Could someone explain pornography addiction to me?!

Pornography addiction is a form of sexual addiction described by its proponents as a condition characterized by the overuse or abuse of pornography.

Pornography addiction can be defined as a psychological addiction to, or dependence upon, pornography, theoretically characterized by obsessive viewing, reading, and thinking about pornography and sexual themes to the detriment of other areas of one's own life.

Formal criteria have been suggested by psychologists like Richard Irons, M. D. and Jennifer P. Schneider along lines strictly analogous to the DSM criteria for alcohol and other substance addictions.[3] This article cites Goodman (1990), who compared the DSM criteria lists for various addictive disorders and derived these general characteristics:

* Recurrent failure to resist impulses to engage in a specified behavior
* Increasing sense of tension immediately prior to initiating the behavior
* Pleasure or relief at the time of engaging in the behavior
* At least five of the following:
o Frequent preoccupation with the behavior or with activity that is preparatory to the behavior
o Frequent engaging in the behavior to a greater extent or over a longer period than intended
o Repeated efforts to reduce, control, or stop the behavior
o A great deal of time spent in activities necessary for the behavior, engaging in the behavior, or recovering from its effects
o Frequent engaging in the behavior when expected to fulfill occupational, academic, domestic or social obligations
o Important social, occupational, or recreational activities given up or reduced because of the behavior
o Continuation of the behavior despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent social, financial, psychological, or physical problem that is caused or exacerbated by the behavior
o Tolerance: need to increase the intensity or frequency of the behavior in order to achieve the desired effect, or diminished effect with continued behavior of the same intensity
o Restlessness or irritability if unable to engage in the behavior
* Some symptoms of the disturbance have persisted for at least one month, or have occurred repeatedly over a longer period of time

Experts like Stephen Andert write that, for many people pornography is a problem, and it can take control of a person's life like alcohol, gambling or drugs, and "drag them kicking and screaming or voluntarily into the gutter". They further write that the "addictive and progressive ( or regressive ) nature of pornography is well documented."[4]

Psychologists and Sex therapists like Dr.Kimberly Young, Dr.Victor Cline, both specializing in addiction therapy have indicate the following stages in Pornography addiction,[5][6][7]

1. Discovery

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