HOOKED ON PORN An epidemic of female sex addicts is being created through the rise of women-friendly porn, sexologist warns

Porn sites say that 2017 will go down as the year when women really got into porn - but experts warn that this isn't always a good thing

THINK about the words used to describe men who have lots of sex, and then compare them to the terms we use to describe women who do the same thing.

This starts to explain the unique challenges faced by women struggling with sex addictions, in an age when easy hookups and even easier porn is always at your fingertips.

Data from porn sites shows that 2017 will go down as the year when women really got into porn, with "female-friendly" clips and racy books like 50 Shades of Grey growing in popularity.

Robert Weiss, top sexologist and author of Sex Addiction 101 says that in the past years of working with hundreds of sex addicts, he's noticed this trend too - but it's not always a good thing.

Many people are empowered by porn, as they explore their sexuality and find ways to improve their sex life, watching it in moderation as part of a well-rounded lifestyle.

But more and more people - particularly women - are finding themselves hooked.



Robert told Sun Online: "I'm seeing more women struggling online than I've ever seen struggle before with porn and hooking up.

"Traditionally, porn has been a mostly male venue, since women don't respond to immediate visual images in the way that men do. But while I've been dealing with men for 25 years, there have really only been programmes for women for treatment and care in the past five to eight.

"What's happened recently is that pornographers are getting a sense of how to engage women - with stories and emotional connections as well as the porn."

And while this is great news for many women, it can fuel debilitating addictions for others.

Sex for the different sexes

Sex Addicts Anonymous estimates as many as six per cent of Brits - roughly 4 million people - are battling a sex addiction, while Dr Patrick Carnes, who popularised the term "sex addiction", estimates that one in five sex addicts are women.

And this small group of women faces unique challenges as a result of the stigma which still clings to sex addictions.

Robert said: "What I've seen is that women don't show up looking for help in the ordinary places. It's easier for a man to walk into a clinic and say he has a sex problem.

"But on the internet, women feel more comfortable and so I'm seeing more of them reaching out and building communities online."

Habit or addiction?

The shameful and isolating nature of sex addictions, particularly for women, mean many people become hooked on sex or porn and don't feel comfortable asking for help.

But where do you draw the line between a normal porn habit and an addiction to adult clips?

Robert explained: "No addiction is defined by how much, how often or what kind. Porn is the same.

"If the porn use becomes more important and more focused on than other priorities in life and they begin to suffer, then we talk about an addiction."

And while it's easy to snigger at the idea of a porn addiction, the truth is that being hooked on sex or porn is just as debilitating as an addiction to alcohol, gambling or drugs.

For many men, and now a growing number of women, porn addictions have destroyed lives.

Robert said: "People lose their marriages, they lose their children, they lose their jobs.

"Certain younger people who are more vulnerable end up not doing their school work or going on dates because they're looking at porn and their ability to function in life becomes directly affected.

"But I don't believe that the porn itself causes an addiction. The main issue is the access.

"It's one click and I have endless images - it never ends. For people who are vulnerable, the immediacy of access to that pleasure creates problems they wouldn't have run into years ago. It makes it more likely that people will struggle - and they do.

"For some people its a fun way to get off, but addicts don't look at it that way. For addicts, porn is a way to escape, to not feel or to distract themselves - it's a way to function."

https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/5326134/women-porn-sex-addiction/

Can sort of confirm, not sure if positive or negative at this point?

Female sex addicts?

I just need to know one thing. Where....they.....are!

Enquiring minds need to know !!!

I would be happy to help as well

Addictions of any kind aren't a laughing matter.

Gimme a break. "You can't crack jokes about god", "The president is not a laughing matter", "Don't make jokes about immigrants", "you can't crack jokes about [insert favorite topic]"...

Granted, not every joke is for everybody, but the idea to tell other people what kind of jokes they are permitted to make is authoritarian, coming from the very same fountain as the efflux of political correctness.

Give ME a break, where did I say "Hey, you guys can't laugh about this I forbid it!"?

Go ahead, show me.

I did however express an opinion.

It is YOU who is getting sanctimonious about my expressing my opinion, not the other way around.

One thing I can't help but notice is how much the average um, skillset, has improved since the pre internet days.

Used to be, only a certain type of girl would do certain things, not so much anymore. Even the seemingly sheltered and wholesome ones can be quite the little knowledgeable enthusiasts now.

LOL Crane. That is quite an astute observation. I concur with your findings.

Yes, the internet is wonderful.

I'll be the buzzkill here, as much of what I see today (including hardcore internet porn), I don't see as being a positive thing. Romance has died.

+1

Didn't you guys grow up in the '60s and '70s...?

MarkG grew up in the 80's. He just acts much older.

Sex addiction is largely BS, an excuse made by cheaters with no respect and those who are too spoiled to just have a little self control. That’s not an addiction. Rather, not as attornies would have you believe. Being addicted to sex wouldn’t explain infidelity, just why your wife is always grinning but tired.
I doubt there’s anything done in porn that couples haven’t been doing for hundreds of years behind closed doors. Well, nothing you would want to participate in at least.

Lol. Also, location, location, location.

I couldn't wait to get the hell out of Baton Rouge (Sept. '88) and live in a big current-day happening city (Atlanta/Jax.), and I was gone for 20 years! I came back (2009) to a brand new 80's FM radio station and all the live 70's/80's music I can possibly schedule on my calendar (so many I have to choose sometimes). Amazing how much hasn't changed around here, especially around LSU where there's tradition (long-time off-campus bars, restaurants and theaters). It's like I'm really living in the past, I think it screws with my brain. Oh, and living in the boonies doesn't help.

My guess is that this study is bunk. They are probably tracking view statistics for videos in a "for women" category but the difference between for women and for me is plot. So if you want a little backstory before people starting getting it on you watch for women videos. My guess is that it is still like 90% men watching those videos.

Lol, Crane Hunter. Death by Snu-Snu.

Is "women-friendly porn" simply porn with a plot?

Back in the day you could get sensual massage videos on VHS, whereas today (possibly years old now) there's a series covering most topics based on the Kama Sutra, both with high(er) production values and narrated by women. That's what I think of as being possibly palatable by women, or couples who have no interest in watching hardcore porn together.