Porn addiction can be as debilitating as any other addiction. Actor Terry Crews opens up about his porn addiction in an attempt to break the stigma surrounding this disease and encourage others who are addicted to get the treatment that they need. Former American football player, Terry Crews, is probably best known for his acting career – starring in several Blockbuster movies including “Bridesmaids” and the hit television show “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” Recently, Crews has been using his fame to shed light on the subject of porn addiction, which he says ‘really really’ messed up his life.

What is Porn Addiction?

Porn addiction is a sub-category of sex addiction and is a type of process addiction. Process addictions occur when a person becomes addicted to a particular behaviour rather than a substance, but the reaction in the brain is very similar to that of someone addicted to alcohol or other drugs. Additional examples of process addictions are gambling, food and internet addiction. There is a large misconception that process addictions are not as debilitating as substance addictions, but an addiction of any kind can have serious negative impacts on a person’s life and should not be taken lightly.

Terry Crews’ Addiction to Pornographic Material

Back in 2014, Crews opened up about his pornography addiction on The Wendy Williams Show, after releasing his book entitled Manhood earlier that year. On the show, he claimed that his porn addiction started at the age of 12, as a result of watching pornography in his grandfather’s basement. Crews also claims that while growing up his father was an alcoholic, and his mother was very religious; watching pornography in the home was definitely taboo. Of course, then, Crews kept his porn obsession quiet, and it has followed him through life. “Pornography addiction turns into something else,” Crews said. “You can’t have something like that in your life without it growing into something else. Everything grows.” One of the main effects of any addiction is that, without getting help, the addictive behaviour continues to grow and get worse over time. Just like a man who has a casual drink after work and eventually cannot get through the day without drinking, Crews began watching porn innocently enough as a curious kid and later found himself watching porn for hours at a time, eventually cheating on his wife of many years. “My issue with pornography is that it changes the way you think about people,” Crews said in his revealing Facebook video, which has received almost four million views since he posted it in February of this year. “People become objects. People become body parts. They become things to be used rather than people to be loved.” Crews also said that because of the way that watching porn changed the way he viewed people – that they were there simply to be used sexually –  it created problems within his marriage when his wife could not reproduce the same sex scenes that he saw in the films. He began to think of himself as a victim, that he needed certain things and was not getting them.

Breaking the Stigma of Sex Addiction by Talking Out Loud

Now several years in recovery, Crews is using his own Facebook page as a medium for talking openly about his porn addiction in hopes that by doing so he can encourage others who are going through the same thing to get the help they need. His video series entitled, “Dirty Little Secret,” is a project that he hopes will help break the stigma of addiction, which is one of the primary reasons that all types of addicts do not reach out for the help that they need. “Addicts are scorned by communities, and celebrities with addictions are exploited or hounded by paparazzi,” Dr. Richard Juman, a clinical psychologist and president of the New York State Psychological Association told “The Fix.” This means that, just like Crews, there are many people out there suffering from addiction who are hiding their addictions because they are scared of what other people will think.

“The thing that I found is that by not telling people, (porn addiction) becomes more powerful, but when you tell about it, when you put it out there in the open, it loses its power.“ – Terry Crews

For decades, people thought that being an addict meant that you have failed morally. But addiction of all types is a disease and should no longer be stigmatised. Someone who has heart disease or cancer is not shunned by society, and neither should those who suffer from addiction. Thankfully, Crews got help when he did. He attended a rehab facility for his porn addiction and has been experiencing a successful recovery. His wife, Rebecca, after leaving him for a short while during the depths of his addiction, has decided to stand by him after realising that his addiction to pornography was nothing personal involving her, nor did he have control over his behaviours. With her support, Crews seems more confident than ever speaking about his recovery and can hopefully have a positive influence on those who are silently suffering from this addiction, scared to receive the treatment they need.

Treatment for Porn Addicts

Treatment for porn or sex addiction can be very effective, especially when treated early-on. However, it is important to contact a facility that has experience in dealing with these types of addictions. Treatment for substance addictions and process addictions do vary in some ways, and sex addiction treatment especially can involve some challenges different from treating other addictions. If you or someone you know is suffering from porn addiction or any other type of addiction, take Terry Crews’ advice and speak up about it! The longer you hold your secret inside, the worse the addiction will become and the greater the negative effects on your life. Remember that addiction is a disease is nothing to be ashamed of. If you would like more information about addiction treatment, or are interested in a free and no-obligations assessment for you or someone close to you, contact us today to get started on the path to the freedom of recovery.