E209: How Porn Addiction Affects the Brain

Behavioral addictions are stigmatized because they feel like more of a choice because there’s no substance changing your brain. However, process addictions or behavioral addictions like porn do actually change the brain in similar ways. In this episode I’ll explain why porn is so addicting, brain changes from porn, and how porn influences us to objectify women and see them as sex objects. Porn has another layer of addictiveness beyond brain changes, it causes novelty seeking. This destroys relationships and I will explain more about why porn promotes novelty seeking, being unable to enjoy regular sex, and warning signs to look out for that you or a loved one are addicted to porn.

What to listen to next:

E170: Why the First Year of Sobriety is so Hard (it's Dopamine!)

E128: Why Cravings are So Powerful (Attentional Bias)

E203: Why You Still Want Alcohol Even When You Hate It (It’s Dopamine!)

E201: Your Dysregulated Stress Response

E202: WTF is “The Work”?

E204: Can Anyone Get Addicted to Alcohol?

Get support for porn addiction:

Porn Addicts Anonymous (12 Steps) https://www.pornaddictsanonymous.org/

The Addicted Mind Podcast https://theaddictedmind.com/episode-260-unraveling-the-complexities-of-sex-and-porn-addiction-with-dr-paula-hall/

The Addicted Mind Shame Webinar https://theaddictedmind.com/shame

Therapy Brothers Podcast (Call in Show) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/therapy-brothers/id1500794877

Unhooked Podcast Breaking Porn Addiction https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unhooked-breaking-porn-addiction-podcast/id1648984850

Relay App https://www.joinrelay.app/porn-recovery

Find a therapist that specializes in porn addiction (sort by zip code, insurance, and select sex addiction under "issue") https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists

Get Support:

Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership

Anger Management Program https://www.soberpowered.com/anger

Weekly emails on Thursdays https://www.soberpowered.com/email

Quiz: what should you focus on to stay sober? https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/661458075c79120015d2eb4f

Free resources https://www.soberpowered.com/free

Thank you for supporting this show by supporting my sponsors. Learn more:

https://www.soberpowered.com/sponsors

If you enjoyed this episode please consider buying me a coffee to support my work https://www.buymeacoffee.com/soberpowered

Sources are posted on my website

Disclaimer: all of the information described in this podcast is my interpretation of the research combined with my opinion. This is not medical advice.

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