Mental Health Rewritten

In this excerpt from Episode 101: Rewriting the Conversation Around Sex Addiction, Havi Kang joins host Dominic Lawson to explore the evolving understanding of compulsive sexual behavior. The episode introduces CSBD (Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder) as recognized by the ICD-11, highlighting its absence from the DSM-5 and what that reveals about ongoing clinical hesitation. Havi breaks down the shift from the "classic sex addict" to today's screen-based, often younger "contemporary sex addict," shaped by easy access to sexual content and changing cultural norms.

The episode invites listeners into a deeper debate: Is sexual compulsivity an addiction, a trauma response, or something else? Havi's insights offer both clarity and compassion, especially as the show challenges stigma and misinformation. To hear more from Havi Kang and dive into this nuanced, culturally critical conversation, be sure to check out the full episode of Mental Health Rewritten: Rewriting the Conversation Around Sex Addiction.

In this bonus episode of Mental Health Rewritten, host Dominic Lawson takes listeners on a captivating journey through the history of pornography, exploring how desire has been depicted, suppressed, and preserved across centuries. From ancient Egyptian satire to the digital age's pornographic explosion we uncover the cultural, technological, and political forces that shaped the evolution of explicit imagery.

1. Diver, K. (2005, April 4). Archaeologist finds 'oldest porn statue'. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/apr/04/arts.germany – News report on the discovery of 7,200-year-old erotic figurines in Germany, considered the oldest known depictions of a sexual scene theguardian.comtheguardian.com.

2. Solly, M. (2022, April 28). Why Was Erotic Art So Popular in Ancient Pompeii? Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com – Overview of erotic art in Pompeii and its 19th-century censorship, mentioning the secret museum in Naples and recent exhibition of those artifacts smithsonianmag.comsmithsonianmag.com.

3. Jones, J. (2016, Oct 13). Marcantonio Raimondi: the Renaissance printer who brought porn to Europe. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com – Art history column detailing the 1524 publication of I Modi, the imprisonment of Raimondi by Pope Clement VII, and the involvement of Aretino, confirming the dates and impact theguardian.comtheguardian.com.

4. Weiss, R. (2020, July 7). The Evolution of Pornography. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com – Article discussing the history of porn with technology, noting the invention of "published pornography" in 1524 (I Modi) and later developments through digital media psychologytoday.compsychologytoday.com.

5. Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). Fanny Hill. Retrieved 2025, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fanny-Hill-novel – Encyclopedia entry on Cleland's Fanny Hill, confirming its 1748–49 publication, immediate suppression as pornography, and its clandestine circulation until the 1960s britannica.combritannica.com.

6. Wikipedia. (2023). Linda Lovelace. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Lovelace – Summary of Linda Lovelace's biography, including her role in Deep Throat (1972) and later allegations of coercion and her anti-pornography activism en.wikipedia.org. (While a tertiary source, it encapsulates well-documented facts from her memoir and interviews.)

7. Zattoni, F., et al. (2020). Pornography use in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(8), 2733–2735. doi:10.1007/s10508-020-01836-0 – Academic letter/article noting Pornhub's traffic statistics – over 42 billion visits in 2019, ~115 million daily pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – illustrating the contemporary scale of internet pornography consumption.

8. PBS – American Experience. (n.d.). Anthony Comstock's "Chastity" Laws. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/pill-anthony-comstocks-chastity-laws/ – Background on the 19th-century anti-obscenity crusader Anthony Comstock and the Comstock Act of 1873, which banned sending obscene material (and contraceptives) through U.S. mail pbs.org. Provides context for Victorian anti-porn legislation.

9. British Library – Untold Lives Blog. (2017, Feb 14). The Merryland books in the Private Case. Retrieved from https://blogs.bl.uk/untoldlives/ – Blog post about the British Library's "Private Case" erotica collection, mentioning 18th-century erotic literature (like the Merryland series) that was kept under lock and key theguardian.com. Helps illustrate how libraries archived banned books.

10. Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). Hugh Hefner. Retrieved 2025, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hugh-Hefner – Encyclopedia biography of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, noting the founding of Playboy in 1953 and its influence on the sexual revolution of the 1960s britannica.com. Supports the discussion of pornography's mainstreaming in the mid-20th century.

11. Mumbai Mirror – Doniger Interview. (2015, Aug 30). "Small Talk: Vatsyayana's status update". Retrieved from https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com – Interview with scholar Wendy Doniger on the Kama Sutra, clarifying that this ancient text is "absolutely not pornographic" in the modern sense but rather a serious treatise on sexuality mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com. Provides cultural context to distinguish erotica vs. pornography.

12. Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). Obscene Publications Act. Retrieved 2025, from https://www.britannica.com/event/Obscene-Publications-Act – Brief entry explaining the first Obscene Publications Act (1857) in Great Britain, which for the first time made sexual materials illegal on purely moral grounds. Supports the segment on Victorian censorship. (Britannica summary referenced in analysis)

In this introspective and educational Mental Margin segment, we explore how trauma isn't always loud. Sometimes it whispers through our adult decisions, shaped quietly and powerfully by Adverse Childhood Experiences—ACEs. With the expertise of Dr. Justin Dodson, we trace how witnessing violence, enduring emotional wounds, and growing up without safety all carve paths into who we become.

• The Foundation Matters: Dr. Dodson reminds us that healing starts with understanding our beginnings. Our behaviors today—whether defensive, compulsive, or withdrawn—are reactions to things that happened long before. "If I am the way I am today, something happened before today…"

• Trauma Isn't Just What's Done To You—It's What You Witness: A key point made by Dr. Dodson: witnessing domestic violence can be as developmentally damaging as direct sexual abuse. It's about observing power and control, internalizing helplessness, and learning distorted attachments.

• ACEs Explained: Host Dominic Lawson breaks down ACEs: traumatic experiences before age 18, including abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Each ACE adds to the risk of mental health issues, substance abuse, and behavioral struggles later in life.

• Marcus's Story – A Mirror for Many: In a fictional but familiar example, Marcus—a 30-year-old struggling with depression and anxiety—reveals five ACEs: abandonment, parental addiction, witnessed abuse, neglect, and emotional maltreatment. His struggles become clearer in context, not confusion.

This episode underscores a key point: ACEs shape much of what clinicians see in real life. That makes understanding them even more essential.

Curious about your own ACE score? 👉 Visit numberstory.org (developed by the Center for Youth Wellness) for a confidential self-assessment and access to resources.

"Understanding our past helps us rewrite our future." When we start at the beginning, we don't just find pain—we find patterns. And once we see them, we can choose how our story unfolds.

📌 For more narrative tools and healing resources, visit: MentalHealthRewrittenPodcast.com

**POST CREDIT CONTENT ALERT**

Welcome to Episode 2 of Mental Health Rewritten — "Pornography: Rewiring Reality"

In this powerful follow-up to our season premiere, we confront one of the most polarizing issues in modern mental health: pornography.

Through the dual narratives of Gio and Maddie, we navigate secrecy, shame, and compulsion — we dive into the psychological impact of porn consumption on young minds, relationships, and emotional development. We illustrate how digital intimacy can morph into emotional avoidance.

Featuring reflections inspired by Susan Sontag's The Pornographic Imagination, data trends around economic stress and porn usage, and voices from clinical research, we explore:

How pornography functions as both escape and expression

Why compulsive consumption often begins in adolescence

The blurred boundaries between fantasy, shame, and mental distress

Economic stressors and their link to increased digital escapism

The humanity behind the industry — including the performers and producers

Societal silence around youth exposure and emotional education

From the Reagan-era Meese Commission to modern neuroscience, we examine the narratives, research, and myths shaping how we see pornography today — not to shame or glorify, but to understand it.

We share an unflinching yet compassionate exploration that reframes addiction, adolescence, and the hidden effects of unspoken behaviors. This is not just about screens — it's about the stories behind them.

Listen now and subscribe for upcoming episodes on suicide, race, and intergenerational trauma.

Reminder: Mental health struggles are real — and often silent. If you or someone you know needs support, reach out to a mental health professional.

Mental Health Rewritten, created by the OWLS Education Company, in collaboration with The Ummah Collective Group, is hosted, written, and produced by Dominic Lawson.

Executive Producers: Kenda Lawson and Dr. Whitney Howzell Cover Art: Alexandria Eddings of Art Life Connections

Some music was provided by DJ Krate Digga of The Mighty Sound Champz Crew

This week's disclaimer provided by Al Pete, Founder of The MPN Network

Supporting Sources:

Sontag, Susan (1967). "The Pornographic Imagination." – Analysis of pornography as reflective of cultural fears and desires johnshaplin.blogspot.comjohnshaplin.blogspot.com.

Dworkin, Andrea (1981). Pornography: Men Possessing Women. – Argues pornography is a form of violence/oppression against women researchgate.net.

Meese Commission Report on Pornography (1986) – Conclusions of harm; later criticism by academics for lack of rigorous evidence politico.compolitico.com.

Politico Magazine – Tim Alberta (2018), on Meese Commission's flawed use of research and findings being unsupported politico.com.

CDC-Kaiser ACE Study – Findings on how ≥4 childhood adversities correlates with higher risk of substance use, mental illness, and sexual risk behaviors in adulthood mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.orgmydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org.

CDC – Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report (2023) on ACEs: associations with early sexual initiation, teen pregnancy, etc. cdc.gov.

VA National Center for PTSD – DSM-5 PTSD Criterion A definition of trauma (death, serious injury, sexual violence exposure)ptsd.va.gov.

ICD-11 – WHO's diagnostic criteria: trauma defined as extremely threatening or horrific events cambridge.org.

Pornhub Traffic Data (2020) – Documented 11–24% global increase in usage during COVID-19 lockdowns pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

Financial Stress & Porn Study (2020) – Found porn site visits decreased when economic stress rose, suggesting not all downturns boost porn use pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

Reuters – "Pornhub owner MindGeek sold to Canada's ECP" (Mar 16, 2023) – Announcement of Ethical Capital Partners (Solomon Friedman) acquiring MindGeek reuters.comreuters.com.

New York Times – "The Children of Pornhub" (N. Kristof, Dec 2020) – Investigative piece exposing underage/non-consensual content monetized on Pornhub papers.ssrn.com.

Rolling Stone – "Racism in Porn Industry Under Scrutiny" (June 2020) – Report that Black performers are paid and hired less, citing Ana Foxxx, Lotus Lain, etc. instagram.comibtimes.com.

International Business Times – "Black Performers Reveal They're Paid and Hired Less in Porn" (June 12, 2020) ibtimes.comibtimes.com.

Blavity News – "Adult Film Has Been No Exception (to Racism)" (June 24, 2020) – Overview of racist tropes and pay disparities in porn, with input from Black actresses blavity.comblavity.com.

Dazed Digital – "Porn actresses are dying – why?" (Feb 2018) – Discusses rash of young female performer deaths, highlighting lack of support, stigma, and financial insecurity in the industry dazeddigital.comdazeddigital.com.

Referenced Articles & Resources

The Tragic Story of Olivia Nova The Guardian reported on the untimely death of adult film star Olivia Nova, shedding light on the mental health struggles, financial instability, and lack of healthcare access within the industry. Read the article here.

The Children of Pornhub – New York Times This 2020 exposé uncovered the presence of underage and non-consensual content on Pornhub, revealing systemic exploitation and regulatory failures in the adult industry. Read the full report.

Racial Pay Disparities in Porn – Rolling Stone Feature Black performers like Ana Foxxx and Lotus Lain have shared their experiences fighting for equal pay and dignity in an industry riddled with racial inequities. Read the Rolling Stone article via Blavity.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) To learn more about trauma recovery techniques like EMDR, visit the EMDR International Association.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Quiz Curious about how your early life may have shaped your mental health? Take a confidential ACE quiz through the Center for Youth Wellness at numberstory.org.

Your Brain on Porn Explore the neuroscience behind compulsive porn consumption and its impact on mental well-being at yourbrainonporn.com.

Mental Margins is a short-form segment from full Mental Health Rewritten episodes—designed to be a more accessible entry point into the show's deeply emotional, cinematic approach to mental health. These snippets, usually under 15 minutes, distill powerful moments from the full-length episodes to create quick, impactful, and meaningful listening experiences. So if you're new to the podcast, Mental Margins gives you something valuable to reflect on without the emotional overwhelm of a full length episode.

In this episode, we step into the emotional wreckage caused by betrayal trauma—a psychological rupture that often accompanies the discovery of sex addiction or compulsive sexual behavior in intimate relationships.

Dr. Alexandra Katehakis, a pioneer in the treatment of sex health and betrayal trauma, explains how the revelation of a partner's secret double life—sometimes spanning decades—can feel like an emotional earthquake. The trauma isn't just about infidelity; it's about the annihilation of a shared reality.

"It's like a massive internal earthquake where what they thought was solid ground is no longer solid." – Dr. Alexandra Katehakis

This betrayal often causes symptoms similar to PTSD, but with the additional complexity of continued contact with the person responsible for the trauma—something that makes healing both urgent and elusive.

Dr. Justin Dodson breaks down how betrayal isn't a one-size-fits-all concept. In some relationships, pornography or flirtation may cross emotional boundaries just as much as physical affairs. Each partner carries their own blueprint of what constitutes "cheating," often rooted in personal trauma, fear, or unmet emotional needs.

"People want to be wanted. And anything that threatens that sense of security can feel like betrayal." – Dr. Justin Dodson

This episode challenges us to re-examine our relationship expectations, boundary-setting, and the subtle emotional ruptures that can spiral into long-term disconnection.

Welcome to Episode 1 of Mental Health Rewritten!

In our season-opening episode, we confront one of the most misunderstood and stigmatized topics in mental health: sex addiction.

Through the story of Daniel — a man whose professional success masks a deep internal struggle — we explore how compulsive sexual behavior impacts relationships, careers, and personal identity.

Along the way, we challenge misconceptions about sex addiction, examine its clinical roots, and highlight the hidden pain it causes across gender lines and around the world.

Featuring clinical insights from Havi Kang, Dr. Justin Dodson, and Dr. Alexandra Katehakis, alongside research from Mayo Clinic and YouGov, we uncover:

What defines sex addiction and compulsive sexual behavior

Why shame and secrecy make healing harder

How societal stigma silences both men and women

The global scope of this often-taboo disorder

Rooted in research from the DSM-5 and ICD-11, and grounded in real-world stories, Mental Health Rewritten opens conversations where silence once reigned.

Tune in to hear how Daniel's journey toward healing begins — and how, together, we can start to rewrite the narrative about addiction, identity, and hope.

Listen now and subscribe for upcoming episodes exploring suicide, racial trauma, and more. Reminder: Mental health challenges are as real — and as serious — as physical ones. If you or someone you know needs help, please reach out to a mental health professional.

Mental Health Rewritten, created by the OWLS Education Company, in collaboration with The Ummah Collective Group, is hosted, written, and produced by Dominic Lawson.

Executive Producers: Kenda Lawson and Dr. Whitney Howzell Cover Art: Alexandria Eddings of Art Life Connections

Some music was provided by DJ Krate Digga of The Mighty Sound Champz Crew

Does Society Have a Sex Addiction Problem? Mayo Clinic Health System https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/does-society-have-a-sex-addiction-problem

Is Sex Addiction a Real Disorder? Majority of Americans Believe It Is Newsweek / YouGov Poll (2018) https://www.newsweek.com/sex-addiction-real-disorder-majority-americans-believe-it-1037560

Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder in ICD-11 World Health Organization / ICD-11 Browser https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en#/http://id.who.int/icd/entity/1630268048

Why Sex Addiction Was Not Included in DSM-5 APA DSM-5 Task Force Discussion via Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21934-sex-addiction

AASECT Position on Sex Addiction American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (2016) https://www.aasect.org/position-sex-addiction

Brain Activity in Sex Addiction Mirrors That of Drug Addiction Cambridge University Study (PLOS ONE, 2014) https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140711095956.htm

Is Sexual Addiction the Real Deal? UCLA Brain Study – EEG Research on Hypersexuality (2013) https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/study-casts-doubt-on-sex-addiction-246011

Sex Addiction and Childhood Trauma in Men University of Georgia, College of Education (2024) https://coe.uga.edu/news/2024-04-study-links-childhood-trauma-emotional-abuse-to-sex-addiction-in-men

Infidelity Statistics (U.S. Marriages) Cooper Trachtenberg Law Group – Updated 2024 https://www.mcooperlaw.com/infidelity-stats-2024

Compulsive Sexual Behavior and Culture – A Clinical View APA PsycNet – Middle Eastern & Global Treatment Challenges https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-89404-008

Assessment and Treatment of CSBD: A Sexual Medicine Perspective Springer / Current Sexual Health Reports https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11930-019-00189-9

Sex Addiction in the UK: Rebecca Barker's Story BBC News – Personal Narrative https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-43921760

Understanding Denial in Sexual Offending and Addictive Behavior Washington State Sex Offender Policy Board https://sgc.wa.gov/sites/default/files/public/SOPB/conference2018/Borg_presentation.pdf

CDC Historical Divorce Statistics – U.S. Marriage Trends Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/95facts/fs_439s.htm

Referenced Articles & Research

Majority of Americans Believe Sex Addiction is Real – Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/sex-addiction-real-disorder-majority-americans-believe-it-1037560

Does Society Have a Sex Addiction Problem? – Mayo Clinic Health System https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/does-society-have-a-sex-addiction-problem

UK Woman Shares Experience with Sex Addiction – BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-43921760

National Center for Health Statistics on Suicide Trends – CDC https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/95facts/fs_439s.htm

Study Links Childhood Trauma to Sex Addiction in Men – University of Georgia College of Education https://coe.uga.edu/news/2024-04-study-links-childhood-trauma-emotional-abuse-to-sex-addiction-in-men

Infidelity and Relationship Statistics (2024) – M. Cooper Law https://www.mcooperlaw.com/infidelity-stats-2024

Sex Offender Policy & Research: Compulsive Sexual Behavior – Washington State SOPB Conference https://sgc.wa.gov/sites/default/files/public/SOPB/conference2018/Borg_presentation.pdf

🎙️ Mental health conversations often involve a lot of terms, diagnoses, and classifications — but where do they come from, and why do they matter?

I'm Dominic Lawson, creator of Mental Health Rewritten. Throughout this show, we'll be referencing two major diagnostic tools that shape our understanding of mental and behavioral health:

🔹 DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) Published by the American Psychiatric Association, it's the primary diagnostic guide used by mental health professionals in the United States.

🔹 ICD-11 (International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision) Developed by the World Health Organization, the ICD-11 classifies all medical conditions worldwide — including mental and behavioral disorders — and is used across many countries for diagnosis, treatment, and insurance coding.

On Mental Health Rewritten, we incorporate both tools to provide a well-rounded, accessible understanding of mental health. When a diagnosis is mentioned during an episode, you'll hear a special cue — signaling a clear, listener-friendly breakdown of what the diagnosis means, how it's classified, and why it matters.

Because mental health isn't just about definitions — it's about the people behind them. We're here to demystify the language of mental health, humanize the diagnoses, and rewrite the narrative together.

🎧 Season 1 launches May 14, 2025.

Subscribe today and join us for real stories, real understanding, and real change.

🔗 Apple Podcasts, Spotify with exclusive content on Instagram (@mentalhealthrewrittenpodcast).

🧠 And always — take care of yourself. You matter.

🎙️ Welcome to Mental Health Rewritten — hosted by multi-award-winning podcaster and mental health advocate Dominic Lawson.

In a world flooded with conversations about mental health, not all information is helpful — and some can even cause harm. The most important battles often begin in silence, hidden by stigma and shame. But it's time for that to change.

Mental Health Rewritten is a bold, narrative-driven podcast where we confront the difficult, the uncomfortable, and the necessary. Each season follows a 3-Track, 12-Episode format, taking listeners on an emotional and educational journey across intersecting topics:

🔸 Track 1: Sex From desire to dysfunction, we explore how behavior, identity, and wellbeing collide — and what happens when they spiral out of control.

🔸 Track 2: Suicide Breaking the silence on one of the greatest mental health crises of our time, we dive into despair, survival, and pathways toward hope.

🔸 Track 3: Race How does racial trauma and cultural identity shape our mental health? We uncover the scars — and the resilience — behind healing.

Rooted in clinical insights from the DSM-5 and ICD-11, and guided by authentic, lived experiences, Mental Health Rewritten is more than a podcast — it's a movement to rewrite the way we understand mental wellness.

🎧 Season 1 premieres May 14, 2025. Subscribe now and join us as we break the silence, rewrite the narrative, and reshape how we support each other.

🔗 Apple Podcasts, Spotify with exclusive content on Instagram (@mentalhealthrewrittenpodcast).

🧠 Take care of yourself. You matter.