All addictions negatively impact a relationship, and pornography addiction is certainly no exception. The adult entertainment industry generates billions of dollars annually, and with an estimated 40 million Americans visiting porn sites regularly, pornography addiction is a problem for many families.

With an estimated 28% of women viewing online pornography versus 72% of men, pornography addiction isn’t a problem specific to men; women can also become addicted. If you’re concerned that your partner has developed an addiction to pornography, here are some signs to look out for.

They spend a lot of time on the internet

The porn addict will spend hours, and sometimes even days, online viewing pornography. If your spouse spends an increasing amount of time alone, either with a phone, laptop or tablet, they may be developing an obsession with pornography.

They’re critical of you

Porn stars are typically young and attractive, often times surgically enhanced. The more your partner watches pornography, the more negatively you may be compared to the models They are watching. Porn addicts tend to objectify their partner, and as your spouse spends increasing amounts of time watching porn, they may start to become critical of your body.

Unusual spending activity

Checking your bank or credit card statements, you may find unexpected or unexplained charges. Adult entertainment websites will often mask the charges to benefit the confidentiality of their customers, so you may have to do a Google search or make some phone calls to uncover the source of the charges.

Your sex life has changed

When someone is addicted to pornography, they may no longer have the drive or desire to maintain a sex life with their partner. Conversely, some addicts become more demanding. They may want to engage in acts you’re not comfortable with. As a person becomes more and more addicted to pornography, they will have to watch increasingly unusual material. This may result in your partner becoming more rough or aggressive.

So what can you do if you suspect your partner is addicted to porn?

First, know that their addiction is not your fault. People become addicted as a way of coping with unwanted feelings and emotions, or as a way to avoid real life stress or difficulties.

Second, seek support from trusted loved ones and find a therapist who can help you both on the road to recovery.

Is your relationship suffering because of pornography addiction? A trained, licensed mental health professional can help. Call my office today and let’s set up an appointment to talk.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin^®), hydrocodone (Vicodin^®), codeine, morphine, and many others.”

When a person becomes addicted to opioids, their brain experiences a rush of dopamine. These reward pathways, over time, come to expect their “fix.” Addiction may eventually lead someone to engage in dangerous or erratic behavior and isolate themselves from friends and family.

Substance abuse is typically accompanied by mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. But, because both depression and substance abuse engage the same brain mechanisms, they often respond to the same treatment approaches.

Treatments for Opioid Addiction

There are many different paths to recovery, and what works best for one individual may not be the best solution for someone else. Some advocate for natural recovery, which is when an individual achieves improved physical, psychological, and social functioning on their own. Other individuals find healing through the support of community or peer-based networks, while still others opt for clinical-based recovery through the services of credentialed professionals.

Depending on which path the individual chooses, treatment can include a variety of components, which are often used in conjunction with other treatment options. Come components include:

• A medically-supervised detoxification
• Medications that reduce or counter the use of illicit substances or may target accompanying anxiety and depression.
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) can help an individual recognize their behavior patterns and learn coping tools to deal with their addiction in healthy ways.
• Group therapy can support individual recovery and prevent the recurrence of substance use.
• Family therapy can help addicts fix any damage done to family relationships and create a healthy space to encourage support.

Besides cognitive behavioral therapy, another specific type of therapy that works particularly well with addiction is called Gestalt therapy. This style of therapy stresses taking ownership of your life and working within your present-moment experience to see how and where you fit in your interconnected web of relationships. For these reasons, it can be a critical tool in helping people beat their opioid addiction.

Opioid addiction is a treatable condition and complete remission is entirely possible with the right tools and support. If you or someone you know would like to explore treatment options for a substance abuse issue, please feel free to get in touch with me.

References:

• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/addiction
• https://blogs.psychcentral.com/addiction-mental-health/2018/04/addiction-and-gestalt-therapy/
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/199211/overcoming-addiction

Instances of gambling addictions have risen sharply over the last few years. In fact, in the United States alone, over 5 million people reported having a gambling addiction that required treatment.

Gambling addictions are classified as impulse-control disorders, types of progressive addictions that can negatively impact a person’s life physically, psychologically and socially. People who live with a gambling addiction may experience symptoms such as anxiety, distress, intestinal disorders, migraines and even depression.

How is a Gambling Addiction Diagnosed?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, states that for a person to be diagnosed with a gambling addiction, they must experience at least four of the following in the last 12 months:

• A desire to gamble with larger amounts of money to feel the same high.
• A feeling of restlessness or agitation when attempting to stop gambling.
• More than one unsuccessful attempt to stop or reduce gambling.
• Obsessive thinking about gambling.
• Gambling as a means to self-soothe.
• Lying to cover up gambling activities.
• Gambling even after a major loss.
• Experiencing social, relational, or work problems as a result of gambling.
• Relying on others to get money for gambling.

Treatment

Individuals who have been officially diagnosed with a gambling problem are typically offered three types of treatments:

Medication

Antidepressants and mood stabilizers have been shown to be somewhat effective at reducing the symptoms of the addiction. Some antidepressants have even been shown to reduce the urge to gamble. While medications should never be used long-term, they can be beneficial short-term for those suffering from extreme symptoms.

Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps individuals reduce their urge to gamble by helping them to discover their own behavior and where these urges stem from. CBT works because it gets to the root of the problem and changes the way the individual feels and thinks about gambling.

Self-Help Groups

Many individuals find it helpful to find a supportive addiction group, either online or in their local area.

Like other addictions, it will take time and effort to recover from a gambling addiction. But once you learn how to work through the addiction, you’ll come out the other end a person who feels happy and peaceful.

If you believe you or someone you know has a gambling addiction and would like to explore treatment options, please get in touch with me. I would be more than happy to discuss how I may help.

SOURCES:

• https://psychcentral.com/lib/treatment-for-gambling-addiction#1
• https://www.addictions.com/gambling-addiction-treatment/
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/15929#triggers