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Porn Addiction Therapy Tripled During the Pandemic

Porn Addiction Therapy Tripled During the Pandemic

In 2020, roughly 10,500 people sought help for pornography addiction in the U.K. In 2021, that number jumped to 36,000.

According to data from the U.K.’s leading private rehab provider, U.K. Addiction Treatment Group, the pandemic caused a 250 percent increase in people seeking professional help for porn addiction. The data found that in nearly all major cities throughout the U.K. saw an increase in individuals asking for help. 

This increase makes pornography the second most common addiction men seek therapy for, falling only behind alcohol. But it’s not just men seeking help. The proportion of women seeking therapy for pornography addiction also rose, from 25 percent to 38 percent.

UKAT officials attribute the rise to the increased time in isolation during the pandemic, which has fueled several types of online addictions.

“Self-isolation and restrictions had a big impact on people, on their well-being and mental health and we can’t lose sight of that, living on fear and uncertainty sees addictions grow – and porn for some was a coping mechanisms, especially as couples in some cases, could not be together with space for intimacy,” said Nuno Albuquerque, a treatment consultant from UKAT.

The surge in the number of people seeking help for porn addiction has put immense pressure on UKAT‘s staff, however, who said they are struggling to meet the demand for therapy. The organization has called for more resources to be made available to help those affected by this addiction as they cannot meet the needs of everyone seeking help. 

The data is a stark reminder of the toll the pandemic has taken on people‘s mental health. 

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