All posts by John Thorington

Teens who are depressed are more likely to get hooked on pornography. They get an escalation in the levels of Dopamine and other feel-good chemicals. They get trapped unwittingly by the Limbic system reward-circuitry and it can be difficult to stop.Read More

It is scary to use the word “addiction” in relation to a youth. The word is not to be used lightly or carelessly. The term is not without its essential characteristics, but it is greatly misunderstood in our culture. The problem is only compounded by the fact that it is mainstream culture, easily accessible, and widely accepted.Read More

The use of social media has drastically increased the risks of forming certain addictive behaviors among kids today—particularly tweens. Ultimately, it is not a good idea for tweens to be involved with social media because their brains are simply too immature to use it.Read More

Can you really become addicted to pornography? Is it risky behavior? Let’s consider the story of a teenage boy that we’ll call Richard, who was 10 years old when he first saw pornographic image. Read More

When I think of the numerous parents that I have spoken to in recent years, I see some things that parents could do differently that might prevent their preteen from falling victim to this addiction. While no prevention plan guarantees a porn-proof child, taking these steps can help.Read More

We hurt ourselves when we compulsively rely on sexual obsession and fantasy as a way of managing our emotional lives. It can become like a drug—dulling and numbing painful emotions. The negative consequences of obsessive fantasizing can keep us locked and heighten our emotional pain.Read More