It is difficult to see a loved one going through a rough time in their life. But what is even worse, is not being able to help them in any manner possible. Seeing them suffer on a daily basis and not knowing what to do, to make things better for them that will help reduce their suffering, can be strenuous. One such issue is the addiction to porn. To begin with, porn addiction is one of the most difficult addictions, because of the stigma that it carries with itself, making it all the way more necessary to help someone with porn addiction.
Pornography is not accepted in our society and it is believed to always hold a negative impact on one’s life, even if one indulges in pornography on rare occasions. And thus, a person who is battling a pornography addiction finds it difficult to communicate about the same or seek help. The question is, what can you do in such a scenario? How do we help someone with porn addiction? Well, let us find out.
Help Someone with Porn Addiction
It may be that as a partner, sibling, friend or family, you may be finding yourself in a difficult position when it comes to seeing someone you deeply care for, battling their porn addiction all alone and not knowing what to do and how to help someone with porn addiction. We understand that it can be quite difficult to be in your position and this is why we will today, be sharing with you the various possible ways in which you can help someone with porn addiction and be there for them to make sure they do not feel alone in this battle of their life.
Offer support and understanding
One of the primary reasons for someone feeling that they cannot share their issues when it comes to porn addiction is the knowledge that they will be judged. This is because of the fact that pornography in itself has a lot of stigmas that go around with it making it further difficult to open up when one has an addiction to the same.
So what exactly can we do to help someone with porn addiction in this situation? Well, now that we understand how difficult it can be for someone with porn addiction to talk about their problem, we also need to understand the gravity of providing a non-judgmental and supportive environment for them to open up. You have to make sure they feel comfortable talking to you about their issues and know that you are not there to judge them but to help them out.
Encourage healthy habits
When going through a rough phase, especially in the case of an addiction one may find themselves in a place where one does not feel like doing anything, let alone practise healthy habits. However, this will just further worsen their situation and make things more difficult if nothing else. So what can you do in this case?
Your role in this entire situation is to make sure that you help someone with porn addiction get in touch with various healthy habits on a daily basis. These healthy habits could be anything from a regular exercise regime that they build for themselves, to a well-balanced diet that they stick to every day. You will also need to make sure that this person is getting sufficient sleep, which will further ensure that they do not give in to an urge to get handsy every time they get one.
Help them to avoid triggers
The best way to help someone with porn addiction is to be there for them when they get triggered. This is important because in that moment of weakness they need someone to remind them how well they have been doing and how they are bigger than their urges and triggers. In the case of porn addiction, a trigger can be anything from being alone with themselves or being alone with a smartphone or a computer which might give them an urge.
Having said that, understandably, it may not be possible to be present every time someone gets an urge or gets triggered. And thus, you can help them by working on strategies that will make sure that they do not give in to their urges and rather can fight them.
Become their accountability partner
Another popular and effective way to help someone with porn addiction is to make take on the role of being their accountability partner. An accountability partner can be a helpful resource for someone dealing with a porn addiction.
To become an accountability partner, let the person know that you are willing to support them in their efforts to overcome their addiction. Furthermore, establish certain ground rules which means discussing and agreeing on ground rules for your accountability partnership, such as how often you will check in with each other, what kind of support you will provide, and how to handle challenges or setbacks.
In addition to this, another way to help someone with porn addiction is to provide them with emotional support. As an accountability partner, you can provide emotional support and encouragement to the person dealing with a porn addiction. Listen to their struggles and challenges, and offer words of encouragement and motivation. Lastly, as an accountability partner, it’s important to practice what you preach. Be open and honest with the person at all times.
Be patient
The most important aspect to remember in order to help someone with porn addiction is to know that recovery from porn addiction can take time. And this is why it’s important for you and the person with the addiction to be patient throughout this period. Furthermore, it is essential that you are supportive throughout the process so the other person can feel the constant support and trust you with their vulnerability.
It may be helpful to set achievable goals and celebrate small victories along the way. Celebrating the little milestones in the journey of recovery of the person dealing with the addiction is important so that they understand that every step that they are taking to overcome their addiction, no matter how small is in some manner taking them to their final goal.
Encourage them to seek professional help
The most important step when you want to help someone with porn addiction is to make them realise the need of seeking professional help. Often, one feels that they cannot discuss their issues with porn with another human being and this further pushes them down the dark hole where they find themselves all alone. We have to make sure that does not happen.
Step one to recovery is accepting the problem out loud. Furthermore, it is important to understand the reason behind the problem and why it is so difficult for one to overcome it. And this is exactly where one will need professional help. This is because, a mental health professional, such as a therapist or counsellor, can help a person with porn addiction understand the underlying causes of their addiction and develop healthy coping mechanisms to overcome it.
Final Words
It is a big step to be a part of a journey where one is facing an addiction. And we applaud you for trying to be there for this person in your life who is clearly going through something very difficult. Keep in mind that the most important thing that one needs to help someone with porn addiction is the willingness to go through the journey with the other person and lend a supporting hand and a non-judgemental ear.
