Teen Pornography Addiction
Help for Teen Pornography Addiction
Because of the ease of access to explicit media and the potency of today's pornography, many parents are faced with the difficult and uncomfortable task of addressing the topic of pornography use by their children. Many parents are uncertain about how to handle these situations and where to turn for help when the use of pornography by a teen becomes habitual. Research and studies suggest that most pornography and sexual addictions begin during adolescence. Unfortunately, most don't seek treatment until later in life when the problem has become more pervasive. More and more parents find themselves having to become educated about pornography and sexual addiction because of the rising numbers of teens becoming addicted.
the earlier in life a teen can learn to manage their urges to view pornography, the greater the likelihood they can live a life free from sexual addiction. Many adults addicted to pornography were exposed and became addicted as youth. It is far wiser to face the problem as a young person, rather than waiting until later in life to deal with the addiction when it has had many years to become an ingrained pattern of behavior.
Below are typical behaviors of youth who are struggling with an addiction to pornography:
Pornography Addiction in Teens and Young Adults
-Living a double or secret life related to pornography use.
-Tendency to isolate self and stay up late at night on the internet.
-Hiding or attempting to keep secret the viewing of pornography.
-An inability to stop viewing pornography despite previous attempts to do so.
-Denial and anger when asked to stop by parents and adults.
-Continuing to view pornography despite the known consequences of continued viewing.
-Depression, irritability, anger.
-Hypersexual attitude, vocabulary and behavior.
-Overprotective of their technology (cell phone, I-pod, lap top, etc.)
Many teens are able to keep their addiction secret and hidden from others without outward evidence of the problem. For these youth, because problems don't immediately manifest in their life functioning, they develop a denial that a problem exists and become experts is self-deception believing that the problem will somehow just go away when they get older. For some, it is not until they have repeatedly attempted to stop viewing pornography on their own without success, that the realization sets in that an addiction has developed.
Neurological research has found that pornography is particularly addictive because of the neuro-chemical release in the brain that occurs while viewing pornography. For many youth, the euphoric "high" that occurs in this process quickly develops into a coping style for escaping emotional distress.
Program for Teen Pornography Addiction
Family Bootcamp is a great place for parents and teens to become educated about pornography addiction, the issues that contribute to the formation of an addiction and for the creation of a plan to break free from the addiction.
Because of the sensitive nature of discussing sexual issues, the Family Bootcamp therapists can assist parents in strategizing the best way to approach their teen about the issue and help to facilitate communicaiton about sexual issues that are often difficult for parents to approach.