Stages Of Porn Addiction

• The first stage of porn addiction is yielding to porn’s temptation. Our response when first seeing porn either opens or shuts the door to us becoming a porn addict. Leaving the porn site and not returning means no addiction. Some people say “Yes” to porn because it is an oasis from failure, pain, and rejection. Saying, “Yes” to porn by clicking on more sites or renting DVD’s begins the second stage of porn addiction -- seduction.
  
  
• Seduction overwhelms us with pleasure for our eyes and the addictive chemicals released by our brain when watching porn. Seduction doesn’t tell you porn that won’t satisfy the lust of your eyes for naked bodies.
  
  
• In the addiction stage, we feel a need to hide our new passion to avoid rejection. Guilt is either a stage of porn addiction or a by-product. Guilt can be experienced at every stage of porn addiction and it can be overridden by telling ourselves if virgins -- “I’m not having sex with anyone;” if married—“My wife’s not giving me sex;” “I’m learning a new technique;” or my favorite, a defensive response to our conscience and/or friends if we are discovered -- “Everyone is doing it, so what’s the big deal?” Defensiveness is also a by-product of porn addiction, overflowing into several stages.
  
  
• Viewing nudity usually results in an erection. Erections introduce us to the pleasure of a physical release, making the porn addiction even more difficult to control or break. If your porn hasn’t sent you underground, masturbation usually does.
  
  
• Masturbation can usher us into the denial stage of porn addiction. We may find ourselves saying, “I can stop any time I want,” because we have to justify to ourselves things we never thought we would do. Delving deeper into porn often increases our denial.
  
  
• Another stage of porn addiction is finally admitting to ourselves that we are indeed addicted. This is usually followed by this stage of porn addiction -- “I’m unworthy of anyone and I’m unforgiveable.” Satan lies, using this statement to keep us in his control and keep us unproductive in life-giving and mutually beneficial relationships. Jesus Christ will always forgive us!
  
  
• Embarrassment, happens when we realize that the goal of porn is our self-destruction.
  
  
• Wanting freedom is the last stage of porn addiction. This leads you to override your embarrassment and/or fear of people learning about your addiction to seeking help to free you from it. Job 31:1 says, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.” Freedom from pornography is possible! Believe it!