Are Women Addicted To Porn?

Not many realize it, but women can become addicted to porn just like men. Although males are more likely to be porn addicts than females, an increasing number of women are turning to porn for sexual satisfaction. 

Unfortunately, this often causes women to experience many of the same negative effects of porn as men. Their emotional and physical health can be adversely affected, and they may even have difficulties in their personal relationships due to their addiction. 

In the book “Always Turned On,” authors Weiss and Schneider stated that women account for more than 30% of people who access internet porn. While most porn users are men, this figure suggests that women also turn to cyberporn to seek relief from stress and frustration.

What Is Porn Addiction?

Like most types of addiction, porn addiction can be described as an excessive compulsion or obsession, in this case to pornography. A kind of process or behavioral addiction, porn addiction may manifest itself in various ways. The individual may view porn constantly, it may begin to take over many areas of their lives, and it can adversely affect their schooling, work, or personal relationships. 

Female porn addicts may spend most of their day thinking about pornography even when they aren’t viewing it. Others have a specific time of day during which they usually access porn online. And when they are unable to view porn, they may experience withdrawal symptoms similar to an alcohol or narcotics addict. 

A common characteristic among most addicts is a sense of shame and guilt at being addicted. Although they derive some degree of satisfaction or relief from viewing porn, these feelings often tend to be temporary. As the addiction progresses, they begin to derive less and less enjoyment from their actions. This only compounds the shame and guilt they feel, and they turn to more extreme examples of porn for relief and recapture the early feelings of satisfaction and pleasure. 

Effects Of Porn Addiction On Women 

Apart from the isolation and personal and emotional difficulties that men experience due to porn addiction, women suffer from another negative effect: objectification. Although some degree of attraction to pornography is often considered normal for males, females with the same predisposition are frequently regarded as excessively sexual or perverted. 

Part of the reason for this is that women are often subjected to inaccurate or outdated notions of sexuality and arousal. Men are traditionally thought to be aroused by visual stimuli, while women are expected to be aroused mainly by love or feelings of intimacy.

But the reality is that women are generally aroused by a wider range of factors‒including visual‒than men. This was revealed in a study published in 2007 by the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. According to the journal, many women displayed a sexual response to a wide variety of visual stimuli, including videos of people masturbating and engaging in homosexual sex. 

This wouldn’t normally be a problem if not for the misconceptions and erroneous perceptions of women’s sexuality. Because we are largely conditioned to believe that visual stimuli don’t arouse women, females who enjoy watching porn or are addicted to it are seen as abnormal. 

Difficulties In Getting Treatment 

Worse still, many women are reluctant to share their interest in pornography with their partners. For some, the fear of being considered overly sexual or deviant prevents them from sharing their thoughts and feelings with their loved ones. 

The difficulty in talking about porn compounds the challenges that some women may have about their porn addiction. As difficult as it may be for most females to share a mild interest in pornography, it is much worse for those with an unhealthy obsession with it. 

Remember that women aren’t ‘supposed’ to enjoy porn, to begin with. So for someone to come out and admit they are addicted is much more difficult. This could prevent female porn addicts from getting the professional help they need to deal with their obsession. 

Seeking Therapy-Based Solutions 

Like all types of addiction, dealing with porn addiction requires consultation and therapy with a professional addiction counselor. These specialists work closely with the patient to determine the root cause of the addiction and other triggering and mitigating factors that get in the way of recovery. With a sound therapy-based program and the support of close family members, female porn addicts can return to a healthier way of life.