#1 Pornography addiction stems from having a marriage partner with little interest in sex.

The reality, say experts, is that pornography addiction is most often a result of a long-time problem with intimacy or other problems on a deep emotional level. For these reasons, a spouse cannot actually “spur” on a pornography addiction, nor can a spouse create a solution by changing their sexual behaviors with their partner.

#2 Pornography addiction can be stopped whenever the user desires.

Pornography addiction has been compared to heroin, cocaine, or other drug addictions for its powerful release of dopamine in the brain. In fact, studies of the brain have shown that the reward-based releases that occur from viewing pornography can create a reaction that is similar to chemical dependency. Adrenaline and serotonin levels have also been shown to increase when a person uses pornography, and many people with porn addiction must work through extremely strong cravings.

Similar to alcohol or drugs, pornography becomes a tool for escape from anxiety or stress, and the person quickly finds himself unable to stop viewing the material. As the addiction progresses, a person may experience chronic deprivation of dopamine and must seek pornography to feel “ok” again.

People struggling with pornography addiction may also believe that the disease doesn’t affect loved ones or other areas of their lives. However, the consequences of pornography addiction often include neglect of spouse or children; poor performance and distraction at work; or financial ruin if a career is lost or the person escalates the behavior into paid sexual services. Powerful feelings of anger, guilt, shame, or depression can destroy the emotional health of a person’s spouse. For these reasons, many experts believe that overcoming pornography addiction is most successful when a couple commits to therapy together.

#3 Pornography addiction develops in people who have diminished morals or character deficiencies.

A growing body of research surrounding pornography addiction and sexually compulsive behavior has shed light on the biological responses pornography can trigger. Studies based upon brain imagery while pornography is viewed are providing more information about how multiple physical systems are activated by the material, with distinct gender differences noted.

#4 Pornography addiction will heighten or enhance sexual relationships.

Research suggests the contrary, with studies and surveys indicating that many people with pornography addictions note declining sexual satisfaction and the persistent feeling of wanting “more” from partners. Experiences like sexual detachment and erectile problems have also been noted across a gamut of ages, including young adult pornography users.

Like the battle against drug and alcohol addictions, there are professional treatment and recovery centers for pornography addictions. Web filters, accountability partners, group and individual therapy, and family counseling can be part of an overall recovery strategy for escaping the consuming power of pornography addictions, believed to affect millions of people worldwide.

Kerlikowske says treatment is nearly half the cost of imprisonment, therefore the government’s strategy will stay focused on prevention, as well as treatment options. The primary groups they will target include women and their dependents, who are minors, college-age students and also active military and veterans. Kerlikowske says they are seeing more problems with young people going through the medicine cabinet than they have with marijuana abuse. He adds that excessive drinking sprees are also a significant problem for those in that younger age group. Four years ago, nearly 375,000 military veterans were identified with a disorder in the drug abuse category.

The Obama administration has plans to provide treatments that are family-based in hopes to treat drug abuse among females. They believe women have a fear of separation from their children which leads to a lower treatment rate than males. The current strategy will promote support for veterans who are facing substance abuse issues and mental disorders, as well. Of the $26 billion allocated for drug matters, half of that goes to law enforcement and the other half goes towards drug prevention and treatment options. Budget discussions are still ongoing in this matter, however.

Tools like telephone conversations with experienced treatment counselors and the ability to download software that blocks pornography pages are part of the offerings at the recently launched HelpAddictions.org. The site is open 24/7 to people with pornography addictions, believed to exceed 1.2 million in the U.K.

HelpAddictions.org is unique for its use of experienced, trained professionals and its constant, uninterrupted access, highlighted in a report from the U.K.’s Daily Mail. Part of its treatment plans include the ability to collect information about which pornography sites a user may be viewing and pass those on to their treatment team as an accountability measure.

Treatments offered on HelpAddictions.org are flexible and can be individual-based, such as a daily study program and a series of assignments and exercises that use audio technology. From a group perspective, the site offers forums where users can discuss challenges and encourage each other, as well as help for the husband or wife of someone addicted to pornography.

Treatment programs span six weeks, and a person’s name and identify can be kept secret. Thousands of users have already accessed the site since its launch, and its creators hope the resource will provide effective, confidential and easily-accessed help to people seeking answers about how to break free from the destruction of pornography addiction.

From 1998 to 2008, the overall rate of substance abuse admissions in the United States remained stable at about 770 admissions per 100,000 people. Admissions for alcohol abuse dropped by 15 percent nationally, but remained stable in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska.

Admission rates for marijuana use increased by 30 percent across the nation, and were highest in the afore-mentioned states and New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

A previous SAMHSA report found that admission rates for opiate abuse other than heroin (including painkillers such as OxyContin) increased by 345 percent over the ten-year period. The latest report found that admission rates for opiate abuse (besides heroin) increased nationally and were highest in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

For methamphetamine abuse, the treatment rate increased by 53 percent since 1998, although it’s lower than it was in 2005. Admissions for cocaine abuse decreased by 23 percent across the United States.

Pamela S. Hyde, SAMSHA administrator, said that the study highlights the shifting trends in the reasons for treatment admissions, providing insight into the regional nature of substance abuse.

Source: HealthDay News, Drug Abuse Treatment Rates on the Rise: U.S. Report, December 29, 2010

Susan Lampert Smith of the University of Wisconsin-Madison news writes that a Wisconsin research project has revealed some surprising misconceptions that may reinforce tobacco’s hold on the poor.

Dr. Bruce Christiansen of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention (CTRI) set out to discover attitudes about smoking among a group of low-income people in Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s largest city.

The “ZIP Code” project is a community-based research project that includes the Salvation Army of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan and the Vincent Family Resource Center and is supported by the UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s Wisconsin Partnership Program.

Through a household survey, this project interviewed 654 randomly selected smokers in some of Milwaukee’s poorest neighborhoods.

Of those surveyed, it was found that 42 percent of adults smoke, and that smokers perceive that most other people also smoke. Neighborhood residents estimated that an average of 73 percent of adults smoke; in reality, the number nationwide is about 20 percent, and less than 15 percent of college-educated people smoke.

More than 60 percent of those surveyed generally approved of smoking as long as it didn’t affect others (for example, if one smokes outside or away from children). Most people also thought that “willpower” was the best way to quit, and didn’t know about the most effective smoking cessation aids.

Forty-eight percent thought that medications to help people stop smoking are more dangerous than continued smoking. And 56 percent had not heard of the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line that provides free coaching and a free starter kit of medicines.

Finally, almost 38 percent had never tried to quit smoking—a large number compared to most groups of smokers.

Christianson says that because the survey was administered in homes during weekdays, those who took the survey represented “the poorest of the poor,” with 68 percent reporting household incomes of less than $15,000 a year.

“There’s an ugly truth behind the good news of dropping smoking rates—while smoking rates have dropped overall, we’ve left some populations behind,’’ says Dr. Christiansen, who manages the Milwaukee research office of CTRI.
His research findings in Milwaukee are also true nationwide: the poor, the poorly educated, and those with mental illness or other addictions all smoke at rates much higher than average.

But his studies among the poor in Wisconsin also point to some solutions. For one thing, because many have never tried to quit, their numbers are likely to include those who find treatment effective.

“Personally, I’m encouraged by that,” Christiansen says. “If we can just get them to use evidence-based treatment, many of them will succeed.”

While the extent of the problem has not changed much over the past 25 years, Chicago residents will soon see an increase of awareness and prevention of gambling addictions in schools.

Heidi Scuffhum, gambling grant coordinator for the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery, has been bringing gambling addiction awareness to school children in Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford counties since 2004. Now, the unique prevention and education program heads to Chicago schools.

“We do not say gambling is bad or wrong. We say it is supposed to be a form of entertainment in moderation,” she said.

Keith White, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, said that reaching kids in school is a good way to address a problem that doesn’t receive much attention.

“Very few kids show up for treatment. Many of them may be binging or experimenting, but there are very few resources available” for treatment, White said. “Kids and parents don’t see that the problem needs attention. They say ‘just stop’ in a way that they wouldn’t say if their child is addicted to meth.”

Scuffhum’s presentation describes what a teen gambler might be like. They are usually good at math, competitive, athletic, impulsive at times, charming and loving, risk takers, popular, sociable, philanthropic, and achievement-oriented.

“Gambling attracts all different kinds of people, not just people who are ‘bad’ or irresponsible,” Scuffhum said.

In fact, parents often view a gathering of teenagers to play poker as a good alternative to partying and drinking, a seemingly innocent activity. But it comes with risks, and the best prevention is awareness, Scuffhum said.

“If there isn’t a limit on how much they can bet, then they can end up owing a lot of money even in the basement of your house,” she said.

While parents might not think their child’s gambling is out of control, it might be an indication of another problem.

“Gambling is associated with all other risk-taking behavior that children might take part in such as risky sex and drinking, for instance. So it can be a warning sign of other problems,” White said.

Gil Kaufman writes on MTV.com that in the show, AM (born Adam Goldstein) told Amy he wanted to help her clean so she can avoid the pain caused by her own father, who was also a heroin addict and died as a result of his drug use. The episode shows AM driving around his old hometown and meeting with Amy’s family, who called him for help.

"Heroin has destroyed my life," Amy tells the camera in the show’s first scene, which is followed by a meeting between AM and Amy’s younger sister, Meghan. Meghan explains that while she and her sister used to be inseparable, once Amy began using heroin, "all of a sudden she was gone."

Meghan explained how their father—a lifelong addict who sometimes walked into the room with a needle sticking out of his neck—died when they were kids, and how she fears Amy is going down the same path. Their older brother Joe tells a similar story, describing how Amy has stolen his children’s baseball cards and thousands of dollars in cash from him to feed her addiction, forcing him to install locks in the family’s house to keep his sister from robbing him.

AM sympathizes with Amy’s family while pushing them to get her into a proper treatment program. "I can’t cure addiction, but what I can do is offer Amy a chance at a different life," AM says before meeting Amy. Then he tells her about his own father’s death from AIDS after a lifetime of drug abuse and how it triggered his own drug addiction.

Showing the swollen injection sites on her hands, Amy breaks down. "It just sucks, because I know I’m better than this, that I used to be a good person, and I don’t want to live like this the rest of my life," she says, admitting that she knows her drug use will either cause her to end up in jail or in the grave.

"I promise you, you can be freed of that," AM tells her. "Because I swear to you there is another life."

After meeting with Amy’s family, AM stages the intervention at the family’s house, during which Amy is clearly uncomfortable about the idea of entering a treatment program. Though the trip to the California facility is a difficult one—Amy lashes out about not getting a chance to get high one more time and insists that a friend bring her some drugs before she boards an airplane—she eventually agrees to give rehab a try.

Like many people going through detox at a facility, Amy wants to leave during the first few days and obsesses about getting high again. She says that the pain in her teeth—she needs five root canals—is driving her to want to use again.

AM visits after Amy’s first five days and is amazed at how she looks after less than a week. After going to the dentist, Amy returns to rehab for 40 days, during which she receives counseling and medical treatment, eventually moving to a sober living house outside the facility after nearly 50 days.

When AM visits her at the sober house, along with her mother and sister, everyone is amazed at what a difference rehab has made.

"I’m proud of you," AM tells her, handing Amy a customized iPod that has the inscription "Don’t pawn me" as well as some of his signature mixes. "It makes me so happy to see this. You’re like a family again."

The episode ends seven weeks after AM and Amy’s first meeting, as Amy praises AM for reaching out to a stranger and giving her a second chance at life. "He understood that I was in a circle that was way too deep," she says. "He didn’t pass judgment on me, and he just took me underneath his wing and he helped me through the tough times that I had here…I never had anyone that didn’t know me that cared that much about me."

Speaking about AM’s death, Amy says, "You did help and touch lives. I want to make you proud. I don’t want to throw this gift away."

Susan Kriskey and Suzan Clarke of ABC News write that the southern California parole officer has been a shopaholic for years. She’s filed for bankruptcy twice, and her husband, Jerome Cannon, has had to build her extra closet space in their garage.

Over the years, Logan-Cannon’s habit has led her to buy things she shouldn’t buy or that she can’t afford. She’s purchased multiple pairs of boots in the same color, as well as furs and costly clothing.

She sought therapy to end her habit because of the strain it has placed on her relationship with her husband.

Six months ago, ABC News introduced her to Dr. Charles Sophy. Logan-Cannon allowed ABC News to observe her therapy, which includes office sessions and visits to stores.

On a recent visit to St. John’s, her favorite shopping destination, the psychiatrist allowed her to try on clothing but didn’t allow her to make a single purchase.

"This is killing me," she said of the shopping restriction. "It feels bad. It almost really makes me feel sick."

But the real pain, Logan-Cannon eventually discovered, was not linked to shopping at all.
The therapy has revealed that Logan-Cannon shops to bury her feelings and escape from horrible memories—especially one horrific incident.

Logan-Cannon, who is black, grew up in Berkley, California, in the 1960s. One day, she was attacked by a group of white boys who pushed her in front of a speeding bus. After she got onto the bus, one of the boys put on brass knuckles and, she said, "He just beat my face to a pulp."

She suppressed the memory of the beating for years, but Sophy said the resulting tendency to disconnect from emotion is a big part of her shopping habit.

Logan-Cannon describes shopping as "a really safe space to be." "I feel like I am really connected," she said.

Having a network of personal shoppers and friends who aren’t supportive of her efforts to control her shopping doesn’t help, Sophy said, likening them to "cocaine dealers."

"You can’t have somebody who is not happy that you left a store and had enough strength to not buy anything," he added.

Slowly but surely, Logan-Cannon is finding the strength to resist making purchases, although she described a recent shopping-free visit to Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive as "punishment."

Part of Logan-Cannon’s progress also involves getting rid of some of the things she’s obtained over the years. There is now room in her garage for a car, and she feels more in control.

Even though Sophy said she still has to work at controlling her habit, Logan-Cannon imagines a day when she will be able to walk down Rodeo Drive and not be so powerfully tempted to spend.

"I am much further than I was, and I realize how it impacted not just me but everyone around…everything that you do, what it does to your relationships," she said.

In 2000, Griffith, 52, released a statement that she was seeking treatment for a drug problem. "My doctor has referred me to the Daniel Freeman Hospital to step down from the prescribed medication that I have been taking for a neck injury," she said.

The actress, who is married to Antonio Banderas, was born into a show-biz family and is perhaps best known for her role in 1988’s Working Girl.

"Overcoming addictions is tough but it can be made easier if you have someone that can offer support," Griffith wrote on her Web site once. "My husband and family supported me so much through this journey and continue to do so."
 

ReSTART Internet Addiction Recovery Program offers treatment services for Internet, gaming, texting, and video game abuse. Their website lists several signs and symptoms of addiction, such as spending increasing amounts of time on computer and Internet activities; craving more time on the computer and Internet; and physical changes such as weight gain or loss, backaches, headaches, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

NorthWest Cable News tells the story of reSTART’s first patient, 19-year-old Ben Alexander, who was addicted to the online multiplayer fantasy game World of Warcraft. He played so much that it started affecting his schoolwork. “I’d have all these rationalizations of, well, it’s not a big deal to just miss this one class," he said. One class turned into several and he eventually dropped out of college.

His parents struggled to find appropriate help. Initially, he went to a substance and alcohol abuse program, but he didn’t find the help he needed there. Then his parents found reSTART, which sprawls over 5 acres of land.

Co-founder Cosette Rae saw the need for such a treatment center in her job as a social worker. "Concerns like their children would be gaming 16, 17 hours a day; that they stopped bathing; that they would just eat at the computer," said Rae.

Rae launched the new six-bed facility with Dr. Hilarie Cash, who specializes in Internet addiction. The reSTART Center offers individualized plans to treat a number of Internet issues.

Alexander was once interested in biology and animals, so now he helps with taking care of the goats, chickens, and other animals on the reSTART property. Cross country running is also something Alexander used to enjoy, so it is again part of his daily routine at reSTART.

"I’m not able to say, oh, I’m never going to be online ever again," Alexander said. "But at this point I’m not really worried about it."