How to Deal with Porn Addiction in Your Relationship

Is your partner struggling with porn addiction? Are you concerned they're turning towards online porn rather than spending intimate time with you? Porn addiction is a very common issue, Issues I Face notes that; 35% of all Internet usage is pornographic, and that as many as 50% of men have serious struggles in this area.

Now that you know you’re not alone, let’s take a look at ways in which you can deal with porn addiction in your relationship:

  • Check-in with yourself about your immediate response. The way in which you react or respond to this news will be a determining factor in how the issue is dealt with. It’s justified and understandable to feel disappointed or hurt, but be careful that you don’t create more problems than the one at hand by lashing out. There is a range in porn usage - and it may not be addictive in nature until you have more conversations to better evaluate the situation.

  • Encourage honesty. A great relationship is one where both parties can communicate freely and without fear. Take the time to listen to your partner’s struggles and feelings towards pornography. What are the main reasons that he is engaging in such behavior? He/she might already feel guilty enough so there is no point in further humiliating them.

  • Sharing your needs. This goes for both parties. Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve discussed your needs in the relationship. Is your partner using porn to avoid hard stressors in their life? Because of fear of intimacy? Discuss and open up around where the issue may be stemming from in your life.

  • Discuss options and solutions. How big of an issue is your partner’s porn habit? Would he/she be open to seeing a therapist? Do you think couple’s therapy might help you to communicate your issues and needs? During this step, some kind of commitment needs to be made by both parties to resolve or improve the issue.

  • Take an anonymous evaluation online - The SAST - Sexual Addiction Screening Test and SARA - Sexual Addiction Risk Assessment can be completed online at: https://www.recoveryzone.com. Both of these can be interpreted by a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist who has training to better understand porn and sex addiction. E-mail Laura Morse, LPC  today with any other questions: laura@sunpointwellness.com

Porn "Addiction"Laura Morseporn, intimacy, couples conflict resolution