How to Help Your Spouse Recover from Porn Addiction

A few years ago, a good friend of my wife's confided in us that her husband was attempting to recover from porn addiction. His use of porn had escalated over the years and didn't stop after they got married, affecting their emotional and physical relationship with each other. Helping your spouse recover from porn addiction is a long process and can strain your marriage. Here are a few tips to help.

This might be a painful process, but you'll feel better knowing that you stood by your spouse's side as he or she struggled to recover from porn addiction. Continue to be as understanding as possible when it comes to your physical relationship; however, you must remember that your needs are important, too.

Try Not to Judge

Porn addiction is no different from any other addiction and shouldn't be treated differently. You might feel negatively about the addiction, but your spouse still needs your love and support. If you find that you are becoming overwhelmed, walk away from the situation and try to get some perspective. You and your spouse will probably need some time off to deal with your mutually exclusive fears and worries, so don't look at it as though you are abandoning your spouse.

Find a Confidant

While most problems between a husband and a wife should be kept private, you may need some outside help to deal with your spouse's porn addiction. What many people don't understand about addiction is that there are secondary factors. One of the most important ones is the way the spouse feels about the situation. Before you can help your spouse, you must deal with your own feelings first, so find a therapist, a friend or a relative in whom you can confide.

Know When to Be Firm

Relapses are common when recovering from porn addiction, so you will have to be your spouse's rock. If he or she wants to "back-pedal", it will be up to you to set guidelines and boundaries. You can be loving and supportive while still standing firm on some issues, such as looking at porn. If you need help, you can always solicit the advice or support of a trusted friend or family member.

Establish Open Communication