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The Problem

How to work out if there's a problem

Are you living with someone else’s addiction?

We don’t just help people addicted to porn; we also offer support for those people whose lives are affected by a loved one’s addiction. Our HeLP ME: Support Packages enable you to understand how to deal with this addiction and improve your day-to-day life.

Find out more about our Support Packages »


Approved by the National Counselling Society

The Counselling SocietyHeLP Porn Addiction has been approved by and is recommended by the National Counselling Society for its quality, techniques and therapeutic design.



“I’d had enough of my porn habit, but I didn’t know who to turn to”

“I want to quit but I can’t afford treatment”

“I don’t want to see a psychotherapist – there has to be another way.”

“I’m not religious and I don’t want to have to do a religious program to tackle my porn problem.”

This is a common situation. You’ve come this far and recognised that what started as curiosity, fun and sexual excitement is now having negative impact in your life. The thought of going to see a professional such as a psychiatrist or psychotherapist might fill you with dread – you don’t want to be labelled as anything,it’s going to be expensive, and how will you find the time (not to mention explain it to your partner?) And as for joining some kind of group, you really don’t want to be discussing your problems with strangers in that way. So you’re stuck – you’ve tried to quit but keep coming back to it. You’ve tried to convince yourself it’s harmless, but deep inside you know different. You’ve thought of quitting porn many times, but just don’t know how.

You’re not alone – 87% of porn users who want to change don’t know how to go about it. We’re here to help you stop judging yourself, lighten up, and allow some perspective back into the situation.

“I finally had to admit this was an addiction and that it was ruining my life”

“I couldn’t believe just how much stuff I was watching”

“I went away for a couple of days without a computer, and spent the whole time wishing I could get access to porn.”

“I realised I was spending more time with my porn than with my kids.”

Remember, half of porn users see negative consequences and 10% of all adults admit having internet sexual addiction. If you feel addicted, without getting too complex and involved in professional diagnosis, it is likely that you are indeed suffering from a true addiction.

Internet porn is addictive for a number of reasons, and there’s lots of research to back this up. It’s not just the content, but the technology which contributes to the addictive nature of the problem. It’s not just the fact that you can so easily find sexually exciting material, but also that there’s such a wide variety, it’s anonymous, it appears harmless at first, and the technology of searching and downloading always offers something more exciting “just one click away.” In addition, internet porn soon doesn’t even become about the sex any more – it can just be a way to relieve anxiety or boredom, or just to change your brain state and get a temporary chemical “high.” If you, like others, feel addicted, our programme can help you free yourself from the addictive trap and replace your porn addiction with something more positive.

“I feel so guilty about this secret part of my life”

“If people knew the stuff I get off to, they’d never speak to me again.”

“What kind of person must I be if I’m so into porn like this?”

“A few moments of pleasure and relief, and then hours of feeling miserable.”

Remember, half of all porn users feel there’s at least one negative consequence of their porn use, and 40% want to quit or change what they’re doing. No-one should be ashamed or feel guilty about having sexual thoughts, feelings and fantasies, or wanting to be sexual and enjoy their bodies and minds in an erotic way. Often though, a deep sense of guilt and shame is present in porn users, linked with the type of images they’re viewing, or the type of behaviour they exhibit such as chat rooms or phone sex – and the impact on their personal lives all this has.

Your sense of guilt can be a catalyst for you to change and find healthier and more fulfilling ways of being sexual. Imagine a sexually satisfying life where you feel happy about your behaviour rather than ashamed. This is what our programme is hoping to achieve.

“My wife finally found my porn stuff – lots of it was really hardcore. It was introduced in court. Now I’m divorced with no access to my kids.”

“I lost my job when they found what I’d been viewing on my work computer.”

“I love my partner but I just seem to need this stuff. I’m terrified that if it’s found out, I’ll get dumped.”

Porn is so addictive because it’s so easy at first to keep it secret. Time with your computer is the ultimate alone time or “me time”, and with laptops and mobiles, any private time can easily be spent diving into the millions of pages on the net. Remember, not only have 1/3 of companies sacked someone for using porn at work, but psychologist and divorce courts concur as to the prevalence of porn as a contributing factor to the break down of relationships. Ask yourself: is your porn habit really worth your job or your personal life?

It’s also worth remembering that if you are using porn regularly and you’re in a relationship, then the signs of your usage are showing, even if you think they are not. Your partner will see you as more dissociated, distant and disconnected. They will begin to wonder about your behaviour and where you are or what you’re doing. If they feel the relationship is having problems, they may very well look on your computer. If it’s password protected, this will just deepen their suspiscion. Essentially, porn is a secret that inevitably comes out.

“I feel so numb – I can’t believe what I masturbate to now”

“I’m really worried I’m a violent person because of what I download”

“It started off with a bit of fun like spanking videos, then one video I got was really strong stuff. It made me seek out more stuff like it...now I can’t get off on anything unless it’s real sick.”

One of the most difficult things to come to terms with in watching porn is how common and widespread sexual games and fantasies, such as role playing domination and submission, easily take over what you view, and what you view becomes stronger and stranger. Very soon, many people find themselves in a space of feeling really trapped. The nature of what you’re seeing would seem so “out there” or sickening to your partner or friends and you even fear talking to a therapist about it. Worst of all, you begin to believe that you must be a “pervert” or even at risk to other people.

Our programme takes this into account and fully understands the depth and breadth of pornographic and sexual materials available online. Far from being a pervert, we will help you understand the addictive mechanisms which led you down this path, as well as pointing the way out. Our programme, uniquely, explains in detail the main pornographic “genres” and fantasies and their role in addictive cyles.

“I hate feeling sexually lonely like this, lying in bed next to my partner, not touching her but having just masturbated to porn.”

“Porn’s taken over – even during real sex I’m thinking about porn.”

“Porn makes me feel inadequate with my partner.”

68% of cybersex users feel this way. Again and again, far from enhancing a healthy sex life or fuelling some interesting consensual roleplay among couples, porn seems to have the opposite effect, beginning to replace human love making and also warping pepoles’ sex lives. Our programme takes this into account and tries to help couples get their sex lives back on track, while also taking into account people not in a relationship who are using porn as a substitute - not realising it can get in the way of a relationship in the future.

“I must have bought the same download a dozen times. I view it for a while, get off on it, feel bad and delete it. Then it haunts me until I do it again.”

“I can’t bear to think I’m addicted to this stuff, so I use it and then erase it.”

“Only looking back a few years can I see how often I’ve deleted my porn and how often I’ve then come crawling back to it.”

Most porn users experience this cycle at some point. After the excitement of using porn, the guilt sets in which leads to deletion of the materials, and a solemn promise to oneself never to go down that road again. That promise lasts as long as the next time you feel you need to use porn, where you download more materials and start the cycle again.

This is a classic addictive cycle pattern and confirms the addictive nature of pornography. The programme will provide methods of breaking this cycle and rebalancing your sexual fantasy life.

“I feel helpless with my porn habit. Is this going to be it, for the rest of my life?”

“I just can’t give it up, it seems hopeless”

“It’s just me and my porn...again...for another night.”

Again and again, porn users who wish to change report an overwhelming feeling of being trapped, helpless or hopeless about porn. This is a far cry from what you might expect people to say about what is meant to be a fun, exciting or liberating activity. Anyone feeling this way about their porn use should get help, and be aware that change is possible.

“I want help but without some long term trip to the therapist or doctor.”

“I want to quit porn, provided I can do it in a safe way and feel supported.”

“I want to be able to sort this out privately, in my own time.”

“I want to be able to share my experience with others in the same boat.”

You may have looked at a range of solutions but don't want to feel judged for what you do, and you need it to be in confidence. Flexibility to choose when and where you work on your problem are a priority, and you feel you need support. Our programme ticks all these boxes, with expert therapeutic help available and a programme designed by experienced therapists who care.

“I thought porn would help me feel less lonely.”

“After splitting up it seemed ideal, but now I'm trapped.”

“Porn just makes being alone worse.”

Porn often seems like a common sense choice if you find yourself without a sexual partner. After all, it can make a lonely night feel a little less lonely and you tell yourself that you're helping relieve your sexual tension. But often, the longer you remain single, the more porn you find yourself using, until it becomes such an ingrained habit that porn becomes your “sexual comfort zone.” You feel more comfortable with porn and less comfortable with the idea of going to all that effort of getting a partner. And with porn, you don't risk rejection. Our programme is designed to get you back on track and, whether you remain single or form a relationship in the future, you'll feel more confident about yourself.