Porn Addiction Statistics: In the Church and Outside the Church

Since internet use has gone way up due to social media, everyone has access to sexual content, and even the advertising industry often promotes promiscuity. Internet sex is rampant, causing significant pain in our world today.

As a CSAT-trained clinician, one of the most common questions I receive per year is, "What are the statistics for sexual addiction in this digital media age?" Some ask about internet porn addiction statistics in the general culture, while others inquire about pornography consumption in the church

After listening to a recent podcasts and finding a study through Pure Desire that discusses a Barna study, the statistics are staggering.

1) 61% of U.S. adults reported that they are view internet pornography: This means three out of five US adults are engaging in pornography consumption.

2) 54% of practicing Christians in the U.S. are viewing internet pornography: A Practicing Christian in the study is defined as someone who reported that their faith was important to them and they attend church twice a month.

3) 84% of porn users say that they do not have anyone in their life helping them to avoid porn usage.

4) 49% of Christians said they were comfortable with how much porn they use.

5) Only 21% of practicing Christians said they wish they didn't use porn at all.

Within the study, it was reported that 56% of US adults view therapy or counseling as the most effective approach for addressing their porn usage.

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Acknowledging the Failure

These statistics reveal the tragic failure of Christians to address compulsive sexual behavior. We have to do better to address pornography in the church and our world today as it has led to all sorts of issues: sexually transmitted diseases, behavioral health, substance use disorder, psychiatric disorder, impulse control disorder, etc.

Most of my clients struggling with sexual addiction were given smartphones at a young age with no accountability software in place. Kids with smartphones get captured by internet sex.

Even in twelve-step programs or support groups, some of those groups are fine with you looking at porn as long as it doesn't lead to compulsive sexual behavior or problematic pornography use. From a Christian perspective, any amount of pornography is wrong, and Jesus goes further by teaching that lust is wrong (Matthew 5:27-28; 1 Corinthians 6:18). Yet, you can still be forgiven and change in Christ:

"And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11)

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Begin your journey with a licensed counselor in order to overcome behavioral addiction. Treating sexual addiction can result in the regaining of spiritual connection with a Christian counselor. You can still have a spiritual impact on others. Regain a joyful life that has been robbed through sex addiction issues!

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