No man is an island. We all need our peers and our community to have shared experiences with. The number of people in the community does not matter. The commonality of purpose and quality of interactions is what makes communities valuable.
Communities help us deal with many challenges in our lives. Recovery from addiction is one such challenge that benefits enormously from supportive communities. Porn addiction support groups, in particular, can play a crucial role in successful recovery.
These support communities create a system of mentorship, accountability, and motivation. Even science agrees that support communities ensure better adherence, reduced relapse, and improved coping skills.
Porn addiction support groups are a safe and supportive space that enables people through their recovery from porn addiction. People come together in these communities to share experiences, find connections, learn from each other, and keep on track with their recovery.
What are Porn Addiction Groups?
Porn addiction groups are peer support and mutual support communities for people recovering from porn addiction.
Porn addiction support groups are safe and non-judgemental spaces. They help people in recovery to connect, share experiences, and encourage each other on their journey. The sense of community in these porn support groups creates a transformative environment that actively encourages recovery. Porn addiction support groups are also a valuable resource for finding practical advice and information.
Porn addiction is characterized by isolation. The guilt and shame associated with sexuality and porn make it a taboo subject. So, it can strain relationships with family and friends. Porn addiction support groups provide space for social interaction and help to beat loneliness.
Pornography support groups can take different forms. They can be both online and offline. Some porn support groups facilitate one on one mentorship, while others are a space for group meetings.
Porn addiction support groups help you to redefine your identity. The sense of belongingness and shared purpose with other community members is a powerful emotion that helps you stay on track; for many of us, helping others through their recovery can be a fulfilling and empowering experience. Mentoring others can reinforce your self-belief and commitment to recovery from porn addiction.
Also Read: What Does Porn Do to Your Brain? 8 Scary Porn Effects on Brain
Why Join Pornography Support Groups?
Addiction has a heavy negative connotation in our society. People often criticize it as a weakness of character or lack of willpower. For someone in recovery from addictions, family is a crucial support system. When it comes to porn addiction, another layer of complexity is added to recovery.
The challenge begins with the fact that even today, many people would not consider porn as an addiction. Even medically, compulsive porn consumption is classified as a Compulsive Sexual Disorder (CSD) rather than an addiction. Porn use and its harmful effects are either overlooked or trivialized as a non-issue.
This lack of clinical recognition and medical framework makes seeking help for porn addiction harder and a distressing experience. In such a scenario, online forums and pornography support groups play a crucial role in supporting recovery.
Research has shown that support groups play a key role in recovery from addiction. The support groups help people develop their coping skills and manage their triggers and cravings. So, Participation in peer support groups reduces the risk of relapse by 35%. And increases the days of abstinence. Participation in mutual support groups reduces the symptoms of depression and anxiety during recovery.
Porn and sexuality are a taboo subject in most societies. A confession to porn addiction often invites moral judgment and shame rather than empathy and support. The person suffering porn addiction themselves can feel shame and fear admitting and seeking help for their compulsions.
Porn addiction support groups act as non-judgemental spaces for finding support during recovery. They help to remove the barriers to recovery and increase your chances of success.
Human beings instinctively observe and imitate the behavior of others in their peer group. This trait is known as the social learning theory. Hence the famous quote – you are the average of five of your friends. People in the porn addiction communities witness the other members successfully managing their porn addiction. It inspires them to emulate their behaviors and stay strong during recovery.
Also Read: 12 Benefits of Quitting Pornography (Physical and Emotional Benefits)
How to Find the Right Support Groups for Pornography Addiction Recovery?
Online forums and porn addiction support groups are a great option for finding support in your recovery.
First of all, the ease of access makes them an ideal option. Due to busy schedules or because of the stigma associated with porn addiction, you might not feel comfortable attending an in-person support group. An online support group will be accessible right from the comfort of your phone or laptop.
Another advantage of online porn support groups is their constant availability. The message boards and chat rooms of these communities stay open 24/7. So, whenever you are in crisis, you can immediately seek help. The online porn support groups also offer more diversity – so they can increase the feeling of belonging.
But, these communities are not entirely without risk. If not moderated properly, the pornography support group can become a source of miscommunication and misinformation. And cyberbullying is also a risk in the online space. So, you should keep these risks in mind while finding the right support groups for pornography addiction recovery.
Here are the three crucial steps in finding the right porn addiction support groups –
- Do your research. Have a look at the different options of porn support groups and see what kind of support they offer.
- If you are comfortable, you can ask friends, family, or your therapist for recommendations.
- Join a few different groups and see which one best meets your needs. Continue with the one where you feel most supported.
5 Best Porn Addiction Support Groups
Recovery from porn addiction is a marathon and sometimes a lifelong journey. But you need not brave it alone! Your pornography support group will be there for you.
Here are the 5 best porn addiction support groups to get you started –
1. Pornography Addicts Anonymous (PAA)
Porn Addicts Anonymous (PAA) is modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). It advocates for the 12-step spiritual program as a way of recovery. The program relies on guidance from a higher power to gain freedom from porn addiction. There are no fees or dues to join this support group. You only need the desire to stop using all kinds of pornography.
The 12 steps of Porn Addicts Anonymous (PAA) help the porn addicts admit to their powerlessness over their addiction. So, the solution is to surrender to the higher power through meditation and prayer. You will also get a sponsor from the PAA community who will act as a mentor and guide you through your recovery.
Each Porn Addicts Anonymous (PAA) group acts as an independent body. The members believe that their recovery is closely tied to the unity in their group.
2. BlockP Community
BlockP community is the dedicated pornography support group for the users of the BlockP porn blocker App. More than one million users use the porn blocker to make the digital space safer.
BlockP community is a space of support and interaction for users who are struggling with porn addiction. As this is a community of people who are focused on quitting porn, you are likely to find more practical and relevant suggestions. You can also use the BlockP community forums to share your knowledge and experience to inspire others.
A unique feature of the BlockP porn support groups is that there is no fixed set of rules or prescribed steps for recovery. You can learn about the challenges and experiences of others and find what works best for you.
3. Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA)
Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) is a fellowship of recovering addicts that follows the 12-steps and 12 traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). This group has a dedicated support section for women who want freedom from porn addiction. SAA prides itself on being inclusive and specifically supports people from the LGBT community and prisoners.
This porn addiction support group provides literature in English, Spanish, and French languages. It also has a daily meditation prompt that helps the members to stay focused on their recovery.
A senior member of the community who has completed the 12 steps sponsors the newcomers. The sponsor guides and mentors the newcomers through the twelve-step journey to recovery from porn addiction. Apart from the group meetings, the sponsor also has one-on-one meetings to provide personalized support.
4. Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (S.L.A.A.)
Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous or S. L. A. A. is a 12-step and 12-tradition-based support group for porn and sex addiction recovery. It also follows the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) model in its approach to recovery. Its membership is completely free for all those who desire to break their pattern of love and sex addiction.
The meetings of Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous can be face-to-face, online, or telephone meetings. So, it offers great flexibility for the members. Just like AA you need a sponsor to mentor you and guide you through your recovery in S. L. A. A.
Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous provides resources to support its members in recovery. The community has a free magazine called the Journal, where the members can both read and contribute articles. The newcomers can also access the 40 Questions for Self-Diagnosis questionnaire, which helps to understand their addictive patterns.
5. The Samson Society
The Samson Society provides both physical and virtual safe spaces for Christian men in recovery. The organization began in February 2004 in Tennessee with 12 men. Soon their membership grew to 15 men who followed the framework of 12 steps. The members eventually shared their stories in the book – Samson and the Pirate Monks: Calling Men to Authentic Brotherhood.
The society calls itself a network of no-bull brotherhoods who are looking for sexual sanity and authentic relationships. The support community aims to help the members get freedom from destructive hidden habits of porn addiction. The Samson society envisions its role to restore the man to his Christian ideal.
Today, it is a totally free community with more than 10.000 members online and more than 450 groups across North America. Samson Society also supports the members with resources such as videos, podcasts, and free ebooks.
Why Choose BlockP Community?
BlockP community is a safe space for finding support for your porn addiction recovery. If a purely online porn addiction support group is ideal for your personal preference, then BlockP is the obvious choice. It ensures complete anonymity and 24/7 accessibility right from your phone or computer.
While religion is a powerful force, not everyone has a completely positive relationship with it. Many religious texts prohibit pornography and certain sexual behaviors. Being in the middle of the same religious beliefs during recovery can deepen a sense of shame and guilt for some people. For such people, the BlockP community offers a neutral space where they need not follow the rules and principles of religion.
Many porn addiction support groups have a set framework, such as the 12-step program. These frameworks are valuable for bringing order and focus into your life. But, they may not be the best course of action for some people. If you are non-religious or have other health issues, such as anxiety, the rigidity of the frameworks can feel suffocating. BlockP community gives you the opportunity to learn from the experiences of others and create your DIY path of recovery.