Saturday, January 21

Is porn "cheating"?

Fighting over pornography viewing? Are you being accused of "overreacting"? Does "everybody do it"? Is it "no big deal"? Is it "cheating"? Is there a place for pornography in a healthy relationship?

We could share the statistics with you (and interestingly, porn viewing is not as prevalent as some people believe), but from a therapeutic perspective, and a relationship perspective, the answer is pretty straightforward: If you or your partner are bothered, it's a problem.

And even if you're not
in a relationship, it's reasonable to wonder: Is porn the reason you're not in a relationship? Are you using porn to numb the pain of loneliness, or the fear of rejection, or your anger at a former partner? Is porn a way to avoid thinking about, and fixing, other problems?

If pornography interferes with your relationship, if it impacts your or your partner's work life, if it gets in the way of a social life, if it wastes time, if it affects finances, if it feels addictive, and most importantly: if it violates your own moral code, it's probably time to get a good counselor involved.

Allied Family Therapy helps couples and individuals struggling with all sorts of addictive behaviors. Give us a call, or click the blue "Schedule Me" button to set up your first appointment. We look forward to working with you!

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Research links:
(2014). Porn May Be Bad for Your Brain, Study Suggests. Time. 
Original research. JAMA.