How to overcome porn addiction?

From the Guidelines

To stop watching porn, individuals should seek professional help, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy, as it can help address underlying issues such as sexual orientation obsessive-compulsive disorder (SO-OCD) and develop coping mechanisms 1. When trying to stop watching porn, it's essential to understand that it can be a symptom of a deeper issue, such as SO-OCD, which involves obsessive thoughts and compulsions related to sexual orientation. Some key points to consider:

• Identifying triggers, such as boredom, stress, or specific times of day, and creating a plan to address them can help individuals stop watching porn.
• Installing website blockers on devices to limit access to pornographic content can also be an effective strategy.
• Replacing the habit with healthier activities like exercise, meditation, or hobbies that occupy the mind and time can help individuals manage their urges.
• Practicing mindfulness to become more aware of urges without automatically acting on them can also be beneficial.
• It's crucial to be patient with oneself during this process, as changing established habits takes time.
• If individuals experience withdrawal symptoms or find it extremely difficult to stop, this may indicate a more serious addiction requiring professional help, as highlighted in the study by Williams et al. 1.
• Reducing porn consumption can improve mental health, relationships, and sexual satisfaction over time as the brain adjusts to more natural stimulation patterns.
• Individuals with SO-OCD may engage in compulsions such as watching porn to check arousal, which can provide only transient reassurance and is often followed by intrusive thoughts, as noted in the study by Pinciotti et al. 1.
• The exact prevalence of SO-OCD is unknown, but research suggests that men are twice as likely to experience SO-OCD, and higher levels of distress associated with SO-OCD are reported in women 1.

From the FDA Drug Label

The FDA drug label does not answer the question.

From the Research

Strategies to Stop Watching Porn

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective in treating various addictive behaviors, including substance use disorders 2, and may be applicable to stopping watching porn.
• Naltrexone, a medication used to treat substance use disorders, has been found to be beneficial in the treatment of broadly defined behavioral addictions, including those related to compulsive behaviors 3.
• Combining medication with therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Coping Skills Therapy (CBCST), may be effective in treating alcohol dependence and co-occurring eating pathology in women, and could potentially be applied to stopping watching porn 4.
• Mindfulness-based interventions, such as adapted Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), have been found to be effective in reducing anxiety disorders and may be useful in reducing stress and anxiety related to stopping watching porn 5.
• CBT has been shown to be effective in treating anxiety disorders, including those that may be related to stopping watching porn, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and social anxiety disorder 6.

Key Considerations

• The effectiveness of these strategies may depend on individual circumstances and the presence of co-occurring mental health conditions.
• More research is needed to determine the specific treatment components that lead to beneficial outcomes and which patients are most likely to benefit from these components.
• A comprehensive treatment plan that addresses underlying issues and provides ongoing support may be necessary to achieve long-term success in stopping watching porn.