PAA's Patterns of Porn Addiction | Porn Addicts Anonymous

The following patterns may be useful for determining if you have a problem with pornography.

Viewing/Seeking Patterns:

Seeking additional pornographic material regardless of what is already available.
Spending money consuming pornography regardless of its effects on our financial situation.
Collecting pornography in its various formats, no matter how much we have already obtained and currently possess.
Endlessly seeking the “perfect” material.

Addiction Patterns:

Viewing to escape feelings.
Spending more and more time seeking pornography without the ability to determine when to stop.
Hiding pornographic media—whether digital or physical—to ensure that we are never “found out.”
Covering our digital tracks on our devices.
Isolating from friends and family.
Changing activities and plans to accommodate our active addiction.
Neglecting obligations, commitments, and our own needs or the needs of others.
Needing pornography prior to or during sexual activity with a partner, or ourselves.
Going to physical viewing locations to obtain a fix.
Purging our computers, devices, and homes of pornographic material after a binge.

Behavioral Patterns:

Inability to sleep without viewing.
Having to view pornographic material prior to leaving our place of residence.
Viewing late at night so no one will notice.
Fantasizing about anonymous partners.
Inappropriate sexually oriented comments and jokes.
Losing interest in our sex life with our partners.

Justification/Low Self-esteem Patterns:

I could never get a date anyway.
No one likes me.
This is safer.
Who would like me, I am too ___ for anyone.
I am not enough of a ___ for anyone.

Denial Patterns:

“I’m not affecting anyone else, only me. I’m not hurting anyone.”
“It will be manageable this time.”
“It’s not that bad. I can stop whenever I want to.”
“At least with pornography, I always get what I want.”
“I get it whenever I want it.”
“It’s always there for me.”
“I’m going to end up doing it sooner or later anyway.”