Labeling oneself as addicted to pornography is linked with various negative outcomes, and is particularly associated with communication discomfort about pornography and a higher likelihood of relationship dissolution.

I’ve linked to the news release in the post above. In this comment, for those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-024-02966-7

From the linked article:

A recent study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior offers new insights into how labeling oneself as addicted to pornography might influence both personal and relational outcomes. The study found that while identifying as addicted to pornography is linked with various negative outcomes, it is particularly associated with communication discomfort about pornography and a higher likelihood of relationship dissolution. Notably, these relationship outcomes persisted even after accounting for the degree to which individuals reported their pornography use as compulsive or difficult to control.

The researchers found that participants who identified as addicted to pornography experienced a variety of negative outcomes. Initially, before accounting for compulsivity, those who agreed more strongly with the label of addiction reported higher levels of depression, suicidal thoughts, discomfort communicating about pornography with their partner, and a higher likelihood of having a relationship end due to pornography use. Importantly, these associations were found even after controlling for how often participants actually used pornography and other demographic factors.

However, when compulsive behavior was added into the analysis, a more nuanced picture emerged. The link between identifying as addicted and personal psychological outcomes—such as depression and suicidal ideation—disappeared once compulsivity was accounted for. This suggests that it is the sense of losing control over pornography use, rather than the label of addiction itself, that is driving the connection to depression and suicidal thoughts.

In contrast, identifying as addicted remained significantly associated with relationship outcomes even when compulsivity was considered. Participants who labeled themselves as addicted were still more likely to report communication discomfort around pornography use and a higher likelihood of having experienced a relationship end solely due to their pornography use. This indicates that the addiction label may uniquely affect relationships, contributing to challenges such as difficulty discussing pornography with a partner and greater relationship instability.