Porn Addiction and Prayers for Healing

From cyberbullying to porn, the internet’s dark side is a cause of concern. Today, we will focus on porn addiction and how you can overcome it or help someone to do so. Specifically, we will focus on the effectiveness of prayer for porn addiction.

What Is Porn Addiction?

With widely available access to the internet, porn consumption is normalized. A lot of people fail to see the problem of watching porn often, which has led to an increase in a phenomenon called porn addiction.

Porn addiction is defined as an increased dependency on watching porn. To the extent that a porn user finds that watching porn begins to impact their daily life, relationships, and even ability to function. As with any addiction, it can become debilitating to the point that you can’t live a normal life.

This is a condition that has been medically recognized and is classified as a type of hypersexual disorder. Hypersexual disorder is an umbrella term used to define different disorders that are defined by an intense focus on sexual urges, base impulses, or behaviors that can’t be controlled.

What Are The Signs Of Porn Addiction?

Both young women and young men have been found to have issues with porn addiction. Therapists have pointed out the following signs in those struggling with pornography addiction:

1. Preoccupation with Porn: addicts may find themselves increasingly preoccupied with thinking about porn or watching porn
2. No Control: addicts may have a difficult time controlling their base impulse to watch porn, despite wanting to cut back
3. Tolerance: Addicts often look for new, more graphic porn since the usual content doesn’t appease them anymore
4. Risky Behaviors: such individuals might opt to watch porn at work or in public, risking their livelihood
5. Neglectful Behavior: Porn addicts often neglect their responsibilities and duties to watch porn. This may be to the extent that it starts affecting relationships and social life.

Causes Of Porn Addiction

Like other forms of addiction (such as alcohol abuse), porn addiction is also rooted in multiple causes. Research has indicated that pornography addiction may be associated with:

1. Underlying mental health problems, such as depression
2. History of unhealthy or unsatisfactory relationships 
3. Other addictions, such as alcohol addiction
4. Normalization of such content and sexual immorality online, especially on social media
5. Increased incorporation of pornographic images in things like video games
6. Increase in the volume of porn sites and pornographic content

How Does Porn Addiction Impact One’s Life?

Now that we’ve discussed what porn addiction is and how it takes root, it’s important to talk about why it’s such a distressing issue. Some negative impacts of this addiction on an individual’s life include:

Relationship Problems

Partners of porn addicts often develop feelings of distrust and inadequacy when they learn about their partner’s excessive pornography use. It can lead to arguments and thus affect one’s family life 

Sexual Dissatisfaction

Porn is acting. It is created in a way that glorifies and exaggerates sexual satisfaction but it’s not real. Porn addicts fail to understand this and compare their personal experiences with what they see on screen. This leads to dissatisfaction with their sexual lives and indulging in abnormal sexual behaviors to seek satisfaction.

Poor Mental Health

Porn addiction impacts one’s mental health and leads to several issues, including depression, feelings of shame, anxiety, guilt, body dysmorphia, and low self-esteem.

Spiritual Consequences

For religious individuals, porn usage leads to a moral dilemma. Since such behaviors are discouraged in most religions, it can lead to spiritual emptiness and a sense of disconnect from one’s values.

What’s The Solution?

The good news is that, like every other type of addiction, help is available. The first step is recognizing your problem and being willing to seek help. After that, here are some ways to get help:

Therapy

Individuals suffering porn addiction can seek therapy to discover and resolve underlying issues leading to their problem. 

Treat Underlying Issues

Often, porn addiction may branch off from a separate problem that remains untreated. Treating those issues might be the only way to solve this problem.

Seek Couples Counseling

If someone’s addiction exists due to an unsatisfactory relationship with their partner, addressing that might be the solution. A lot of couple’s therapists specialize in sexual relationships as well. They can help one understand their problems and craft effective solutions for those problems accordingly.

Partake In Healthier Activities

Porn addiction may often root from boredom. Such individuals should sign up for healthier or more productive activities such as art classes, sports, yoga, or audio meditation.

Seek Religious Guidance

If you believe in God or a great power, seeking help in prayer and religious scriptures can be the best way to help yourself.

Prayers For Porn Addiction

Porn users often feel shame in praying or fear the wrath of God. They are ashamed and consider themselves below redemption and Christ Jesus. Their eyes, especially, feel dirty. However, that is not true. The Bible is a covenant of the whole body, including covenant eyes. You can pray to put the armor of God on to help you fight the world’s temptations. The Bible states:

Prayer for Putting on the Armor of God

This full prayer is a great way to embrace what God has given us to walk in daily victory by putting on the armour of God (Ephesians Chapter 6 Verses 10-17).

Lord Jesus, I now follow your command to put on the full armor of God because I know that my battle is not against flesh and blood but against rulers, authorities, the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the unseen world. Thank you that you have made it possible for me to be strong in your mighty power and to stand against all that the evil one would throw against me this day.

In Jesus Name, I put on the belt of truth and pray that I may be centered in and encircled by your truth today. By your power, enable me to walk in your truth and to give no place to deception or the lies of the enemy. Protect me by the truth of your Word.

I put on the breastplate of righteousness. I praise you, Lord Jesus, that I am covered with your righteousness today in my body, soul and spirit. I now pray that by the power of the Holy Spirit, my life would show forth the righteous fruit of Your presence. Guard my heart, for it is the wellspring of life (Proverbs 4:23). Strengthen and protect the most vulnerable places in my life with that which is right, good and noble so I might not receive a fatal blow from the enemy.

I put on the shoes of peace. I choose to stand on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ and the good news of his amazing grace. In Jesus’ name, I claim over my heart and mind the peace of God that transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7). I cast down every anxious thought today, and as I walk in the gospel of peace, I pray that you would make me ready to share your good news with others.

I take up the shield of faith this day and in your name, I extinguish every dart and arrow by which the enemy would seek to take me down spiritually, physically, mentally, or emotionally. I lift the shield of faith against every arrow directed at me, my family, my business, my possessions, or any part of my domain. I bind every fearful thought in Jesus’ name and choose rather to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

I put on the helmet of salvation and pray that you would protect my mind from thoughts that could lead me astray. I choose to take every thought captive to Jesus Christ and to reject any thought that is not from You (2 Corinthians 10:5). Transform my mind by the power of your Word and grant me a hope-saturated mind so that I may truly overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). This day, in the name of Jesus, I bind and refuse all depressed, despairing, and defeated thinking.

Finally, I take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Please give me the insight, wisdom, and revelation to wield your Word skillfully against every scheme of the enemy. Thank you that your Word on my lips has the power to defeat every attack of the enemy!

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for equipping me with everything I need to win my battles this day! I praise you that I am protected today by the armor of God. I now claim your promise that no weapon formed against me shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17). In Jesus’ mighty name, amen!