Self-check
Am I addicted to porn, or is this just a habit?
The clinical distinction is not "do you watch porn." Most adults have watched porn. The distinction is loss of control that persists despite real consequences you did not want. This is a 10-question read to see whether that is where you are.
Read the list. Count how many describe your last 6-12 months. You do not need to check every box for the pattern to be compulsive.
- You have tried to stop watching porn on your own and it has not held.
- You escalate to more extreme, more specific, or higher-risk content to get the same effect.
- You spend more time watching than you plan to. A 20-minute intention becomes hours.
- You use porn to numb, self-soothe, or escape when you are stressed, lonely, or anxious.
- You lie to a partner about your use, or hide time, apps, tabs, or accounts.
- You feel intense shame or self-loathing after use, and then repeat it within hours or days.
- It has cost you sleep, work performance, physical health, or a relationship.
- You have tried filters, accountability apps, or willpower-based approaches and it has not held.
- You feel restless, irritable, or anxious when you cannot access porn.
- You cannot honestly say you are in control of your use right now.
This is not a diagnostic tool. Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (ICD-11 6C72) is diagnosed by a clinician after a structured assessment. What this checklist can tell you is whether the pattern is serious enough to warrant a clinical conversation.
If several of these describe you, call (512) 872-3418 or email intake. We return voicemails within one business day.
Habit vs. compulsion
A habit is something you can stop when it matters. If a health scare, a partner's ultimatum, or a job risk gets you to stop and you actually stop, it is a habit. A compulsion is a pattern that continues past the point where consequences should have interrupted it. That persistence: behavior continuing after a discovery, after a promise, after a real cost, is the clinical marker.
If several items on the list above describe you, and you have already tried to stop on your own, this is worth a phone call. Not to commit to anything, just to get a clinical read.
Ready to talk
Call intake for a clinical read
A 20-minute call, no pressure, no sales pitch. If IOP is not the right level for you, we say so and refer to someone appropriate.
Monday–Friday · 8am–6pm CT · voicemail returned within one business day