The factors that raise someone’s odds of developing an addiction to porn are the same as with other forms of sexual addiction (and addiction in general, for that matter). Since there’s been comparatively little research into the causes of sex and porn addiction, most health care professionals who treat sex and porn addicts tend to rely on studies looking at other types of addiction. Generally speaking, these studies show that genetic factors can increase or decrease the risk for addiction, usually by altering the ways in which a particular substance or activity is experienced in the body and brain. Genetic makeup also plays into many psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder, among others. And it’s well-known that individuals dealing with these emotionally painful issues often choose to compulsively “self-medicate” with an addictive substance or behavior.
Nevertheless, genetics are not entirely to blame. In fact, research indicates that environmental factors are equally at play. For instance, if someone was neglected or abused in childhood their risk of addiction jumps, just as it does if they were exposed to addictive substances or behaviors early in life. (The younger a person is when he or she first uses an addictive substance or starts an addictive behavior, the greater the risk of developing an addiction.) So it appears that most porn addicts become addicted thanks to a convergence of risk factors — typically a mixture of genetic predisposition, poor parenting and early and often inappropriate exposure to pornography and/or sexual activity.
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