Have you ever been having sex and noticed that things were getting a bit…dry? It happens to the best of us and there’s a super easy solution. ENTER: lube. Honestly, lube does not get the love and attention it deserves. Not only can lube make sex feel more comfortable, but […]
Have you ever been having sex and noticed that things were getting a bit…dry? It happens to the best of us and there’s a super easy solution. ENTER: lube. Honestly, lube does not get the love and attention it deserves. Not only can lube make sex feel more comfortable, but […]
Does the thought of talking to your doctor about sexual health give you butterflies or send a shiver down your spine?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Here’s our top tips to make chatting to your doctor about sex a whole lot easier.
We’re talking about sexual activity that involves your butt. Anal play can be enjoyed by anyone of any gender or orientation and can be: Putting fingers or a tongue (rimming) around/inside someone’s butt Putting a dildo or other sex toy inside someone’s butt Putting a penis inside someone’s butt There […]
The internet has made porn more accessible than ever before. One quick search and you have a host of pornographic material – no matter your taste – available within seconds.
According to one analysis, 30 percent of New South Wales’ visits to one of the world’s major porn sites come from people aged 18-24, and 29% from 25-34 year olds. Australia ranked 9th for visitors — beaten only by larger countries like the US, UK and India — and also had one of the longer average viewing times.
While watching porn can be a normal part of a healthy sex life, with so many people exposed to porn every year, it’s important to know if you’ve gone from entertainment to addiction.
Before we get into the details of what porn addiction might look like, it’s important to remember that porn is never a depiction of reality.
In fact, porn education organisation Reality and Risk estimates that 88% of the most popular porn includes physical aggression and that, in 94% of cases, the aggressive acts were directed at female performers.
Whatever type of porn you’re into, be sure to separate it from your real-life sexual relationships, and seek enthusiastic and ongoing consent for anything you want to try in the bedroom.
There’s other ways porn is different to real life too:
While watching porn in small doses is a normal part of exploring your sexuality, some research suggests that people addicted to porn watch on average 11-12 hours of porn per week. But it can, of course, be much higher than this.
There are also other telltale signs that you might have addictive or compulsive porn viewing habits:
If left unaddressed, porn addiction can have a serious impact on your quality of life; it can impact how you spend your time, your ability to connect with others, your romantic, intimate and sexual relationships, and can even impact your career, financial stability, mental health and self-esteem.
Porn addiction recovery is possible, and one of the first steps in recognising that you have compulsive behaviours when it comes to your porn watching habits. It’s also important to recognise that – like many other addictions – there is no shame or stigma. You’re not alone.
In terms of treatment options, it is very similar to the treatment offered for other compulsive behaviors. Counseling, and psychotherapy options like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) are very common treatments.
Are you concerned about your porn habits? Ask Nurse Nettie a question or join the discussion on the Play Safe forum.
