Porn and Politics Don't Mix!
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'Moment of madness' was how, now disgraced and resigned, Member of Parliament Neil Parish explained his viewing of pornography in the most public place imaginable, the House of Commons, last week.
I wonder how many of those who self-diagnose as porn addicts and the many thousands of others who regularly look at porn took time to reflect over the MP's fall from grace due to pornography. As a specialist therapist in this area the case certainly throws up some very important points to me.
Firstly, the 'moment of madness' is quite possibly a serious minimisation of what might be going on for this individual. Let's imagine for a moment that he is compulsive or addictive towards pornography (I don't know and do not want to label him - this is just a hypothetical discussion) then the 'moment' is just one dot in a long, long line of dots representing a longer chain, or matrix, of behaviours. 'Madness' maybe another word, subliminally selected, that symbolises the dysfunctional nature of an addiction which over-rides rational functioning.
Dr Paula Hall, in her Today interview, spoke about the impaired impulse control of such an individual who might be addicted. To view pornography in such an inappropriate place, in the presence of others - especially women who are often the victims of porn, at such an inappropriate time (when he should have been listening to the debate on behalf of his constituents) definitely suggests a lack of ability to control impulses.
I would say this situation suggests that his porn use may be way past the impulse phase and into a compulsive phase - self-regulation no longer applies as the addicted brain takes control to get its neuro-chemical needs met, whilst the rational brain is completely circumvented.
In my latest audio module / podcast I explain how an addicts brain becomes conditioned into the addictive pattern and how we begin the process on unravelling this in therapy.
Another striking aspect of this story is the set of consequences this individual has experienced. His behaviours have been made public; he has been openly shamed in the media; he has lost his privileged role in supporting pepole who once trusted him, and along with that his reputation and status are in tatters. There will also be consequences in his family life and also for his bank balance. Too often, those who are addicted/compulsive to sex and porn put these critical aspects of their lives at risk as they slip into a world of secrecy and denial. Until something happens...something quite unexpected and unplanned at one level...but actually quite inevitable on many others, addicts blindly stumble on regardless.
Hopefully, anyone with concerns about their behaviours around this very dangerous slippery slope of sex and porn addiction will now think about thinking about their situation and seek help before they suffer the same fate.
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