To find out just how true that is, check out the data below.

Credit to  Online Psychology Degree

Simply learning about a certain condition is not enough. It takes an indepth view of the condition in order to effectively combat it if necessary and that’s by learning the Stages of Porn Addiction. For porn addicts, the addiction just occurred without warning. They are unsure of what happened before they started using pornography as a visual stimulus for masturbation, sexual acts with their partner and/or simply to have sexual release.

But unknown to many, there are different Stages Of Porn Addiction which the addict undergoes until he or she becomes completely addicted to it. These stages need to be identified in order for the porn addict to get help depending on which stage he or she is on. Identifying this too is important since it helps an addict recognize the addiction himself thus making it easier for him to fight it.

The five Stages of Porn Addiction:

1. Early Exposure – A child has the inability to handle sex since they are not yet psychologically prepared for it. Sexual maturity begins after puberty once the child learns about his body and its sexual functions. This becomes distorted when a child is exposed early to sex through trauma or accidentally viewing strangers and even family members having sex. A great number of porn addicts admit to the fact that they were exposed to sex at an early age whether through sexual abuse or through watching soft porn.
2. Addiction – At this stage, a child or an adult’s ability to control his urges becomes impossible (at least that’s how he feels and thinks). The “want” suddenly escalated to become a “need”. The problem with addiction is that it can invade the mind of an adult or a child without them knowing that what they’re doing is wrong until they are confronted with the consequences.
3. Escalation – This is the stage when an addict starts looking for more pornographic materials. Your urges suddenly shift from the normal sexual acts to more graphic, intense acts that now excite you.
4. Desensitization – Just like any other addiction, there will come a point in time during your addiction when you will feel that you can’t seem to find the same thrill you once had while viewing pornographic materials. No matter how degrading, disgusting and explicit the porn you watch; you seem numb to it.
5. Acting out sexually – Your porn addiction may or may not lead to sex addiction but there is a great number of porn addicts who resorted to promiscuity after the addiction. This is when instead of simply looking at pornographic materials, you start acting out your sexual desires and when you are dissatisfied you tend to look for more.

Pornography addiction is considered a subcategory of sexual addiction. It is when your usual hobby of viewing nudity online or on paper interferes with your daily routine, activities, relationships and even work. It is also known as the habitual psychological or physiological dependence on a substance or practice which becomes beyond voluntary control. Most porn addicts have a hard time dealing with the addiction and it is also possible that they are not aware of their condition until they try to quit. These addicts use pornography (soft – hardcore) as a way for them to feel excited, aroused or even to the point of having sexual release. This habitual viewing may or may not be accompanied by masturbation.

Internet Pornography statistics and size of Porn Industry:

Pornography has permeated our society through multiple avenues: magazines, videos, adult stores, and the Internet. It is now so readily available and easily accessible that some suggest you don‟t even need to look for it—it looks for you. In 2006 alone, the pornography industry earned worldwide revenue of approximately 97.06 billion dollars, which is more than the combined revenues of Microsoft, Amazon, eBay, Yahoo!, Apple, Netflix, and EarthLink1.

What are the signs of Porn Addiction?

There’s a big argument whether or not pornography can become an addiction. To people who views pornography on a daily basis; it is just a “guy-thing” – something that is normally expected from men and some women. However, some experts in sex addiction say that porn is a progressive type of addiction which starts at an early age. This progresses to watching soft porn to hard core explicit nudity and sexual acts. If your “hobby” or practice of viewing porn on a daily basis interferes with your life then that is what you call addiction. In truth, addicts are the last people to know that they are addicted. Being unable to control your sexual desires and wants is also a form of addiction. Things and practices shouldn’t be difficult to control or stop if you are not addicted to it.

How Is Porn Addiction Diagnosed?

Diagnosis of this condition is still under study since most “porn addicts” have their behaviors under perfect control. Often times, a diagnosis is made to label individuals and to help them recover from the condition. Moreover, sex addiction experts say that sexual addiction is rooted from different factors like early exposure to porn, insecurity, rejection, and past trauma – physical and/or sexual abuse.

Is Porn Addiction considered mental illness?

Many argue that pornographic addiction is indeed a mental illness but to some experts it is not. For a condition to be considered a mental illness, the person involved has to manifest some behaviors that are harmful to both him self and society. This however, is rarely seen from porn addicts. There are cases when pornographic addiction can be considered as mental illness especially when the addiction has taken full control of the individual’s decisions in life while putting him self and society in danger or risk.

Stages of Porn Addiction

There are different Stages Of Porn Addiction which the addict undergoes until he or she becomes completely addicted to it. These stages need to be identified in order for the porn addict to get help depending on which stage he or she is on. Identifying this too is important since it helps an addict recognize the addiction himself thus making it easier for him to fight it.