Sagar*, 30, would watch porn for at least an hour everyday, hiding the habit from his wife of two years. A business executive with an multi national company in Mumbai, it was at a two-day work trip at a remote location with no internet access that his world fell apart. Unable to watch porn, Sagar started getting panic attacks at the end of the first day.
On second day his condition got worse but he was to deliver a key presentation. Fighting his craving to watch porn and constant anxiety he botched up the crucial presentation and was pulled up by his boss. It was finally then that he sought help of a psychiatrist.
“Porn addicts are unable to function normally the day they don’t have access to porn. Most of them come to psychiatrists only when it starts affecting their relationships or work life,” said Dr Sagar Mundada, psychiatrist at the civic-run KEM hospital in Mumbai.
Vivek*, 25, was in a stable relationship with his girlfriend of around four years. While he would watch porn it, the habit was under check. When his girl friend left for a work trip for around a month he along with his group of male friends took to watching binge watching porn
Soon he was so addicted that he wasn’t interested in a physical relationship with his girl friend and would prefer to only watch porn movies. He is currently undergoing de-addiction therapy under the guidance of his psychiatrist.
“Porn addiction is not routinely screened unless the patient comes to the doctor, but it should be. The prevalance is increasing. Around 20% of my patients are addicted to porn,” said Dr Meena Kasargod, Consultant- Psychiatrist, Columbia Asia Hospital, Bangalore.
“It starts in patients as young as 12, with teenagers and young adults forming the largest chunk of porn addicts,” Dr Kasargod added.
One of the reasons for the large number of porn addicts is the easy accessibility of porn through mobile phones. The penetration of technology has ensured that everyone is able to view a porn clip within their confines of their home or office cubicles.
“Those who are lonely, introverts, have trouble forming stable relationships with the opposite sex or did not get nurturing as children from mothers or other maternal figures could be more prone to porn addiction,” said Dr Yusuf Matcheswala, psychiatrist, Masina Hospital.
“To wean patients away we have to use focussed behavioural therapy and medication in some cases,” he added.
About porn addtion
There are two important aspects to any addiction
Dependence: Porn addicts are unable to get through a single day without watching what they crave
Craving & Withdrawal features: Irritability, loss of focus, being preoccupied throughout the day, unable to socialize/have a normal relationship
Young addicts
In a survey done by Bangalore-based NGO Rescue Foundation among 400 students in 10 city colleges, it was found that porn addiction starts as early as 10. The survey conducted in 2015 said that a growing number of youth were veering towards violent pornography
Learning through porn
In 2014 when the Podar Institute of Education women in the 18-43 age group over a period of 6 months, it found that 49% of women learnt about sex through porn. The survey was conducted in Pune, Nashik, Bangalore, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Ahemdabad.
Who is prone
Lonely individuals
Introverts
Those with sleep disorders
Men who were not nurtured by mothers/sisters as children
Treatment
Focussed behavioural therapy
Medication in certain cases
[Source:-DNA]
