This won’t be the case for everyone but I do know it’s common for those who struggle with sex, masturbation or porn addiction to relate it to their childhood in some way. There’s this phrase called the age of first use and studies have shown that the younger someone is when they are exposed to drugs, alcohol or negative behaviors the more likely they are to have a problem with it in the form of a behavioral addiction or mental disorders, growing up.

For example, young girls, as young as 3 or 4 might hear their mom talking about being fat, going on a diet and that in combination with being exposed to things like Instagram or Snap Chat around age 7 would mean they would be more likely to have an eating disorder whereas as someone who grew up with healthy conversations about food, healthy body image and later exposure to things like Instagram and Snap Chat would have a less likely of a chance of having an eating disorder.

Does it rule it out completely?

Of course not, anyone at any age can develop a behavioral addiction. It’s just that those who are exposed at an earlier age are more likely than those who are not.

Substance Abuse Example

When it comes to drugs and alcohol the same thing – if someone grows up around drugs or alcohol, starts drinking around age 12 would have a higher chance of having a substance addiction, alcohol addiction or becoming an addict, than someone who wasn’t exposed to drugs and alcohol as a child and didn’t have their first drink until they were 19. This is why delaying the age of first use is important and it’s important in other areas as well.

Sex, Porn and Masturbation Addiction

And then, when it comes to porn, sex and masturbation, and yes, these are actual addictions,  if someone is exposed to these sexual behaviors, including sexual abuse, or viewing sexual activity as a child they are more likely to struggle with the compulsions or mental disorders later on. Now that all of this is so easily accessible on the internet, more and more kids are being exposed these sexual behaviors at an earlier age which can develop into a sexual addiction at a later age.

Younger people don’t have the brain maturity to be able to differentiate between real life and what is seen online.  Doctors are seeing more and more young people with signs of porn addiction who also struggle with sexual dysfunction due to early access to pornographic material. Porn addiction can lead to compulsive behaviors or addictive behaviors or mental health disorders such as a mood disorder, substance use disorder, impulse control disorder, negative mood, psychological distress, negative sex life, loss of control and chemical imbalances.

Not all people who have a porn or sex addiction have had negative childhood experiences but it’s important to understand the connection what’s happened in the past and how they may affect unhealthy behaviors in the present. 

Think Back to Your Own Childhood

Think back to your own childhood and think of the sexual behaviors you were exposed to. If it was problematic it’s important to work through that trauma with a professional as that will help increase your chances of a full recovery from sex, masturbation or porn addiction. If that doesn’t apply to you, still think back to things that may have happened to you on an unconscious level (Movies, TV shows, etc.) and how that may have affected your brain activity as you grew and went through puberty.

You may not need to see a mental health professional but working through some of this on your own may be helpful in the long run. If you struggle with hypersexual disorder or sexual dysfunction at an early age it may be because of early use of pornographic content. 

Treatment

Porn addicts should get a personalised treatment program that caters specifically to pornography addiction rather than being lumped in with substance use disorders. Not having the right treatment can lead to negative effects. Pornography addiction or sexual behavior disorder can impact personal relationships and intimate relationships and cause mental health issues.

If you are struggling with repetitive behaviors, loss of control, decrease in quality of life, then you should check out CSPMA. We help those who are struggling masturbation, porn or sex addiction by creating a personalized treatment plan that includes tackling mental health issues and helping people with their daily life on a regular basis which can improve mental health conditions and sexual relationships. We also encourage everyone in our program to talk to a medical professional in addition to ensuring all medical needs have been met.