Raising teens can be scary and unpredictable. One day it may seem like your child is doing great; they’re through with their homework, on top of their chores, and in a good mood. The next, they may come home from school and escape to their room for the night, leaving you to wonder what’s on their mind and how you can help. Finding balance in these stages of development can be very hard to navigate.
Today, there is more internet and cell phone use than ever before. Tablets and cell phones equipped with the internet can be useful in teaching your growing child through educational websites and apps. However, as an adult, you are also aware that the internet can be a place full of content you would certainly not want your child to be exposed to. The internet is responsible for the growing accessibility of pornography, making it easy to view, easy to hide, and difficult to block access.
Here are some ways to address and prevent pornography addiction with your child.
Remember That You Cannot Protect Your Teen Every Time
This can be a tough reality to accept. Even though you will not be with your teen every time they’re faced with a moral dilemma, there are ways in which you can prepare them for when tempting situations arise. The reality is that explicit and sexual content is everywhere. Sex sells. We see it in commercials, movies, and social media. With hormonal teenagers, it’s practically impossible to fully limit their access to pornographic material.
The reality of the world is that your child will be exposed to situations and temptations that will test their character growth. It is important that you teach them from an early age and trust that they will make the right decision. Instilling your confidence in them will reassure them when they are faced with a tough decision.
Educate Them On Sex
Even though you cannot protect them every time, you can try your best to prepare them and communicate with them on how you expect them to act when facing a problem with porn. Most porn and sex addictions begin in adolescence. If you have suspicions that your teen has a porn addiction, they may exhibit behaviors such as:
- Isolation or staying up late
- Hiding their porn use
- Denial or anger when addressed by parents
- Failed attempts to stop watching
- Hypersexual attitude, vocabulary, or behavior
You should reach out to your teen sooner rather than later to educate them on pornography and the effects that it can have on their sexual development, ideations, and relationships. Because of the stigma surrounding pornography, your teen is not likely to reach out to you about their use or even with questions regarding sex. That’s why it is your responsibility to address their curiosities before they search elsewhere. Teens are impressionable, and if they use pornography as a way to learn about sex, they may develop unhealthy and unrealistic expectations about what constitutes healthy sexual activity.
The Negative Effects of Porn Addiction
This conversation can be daunting for parents because it can be uncomfortable to speak about with their kids. However, if they don’t hear it from you, they will look elsewhere. Some effects of porn addiction include:
- Modeling and imitation of inappropriate behaviors
- Excessive time spent focused on sex and inappropriate thoughts
- Unhealthy interference with the normal sexual development process
- Sex addiction later in life
Many people do not address their porn addiction until the problem interferes with their adult life, and, by that time, the problem is much more significant and harder to handle. If discussed early, your child can look out for signs of misuse. Because you already opened this topic for discussion, they will feel more comfortable coming to you if it becomes a problem.
Practice Being Open and Understanding
Your child is certainly not the first, last, or only one of their age to be viewing pornography online. Frequency, duration, intensity, and risk-taking, or what the child is willing to do to view porn, all play into whether or not this is a problem that needs to be addressed or just a topic of communication for you and your child.
Practicing understanding with your teen and treating them with respect will help them feel more comfortable with you, and it may prevent them from becoming defensive. Remember that they are also human, and they are not any less susceptible to the good and not so good things about this world.
Aaron Huey, the co-founder of Fire Mountain, hosts podcasts centered around problems you may face with your teen. You can view his podcast, “Porn in Every Teen’s Pocket – How to Protect Your Home” here.
Pornography addiction can be a troublesome topic of discussion for you and your child because of the stigma in America around it. Even though these can be hard conversations to have, it is important that you address your child’s curiosities as soon as they gain access to the internet to prevent lasting porn or sex addictions. Pornography is easily accessible and hard to limit with today’s internet culture. Having these open and honest conversations with your child will help prepare them for when temptations arise and give them the tools to recognize when their viewing is affecting their social life or relationships. Fire Mountain Residential Treatment Center works closely with children to address problems around porn addiction and the effects it can have on your child’s sexual development. We can work directly with you and your child to target anxieties around this problem. Call us today to explore options at (303) 443-3343.
