Pornography addiction: are 12 steps too many?

Time magazine recently examined some alternative approaches to addiction therapy, and the relative effectiveness of the traditional 12-step route. The article highlights the fact that the 12-step doctrine defines addiction in a contradictory way: as a medical problem, like a lifelong illness, with a spiritual solution (surrendering to a higher power).

And for many people facing up to their destructive habits or compulsions, 12-step can seem like the only option. Yes it's widely accepted and long-established, with legions of evangelical supporters. And I certainly don't doubt the life-changing impact quoted by many 12-step advocates.

But how relevant is 12-step to the specific challenge of overcoming an obsession with pornography? Could there be better options for achieving long-term freedom? Can we take a self-help path? For many, the 12-step doctrine dictates that such questions shouldn't be asked; they represent denial and doubt. There is outright rejection of any alternative path to recovery.

To counter this, the Time article quotes research by the University of New Mexico, where two controlled trials were undertaken. Some people received spiritual guidance as part of the treatment — learning such practices as prayer, meditation and service to others, all of which are central to 12-step programs. Others received secular psychotherapy.

Both groups benefited from treatment, but the advantage of psychotherapy over 12-step methods became obvious. The group receiving spiritual guidance took longer to see improvement. They were generally more anxious and depressed throughout the treatment. This echoed the findings of earlier research, which concluded that non-faith-based treatments like cognitive behavioural therapy or mindfulness-based acceptance and commitment therapy might be preferable approaches.

The Time report also mentions ongoing research into alcoholism recovery through prescription drugs. In some countries, doctors already commonly prescribe medication to lower dopamine levels or testosterone, and this has reportedly benefitted people struggling with porn obsession.

It's early days for such research and practice though, and the notion of prescribing drugs for porn addiction does concern me. For the vast majority of people struggling with a porn habit, I simply don't believe that drugs are a necessary or particularly healthy solution.

When we do find ourselves locked into some form of porn habit, the underlying reasons are unique to us. From the broad selection of available therapies, some will suit us much better than others. A big part of recovery is trying things out and learning what will work for us, without getting too frustrated or despairing in the process.

From my experience, the ideal starting point is self-help and getting the issue into clear perspective. That's the foundation of my Porn Game Over plan.