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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

is there any 'getting over' a porn addiction?

52 replies

shulka · 17/08/2016 16:44

The man I'm in a relationship with (or rather was -.we're currently on a break since this came to light to think things over, which may become a permanent split) is addicted to porn. He acknowledges that it's a problem, has been reading some books on the subject and will shortly start counselling.

I am very much a Cool Girl (if you've seen or read Gone Girl you'll get what I mean). I've always said I had no issue with porn, I knew he watched it. I assumed he meant occasionally. Where was the harm I thought? He spends a fair bit of time on his phone/ laptop when I'm with him, and when I'm not. Again, I never asked questions or pried. And his job involves a lot of computer usage, so why would I be suspicious?

Turns out it was much more than occasionally, and has been part of his life for decades. Sometimes he said he would view it several times a week, others maybe once, but always at least that often.

There were no other red flags I don't think. He's always been pretty consistent re sex in our relationship (but his porn use was well established long before we met), and has always been very respectful in bed - and generally. I've had a fair few other sexual partners, he's virtually the only one who never expected constant bjs, and always wanted me to be satisfied (which again in my experience put him in the minority) and never did or asked for any of the porn type stuff other men expressed a preference for. So unless I missed something, I really didn't know this would happen.

He wants to stop using porn entirely, and has said that whilst he completely sees how he's betrayed my trust, he wants to try and earn it back, and hopes that we can rebuild our relationship.

Would I be a fool to consider it? Can he get over this addiction?

OP posts:
YetAnotherGuy · 18/08/2016 20:45

If that is the only problem in your relationship, then I think there is not too much to worry about

I don't buy the "slippery slope" idea at all

And the use of "addiction" in this context only serves to ramp up the heat of the debate

But if he watched porn and had gone off sex then that would be totally different

Only you know how you really feel about him

shulka · 20/08/2016 11:32

The infidelity issue is an interesting one. He says he's never been unfaithful to me or any previous partners (I do believe him on this) in the sense of not being with another woman, but he now views his porn use as a form of infidelity because of it's secretive nature.

He's not gone off sex, but he feels now that all his sexual experiences even his sex drive (relatively low, once/ twice a week but I was ok with that generally) has been entirely coloured by his porn usage. His exposure to and use of porn predates his first real experience of sex by many years.

He is doing more reading and becoming increasingly anti porn. I guess it's like ex smokers becoming vehemently anti smoking.

I do feel more optimistic about this working out for us, provided there's not suddenly anything else that comes to light that I didn't know about.

OP posts:
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