Pornography is a big problem in our society, particularly among young people. What many people don’t realize is how addictive pornography is. We now have the neuroscience evidence to show us that pornography is an addictive substance. Many experts call Internet pornography the new crack cocaine. So how is pornography addictive? Well, whenever we discuss […]
Many people don’t realize how pornography affects relationships. They view it simply as an exciting form of “adult entertainment.” Both men and women are unaware of how using pornography can hurt their relationships. One of the primary ways porn affects relationships is that it redefines sex. According to our Catholic faith, sex is a wonderful […]
Discovering one’s husband is a porn addict is extremely painful. For many wives, this deep pain is actually the result of a deep emotional traumatic wound. We call this Betrayal Trauma. Trauma is typically defined as an occurrence wherein an individual sees or experiences a risk to their own life or physical safety or that […]
If you’re struggling with an addiction to pornography, or think you may have an addiction, it’s important to reach out for help. However, this can be a difficult thing to do. Many people resist because they are afraid of what others might think of them. For example, you might fear that if people find out […]
When it comes to pornography use in marriages, there are many myths that need to be dispelled. Doing so can improve a couple’s ability to heal and restore their personal lives and their marriages. Here are eight common myths I’ve found in the couples I’ve worked with over the years. Myth #1: Viewing Pornography […]
It’s often a shock when parents discover their kids have been viewing Internet pornography. They often react in anger, punishing their kids. However, before reacting, it’s important for parents to step back and realize what has happened to their kids. Consider this true story. The Problem Brandon is twelve years old. Recently, his parents […]
One couple that is an inspiration to me in my work is Mark and Debra Laaser. Over 30 years ago, when they were a young married couple, Mark was pastor of a protestant church and a counselor. Unfortunately, Mark was also a pornography and sex addict. This led him to have sexual relationships with the […]
As with all addictions, getting help for pornography addiction can be very difficult. There is much fear, guilt and shame associated with admitting that one has an addiction. Then there is the challenge of finding adequate help, be it support groups, counselors, accountability partners, etc. However, for priests there are unique challenges: Shame While […]
When Tom and Bernadette came to my office for help for Tom’s addiction to Internet pornography they were both ready to work on recovery. Having done some research on addictions they knew that 12-step support groups were crucial for healthy recovery. However, they didn’t know which groups were needed or where to begin in finding […]
To truly understand pornography addiction we must first define it. Note that pornography addiction is a type of sex addiction. Although there are many definitions for sex addiction, the one I like best was developed by Dr. Mark Laaser: Sexual addiction is “any persistent and escalating unhealthy pattern of sexual behavior. It is compulsive in nature, and used […]
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