Article Review — Pornography
Internet Porn Addiction: The Problem and Treatment Implications
Article:
Internet Porn Addiction: The Problem and Treatment Implications
Authors: Dustin Weissman, PsyD; Paul J. Marcille, PhD,
Presented in: CPA Annual Convention Conference 2025
On September 14, 2025, Dr. Paul Marcille and I presented on the topic of “Pornography Addiction and Treatment” at the California Psychological Association Annual Convention in Long Beach, California.
We began with a brief but important disclaimer: the title was intentionally designed to capture attention, and it is crucial to recognize that “pornography addiction” is not a formal diagnosis in the DSM-5-TR. Instead, the ICD-11 categorizes problematic pornography use under compulsive sexual behavior disorder, framing it as a behavioral compulsion rather than an addiction in the clinical sense. This clarification set the stage for a nuanced conversation. We emphasized that while pornography use is widespread, the overwhelming majority of individuals—both men and women—do not experience it as an addiction or even a compulsion. Our intention was to challenge and dispel the myth, often perpetuated by certain U.S. states and religious organizations, that pornography represents a broad public health crisis.
The presentation unfolded in several sections. We began with a historical overview of pornography, tracing how its availability and consumption have evolved with cultural shifts and the rise of technology. Alongside this history, we shared statistics that illustrate just how common pornography use has become in contemporary society. I devoted particular attention to the neuroscience perspective, describing how pornography consumption activates the brain’s reward system and how it can influence patterns of behavior. These details provided attendees with a scientific lens through which to understand the role of pornography in human psychology.
We then turned to the varied impacts pornography may have on different populations—minors, adults, and couples. In this portion, we stressed the importance of contextualizing effects. For example, pornography may introduce harmful distortions in minors who lack sexual education, while adults may integrate it into healthy sexual expression. For couples, pornography use can be either a source of tension or a shared experience, depending on communication, consent, and boundaries within the relationship. Throughout, we worked on normalizing pornography use in appropriate contexts and removing stigma, while also acknowledging situations in which it can contribute to distress or dysfunction.
Practical application was another core component of our talk. We introduced assessment tools that clinicians can use to differentiate between non-problematic use, high-frequency use, and potentially compulsive behavior. A large portion of the session was devoted to treatment strategies. We discussed therapeutic approaches that emphasize self-reflection, relationship repair, and behavioral management rather than pathologizing the behavior outright.
To ground these ideas, we concluded with a case presentation that allowed attendees to see how the assessment and treatment strategies can be applied in real clinical practice. The session ended with a robust Q&A, where participants asked thoughtful questions that reflected the complexity of this subject.
A central takeaway we left with the audience was simple yet profound: “Pornography can be good, bad, or neutral. It depends on how a person uses it, the type of pornography consumed, and the effects it has on their relationships and overall life.”
Author: Dustin Weissman, Psy.D.