignoring both the DSM-5 and ICD-11 definitions, and framing your personal experience as universal truth. that’s not snappy or rude, it’s just inaccurate. i've also spent years of research on this, and have actually been through substance addiction and compulsive habits, so i'm certainly not the uneducated one.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
actually, go get addicted to crank, survive full-blown withdrawals, and then come back and tell me a compulsive habit like porn/sex "feels basically the same." because that is insane.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
Excuse me? That's overstepping some boundaries, don't you think? Well then, suit yourself on being unlovable.
by Alfonso; ; Report
i'm loved very much <3 suit yourself on staying uneducated!
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
You say so much that people who have a solid argument against you are stupid, but have you looked at your answers? Stop thinking as if everyone were the same, as if everyone suffered the SAME things to the SAME degrees. Vesper, you're rude. Not rude just for the sake of being arrogant, but rather for diminishing someone's pain just because it's psychological. If you've really been through this, you'd want someone to come along and say, "Oh, I've done heavy drugs and survived. You're going to be fine." This is ridiculous, cruel, senseless and heartless. Learn the limits of how to talk to people, learn how to lose arguments and how to win them. Just because someone didn't vomit or overdose doesn't mean they're okay. Just because they didn't use drugs doesn't mean they're okay. Psychological pain, psychological addictions, are everywhere all the time. And just because you survived and are well doesn't mean other people feel the same way
by Vampires For My Funeral; ; Report
Yeah stooping to insults and non relevant things makes the op look like a person who has had their feelings hurt, and makes them a less credible and improper debater.
by Suparabbit; ; Report
i never said psychological pain or compulsions like that don't matter. i said they are different things and conflating them isn't accurate. both require recognition and treatment, but they operate differently on the body and brain. pointing out a distinction isn't diminishing anyone's suffering. you don't know me, so don't act like you do. keep it to the point instead of making assumptions.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
We never said we knew you and we aren't acting like it, we were simply observing how you responded to certain people 🤷♀️
by Suparabbit; ; Report
using my name and making assumptions about me, even if you call them 'observations,' is pretending to know someone. stick to critiquing the argument.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
We're not tarnishing your name or anything, we're pointing out the obvious
by Vampires For My Funeral; ; Report
there's nothing 'obvious' about your assumptions that don't apply.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
Maiden Death
I'm not going to agree nor disagree with what you said, but I will say that you need to back up your claims with sources. No matter how valid your arguments are or seem to be, you can't simply state something without supporting it with evidence. When it comes to terminology (specialized terms of certain areas of knowledge), you need to provide the definition used by the scholars in the field.
i do reference the ICD-11 and DSM-5, which don't classify "porn addiction." i also explained the historical use of "addiction" as chemical dependence. the definition hasn't changed is psychiatric research, just in popular misuse. i'd recommend rereading before assuming i didn't provide sources.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
Well, that is a poorly done reference. Proper references have page, author, year, volume, edition, a link directly to the source, and even what the actual source says quote on quote if possible. Just "citing" it doesn't make it a reference - you need to have a valid proof of what you claim. I can say the Bible affirms such and such, for example, and the Bible have none of what I said whatsoever. The same goes to you. Citing and actually referencing are different things.
If you want to discuss academic subjects you should do it properly, and if you can't handle receiving criticism then you shouldn't post about topics that are susceptible to criticism.
I'll no longer reply to your answers, goodbye.
by Maiden Death; ; Report
kiko!
y'know, I was about to debate on you with this. but before that I had to actually research the topic. I also hadn't read it fully before realizing you were right by just researching. then I read your post and I was like, ohh yeah. you're technically right lollll
using the word addiction is not an accurate term. while I do realize that, I am still unsure on how that will prevent drug addicts from getting help. there is no ACTUAL medication for CSBD . as you said, treating someone like that as if they had a drug issue, wouldn't work. it's an entirely different issue with an entire different fix. so again, how would that prevent any actual addicted person to get help?
you misinterpreted what i said. i didn't say it was making it harder for actual addicts to get help, i said it was making it harder for people with csbd to get help.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
Ohhh that makes sense. Yeah I get it, you’re very right! :)
by kiko!; ; Report
randomgamecube
there isn't a physical addiction to something like porn but people can certainly become addicted to it mentally. its been proven that watching porn all the time negatively affects your brain and those receptors. but i agree that we should not treat addiction to porn in the same way that drug addicts are addicted. it's two very different things.
did you not read the post? did you only look at the title before commenting? yes, compulsive porn use is real. calling it an addiction isn't accurate. it's a compulsion, not a chemical dependency. the icd-11 avoids calling it an addiction because it isn't.
by Vesper Vile; ; Report
I certainly did read your post before commenting. But given your snappy reply, it doesn't seem that you are willing to have a discussion about it, so I'm stopping here. Have a nice day
by randomgamecube; ; Report