Comments about ‘Is porn a real addiction? Professionals disagree’

It seems almost irresponsible to publish a series of articles on the problem, with virtually no references to solutions.

People with this problem are lost. They need a path out of the wilderness. Many lay ministers are inadequately equipped.

Does it really matter if sexual addictions are "Addictions" (like tobacco/achohol/etc) or a compulsion?

If it's destructive and you can't control it without intervention... does it really matter technically which one it is?


It's like the debate about sleeping aids.... Does it really matter if it's a chemical dependency or a mental dependency? If you THINK you can't get by without it (and you actually can't sleep without it) whether it's mental or physical the result is the same. Maybe the therapy is different. But the REAL solution is the same for both... don't get started and you won't have to go through the pain, suffering, destroyed families and destroyed relationships and painful interventions required to get you out... if you avoid it alltogether and don't even take the chance/risk of becoming addicted.


It doesn't matter what the technical cause of the addiction is. Whether it's chemical or mental the results are the same (loss of control even though you KNOW it's destructive).

Addiction is not a disease.
Addiction is a lack of will power.
Cancer, now there's a disease.

Thank you for this article. This is a serious problem for the world and the Church. Many of us are even mid-level leaders, we serve in the Sunday School, Bishopric or Elders Quorum and are stuck with this nasty little problem.

I agreed with Rory's quote that it is more traumatizing to admit to porn than it is alcohol at Church.

I would hope the Church would open up a greater dialog on the matter. I think a lot of it starts with the "little factory" issue that is ingrained on young men. Whether approved of or not, the issue is key to this matter. Nearly 98 percent of young men are "guilty" of such a transgression, but the guilt and shame from the matter in our youth has driven us underground, and forced us to live a double life. We are so afraid to admit to such a thing, that we begin to lie and fall deeper into the shadows. Yes, I am responsible for my own sins, but had the Church and parents taken a more open approach, I may not be crying for help 30 years later.

@Scott Easy for you to say when you don't deal with it. He who is free of sin, let him cast the first stone.

Sin is sin, and some people gravitate towards certain sides. Don't tell me it is just a lack of will power, because I am sure you are lacking just as much on some issue as well.

Food for thought Scot in Mona..... So is lung cancer a disease or is it brought on by a lack of willpower to stop a smoking addiction. Which is it? I guess you don't know any addicts or alcoholics. If it was easy to stop, they would. Believe me. The brain is a very powerful and mystical part of our body. Many times a "lack" of willpower has absolutely nothing to do with it. Please study up some more on this one. Porn addiction? Maybe that's just a lack of willpower. Who knows? More study needs to be done on that one.

Scott Smith makes a fairly accurate statement, at least as it pertains to pornography "addiction." It doesn't show much compassion or inspection, however.

If you think about it, most sins, addictions, errors, flaws, etc., are the result of poor will-power. Saying that does not help much though. You have to examine the root causes of that lack of "will power" -- case by case, flaw by flaw. And then deal with it case by case, step by step, line upon line. This reality is at the heart of the human condition.

Um . . . addiction? What are you, uh, talking about? You're, uh, crazy . . . now, um, could you PLEASE leave me alone?! I'll be, uh, upstairs in a minute!

I disagree with the idea that pornography is inherently evil.

It is a series. Series are supposed to define the problem, define it, name the consequences, how it affects everybody and maybe, make some recommendations. Patience my friend.

It could be that counseling professionals disagree because 30% - 35% of the male counselors are addicted to some degree of pornography themselves. Pornography is a corrupt resurgence in full color of the worship of Asherah - her groves and breasts of eternal milk and nourishment. This is why 2 Kings 21:7 is so provocative. According to Daniel Peterson the worship of Asherah is actually the adoration of the divine Goddess or wife of Elohim. It is just lucifer playing games to anger his father. Imagine how infuriating it is for Elohim to see his children worshiping a corrupt idol in the likeness of his wife, when it is He who holds the priesthood!

To "Civil | 9:16 a.m." the solution is simple. Stay away from porn.

I'm amused that porn "addiction" is equated to a chocolate "addiction."

And, what's the difference between "excessive" porn and (the apparently harmless) "non-excessive" or "occasional" porn?

Is it like alcohol? Occasional is harmless, but could lead to excessive; so it's simply better to propound an policy of total abstinence?

Fire can burn your house down; yet, natural gas appliances are commonplace. Why? Because the fire is managed and kept under control; and, as it turns out, is quite useful.

Oops... Sorry... Gotta run... I need my semi-annual porn fix!

Pornography is absolutely an addiction and a disease. It may start as a lack of willpower, but just like any drug, once it has been used repeatedly it cannot simply be turned off. Like any disease it requires professional help.

The addictive nature of any substance isn't so much in the brain chemistry the scientists waste their time on, it is the ability of the substance to artificially alter moods. Do they honestly think it is the chemical nature of drugs and alcohol that make them addictive? If that were the case all that partake would become addicted. Instead, it is a need to gain the high/relief that comes from altering the mood that becomes addictive. Ask any alchoholic that relapsed and you'll learn its not because the body had to have it, it was because they wanted their mood altered. When understood in this light, pornography is absolutely in the same category.

Help is available. Opening up and acknowledging you have a disease is the first and most freeing step. All of the recovery outlets out there should be commended.

LostSoul: We talked about Pornography and getting help during the last Combined Relief Society/Preisthood Meeting (on the 5th Sunday). I think slowly members are getting the message that there is help out there both through the church, and outside of the church.

We are definately not to the point where most people would feel free to identify themselves as having an addiction to porn or having overcome an addiction to porn. Sadly enough it would probably be very helpful to those struggling with that particular addiction to know there are others around them that have overcome, and so can they.

Like with any other addiction/complusion the sufferer feels isolated, and many times feels like they can't crawl out of the hole they have dug themselves into. Seeing someone else that they admire or can reach out to for a positive example could be very beneficial.

But at least the church is now offering counseling, and rehab services specifically for addictions (porn included). Every step in the right direction is a significant step!!

The fact that religion is choosing silence over action where sexual problems and health is concerned has contributed to a growing problem of porn addiction. We need to move religion away from saying almost everything sexual is wrong such is often said about masturbation. This "saying it is wrong" leads to sexual repression and guilt over normal sexual function which then leads to dysfunction in the relationship. Distorted beliefs like sex is dirty or the Church saying certain normal sex acts are forbidden, or sex is only for procreation puts an unrealistic expectation and burden on many religious people and can lead them to seeking an outlet for that repression in pornography. Evidence suggests that religion can be a pathway to both mental health and mental disorder. Many religions view some types of sexual activity as evil or immoral. This view can sometimes leads to neuroses or other ill effects. You can blame porn all you want for your relationship problems, but I doubt it is the only issue in the relationship that needs to be addressed. Addiction to porn can simply be a symptom of other problems within the relationship rather than it being the main problem.

Elohim infuriated? That's hard to imagine given his infinite foresight. He obviously knew it would happen.

He must surely have a wise purpose in mind to instruct us more fully in His ways.

Schwa | 1:17 p.m.

Who said, "pornography is inherently evil"?

Most are just encouraging people to be wise and avoid even getting started with cultivating their sexual curiosities and sexual activities like this, which studies have PROVEN can be addictive and destructive.



Many things aren't "inherently evil", but are still best not tampered with outside their natural/prescribed uses.

Prescription pain-killers (ie opiates) aren't "Inherently evil". But I avoid taking them unless unavoidable, because I've seen them lead to addiction and destroy too many lives that in my personal opinion, it's not worth taking the risk (unless ABSOLUTELY "needed") and then only as long as they are absolutely needed (meaning Prescribed by a doctor).


The difference here is... There's no thereputic level of Pornography that's "Needed" to lead a normal life. So I'm better off avoided it completely, instead of getting started with it and just saying to myself... "I have willpower... I can just get into it whenever I want without any thought to getting addicted, or my relationships with family, etc, affected".

(but that's my personal opinion).

Turn off the TV, the movies and the internet and do something wholesome. Get out of the habit of being entertained and get into the habit of being busy with wholesome things such as working out, hiking, reading good books, serving others. Stop the flow of filth - wash out the basin - and refill it with clean, pure water. The body and the brain have an amazing ability to recover.

In the KJV the underlying hebrew refers to Asherah's poles and figurines whenever you see the word "groves". In the NIV it is translated as Asherah worship. A few instances of God's anger kindled over Asherah porn:
1Kings16:33, Ahab makes a grove and provokes God to anger.
2Kings23:6-7 Josiah here is a super hero for destroying the Asherah groves, kicking down the houses of the sodomites, and Asherah jewelry "bling" stores.
Jer7:18, women in church baking cakes for the Asherah porn goddess.
Jer17:1-4, Asherah worship "kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn forever."

Likely God's anger was especially kindled after reading Ben Edelman's paper.