Breaking Bad: Understanding Problematic Pornography Use
Five steps to getting free from problematic pornography usage
Posted December 10, 2025 | Reviewed by Davia Sills
Over the past two decades, internet usage has transformed many aspects of our lives. Today, we go online to shop, access music, TV, and films, stay in touch with friends and family, meet prospective partners, and build virtual communities united by common interests.
It has also set the stage for the staggering rise of problematic pornography use (PPU) and today’s booming annual $15 billion online pornography industry. Widespread access to high-speed internet and the rise in smartphone usage, which accounts for an estimated 83 percent of online pornography consumption, have contributed to the growth of the industry. Currently, Pornhub, the world’s largest internet pornography site, reports 3.5 billion monthly visits. While problematic pornography use is not listed in the DSM-5 , these troubling statistics give rise to growing concern about PPU in the mental health community.
Understanding the effects of PPU
A 2024 systematic review of problematic pornography use and mental health defines PPU as “an umbrella term that describes persistent difficulties in reducing or controlling pornography use despite negative outcomes regarding personal, relational, and/or occupational functioning.”
The problematic use of online pornography, unlike a number of other compulsive behaviors , is typically something that is kept secret and hidden from the view of others. A 2024 feature article in The Guardian explored the lengths to which users go to hide their pornography use, and their distress and shame , from the people in their lives.
Signs of problematic pornography use include a sense of loss of control over viewing habits and an increasing frequency and escalation of novelty seeking. Over time, the problematic use of online pornography negatively impacts daily functioning and leads to continued use, in spite of a long list of troubling negative social, physical, and mental health outcomes.
Problematic behaviors and negative impacts
A 2025 systematic review of the behavioral impacts of problematic pornography usage identified “problematic behaviors, including impulse-control disorders, social withdrawal, anxiety , and risky sexual behaviors.” It also found negative outcomes over time, ranging from “declines in executive brain function and cognitive performance, to depression , sexual dysfunction, and relationship disharmony.” Specifically, a 2021 web-based survey linked online pornography usage to sexual dysfunction in young men.
Clearly, problematic pornography use is a habit worth breaking.
Our habits, both good and bad, shape our lives and impact everything from our ability to carry out daily tasks and responsibilities to our self-esteem and overall mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Healthy, supportive habits, like eating well, getting enough sleep, and maintaining strong social connections by spending time with people we love and with whom we share common interests and pursuits, contribute to our long-term health and happiness .
Breaking problematic habits that leave us feeling trapped, isolated, and out of control is possible with awareness, tools, strategies, and supports. With self-awareness, self-compassion, and a willingness to commit to making positive change, breaking free of problematic pornography use is possible.
Five steps to breaking free of problematic pornography usage
While working with a mental health professional to break free of problematic pornographic usage is a sound and wise strategy and highly recommended, here are five steps to help you make positive change on your own:
Take stock: Get honest with yourself about your pornography usage. Think about the ways in which this habit is negatively impacting your daily life and relationships. The first step to change is awareness. Once you have acknowledged your usage as problematic, you have reached a state of awareness and opened the door to positive change.
Build awareness of the underlying triggers in your daily life: What are the emotional states that compel you to use pornography to distract yourself from negative feelings? With self-compassion, explore how loneliness , boredom , stress , and other emotional triggers play a significant part in your choices and actions. Certain settings and opportunities at specific times of day may also act as triggers. With self-awareness and self-compassion, you will be ready to take the next step.
Set a goal: Having completed the deep self-reflection of steps one and two, you have established where you are now. This next step is all about deciding where you want to be and how freedom from problematic pornography use will look for you. Whether you want to reduce or eliminate the use of pornography, once you’ve set a clear goal, you have established two key pieces of information: where you are, and where you want to be.
Create actionable steps and strategies to help support your goal: For example, you may consider finding a more productive way to spend your free time. Perhaps join a gym, or make a commitment to yourself to take an hour-long power walk to fill your idle time. Rather than distract yourself or self-soothe, choose to sit with and ride out uncomfortable emotional states. You may find strength and inspiration in a support group. You may wish to consider using block apps to support your goals . (You may be surprised by the number of resources vying for your business!)
Know when to reach out for help: If you are overwhelmed and struggling to break free of your entrenched problematic patterns, seek the help of a mental health professional. Using evidence-based treatments and interventions, a mental health professional can provide you with the insights, tools, and strategies to help you break free from the habits that hold you back from living your highest and best life.
To find a therapist near you, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.
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Monica Vermani, C. Psych., is a clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of trauma, stress, mood and anxiety disorders, and the author of A Deeper Wellness .
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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.