Pornography Addiction
Webster's dictionary defines addiction as a habitual psychological and physiological dependence on a substance or practice beyond one's voluntary control. The essence of all addiction is the addicts' experience of powerlessness over a compulsive behavior, resulting in their lives becoming unmanageable. The addict is out of control and experiences tremendous shame, pain and self-loathing. The addict may wish to stop --- yet repeatedly fails to do so. In this sense, there are many things that can become addictive.
One such area is that of human sex and sexuality. Such an area of concern is very broad, but a number of sex addicts say their unhealthy use of sex has been a progressive process. It may have started with an addiction to masturbation, pornography (either printed or electronic), or a relationship, but over the years progressed to increasingly dangerous behaviors.
With this in mind, Pornographic addiction will be the area of greatest concern. At first glance, unless you are of strong religious persuasion, pornography seems to have no harmful effects what-so-ever. But if you are to dissect this addiction, there are many problems that arise. One of the most vital parts of mental environment is a healthy idea of who we are sexually. If these ideas are polluted, a critical part of who we are becomes twisted. The porn culture tells you that sex, love and intimacy are all the same thing. In porn, people have sex with total strangers -- people they just met. All that matters is my satisfaction. It doesn't matter whose body I'm using, as long as I get it. Porn gets you to think that sex is something you can have anytime, anywhere, with anyone, with no consequences.
Pornography also creates underlying lies that do not manifest themselves as such unless separated out and realized in the normal world. According to Gene McConnell, these lies are:
Lie #1 - Women are less than human
The women in Playboy magazine are called "bunnies," making them cute little
One such area is that of human sex and sexuality. Such an area of concern is very broad, but a number of sex addicts say their unhealthy use of sex has been a progressive process. It may have started with an addiction to masturbation, pornography (either printed or electronic), or a relationship, but over the years progressed to increasingly dangerous behaviors.
With this in mind, Pornographic addiction will be the area of greatest concern. At first glance, unless you are of strong religious persuasion, pornography seems to have no harmful effects what-so-ever. But if you are to dissect this addiction, there are many problems that arise. One of the most vital parts of mental environment is a healthy idea of who we are sexually. If these ideas are polluted, a critical part of who we are becomes twisted. The porn culture tells you that sex, love and intimacy are all the same thing. In porn, people have sex with total strangers -- people they just met. All that matters is my satisfaction. It doesn't matter whose body I'm using, as long as I get it. Porn gets you to think that sex is something you can have anytime, anywhere, with anyone, with no consequences.
Pornography also creates underlying lies that do not manifest themselves as such unless separated out and realized in the normal world. According to Gene McConnell, these lies are:
Lie #1 - Women are less than human
The women in Playboy magazine are called "bunnies," making them cute little