Porn addiction, recognised as a health condition, is caused by a multiplicity of factors, according to Ronald Lee of the Centre for Psychological and Counselling Services.
In an interview with FMT, he described it as a type of sex addiction coming under the subcategory of behavioural addiction.
He acknowledged that there was no fixed definition of porn addiction, saying it was often defined as “a daily preoccupation to the point of obsession in sexual imagery that lasts for six months or more”.
One sign of porn addiction, he said, was preoccupation with pornography for an inordinate length of time to the point of letting it affect one’s life.
“It can affect their life to the point they neglect other people such as their loved ones and areas of their life such as work and school.”
Lee said the factors leading to porn addiction included a propensity to watch pornographic materials for long periods or to do so frequently.
And then there are biological factors. “Biologically, one may be genetically susceptible to emotional dysregulation, impulsiveness, and sensation seeking behaviour,” Lee said.
If this susceptibility was combined with other biological factors, such as high testosterone or estrogen levels, then a person might be more likely to engage in excess sexual activities, including watching pornography, he added.
“Psychologically, poor impulse control may be another contributing factor to porn addiction. Social rejection and isolation could also increase the likelihood of a person seeking less healthy ways of sexual gratification, including excessively watching porn.”
Lee advised people believing they are addicted to porn to seek professional help. He said they should speak to a mental health specialist such as a clinical psychologist or a licensed counsellor.
He said mental health professionals could help a person learn of the underlying factors behind his addiction and help him to cope with his thoughts, feelings and behaviours in a healthy way.
He said no evidenced-based treatment for porn addiction was presently available, but he added that counselling and psychotherapy could help manage the condition with the use of treatment protocols for compulsive behaviours.
“It’s important to remember that porn addiction, like other behavioural addictions, can affect a person’s life and that it is not down to access alone. Cutting access and thinking the problem will go away is a naïve approach. What is needed is education and awareness for people to know when and how to reach out for help.”
The government has been actively blocking pornographic websites since the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) was set up. In 2015, it was reported that MCMC had barred access to more than 1,000 pornographic websites.