Porn addiction counselling with registered psychologists
Brisbane Counselling Centre has provided confidential counselling in Brisbane since 1989. The psychologists and counsellors in attendance at our Centre work with compulsive porn use utilising evidence-based approaches including CBT, ACT, mindfulness-based therapy and, where trauma or stress is involved, EMDR, tailored to your situation after an initial assessment.
No referral is necessary, and you do not need to have reached a crisis point before seeking support. New clients are usually seen within one to two weeks, including early morning and Saturday appointments. Online and telephone sessions are available if you would prefer to engage in therapy this way.
Everything you discuss is confidential. Your sessions are private, your records are not shared with your employer, your partner or your family, and nothing is disclosed without your consent other than in the rare circumstances required by law, which your psychologist will explain to you.
Written and clinically reviewed by Natascha Madden, Registered Psychologist (AHPRA reg. PSY0000953827), Brisbane Counselling Centre. Last reviewed: September 2026
What is porn addiction?
Pornography refers to sexually explicit content, in written, visual or audio form, intended to create sexual arousal. It was once difficult to obtain. It is now available on any phone, at any hour, at no cost, and that shift in accessibility is what has made compulsive use so much more common.
Porn addiction is a behavioural addiction centered on a compulsive urge to consume pornography. It is not a formal diagnosis in the DSM-5-TR, the manual used by mental health professionals in Australia to classify mental disorders. The World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), however, recognises Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder: a persistent failure to control intense sexual impulses, resulting in repetitive sexual behaviour that continues despite adverse consequences and produces little satisfaction. Problematic pornography use is one recognised presentation of this pattern.
In practice, the label matters far less than the impact. Someone with a compulsive relationship to porn typically experiences a loss of control over their use, a sense that it is interfering with everyday life, and persistent shame, guilt or regret afterwards. If your use feels outside your control and is causing distress or damage to your relationships, work or wellbeing, that is worth addressing for you.
According to a 2017 study, 84% of men and 54% of women in Australia have viewed porn, with first exposure occurring on average at 13.2 years for males and 14.1 years for females.
What are the signs of porn addiction?
There is no set number of hours that makes porn use problematic. The clearer indicators are loss of control, continuing despite harm, and distress.
Common signs include:
- Losing interest in activities you used to enjoy, in favour of watching porn
- Repeatedly trying to cut back or stop, and being unable to
- A sense that your use is interfering with your everyday life
- Continuing despite knowing it is harming your relationships, work, body or mind
- Needing more extreme or more novel content to get the same effect
- Using porn in situations that put your job or relationship at risk
- Significant emotional distress afterwards, particularly shame and guilt
If several of these are familiar, it is worth talking to a psychologist or counsellor, regardless of how often you are using.
What are the effects of a porn addiction?
The effects differ from person to person, but they tend to cluster in four areas.
Emotionally – heavy use is associated with increased risk of anxiety and depression. As the brain adapts to the dopamine it receives during use, ordinary activities can start to feel flat and motivation drops away. Sleep is often disrupted, and low self-esteem is common.
Sexually – people often report difficulty becoming aroused without porn, less satisfying sex with a partner, performance anxiety, erectile difficulties, premature ejaculation or reduced libido.
In relationships – a partner may feel deceived, betrayed or inadequate. Porn depicts unrealistic, fantasy versions of sex, and heavy use can create expectations a real partner cannot meet, along with a drift towards objectifying the person you are with. Excessive use frequently causes problems within a relationship.
At work and socially – effects can include lost productivity, using porn at work, withdrawal from friends and family, and escalation towards increasingly risky behaviour.
Is it wrong to watch porn?
Unless you hold a religious or moral objection to sexually explicit material, watching porn is not inherently wrong. Many people use it alone or with a partner without difficulty. Sexual pleasure is a normal human need, and seeking help does not mean there is something shameful about your sexuality.
The issue is not porn itself but the loss of control over it. Porn acts directly on the brain’s pleasure centre, and once activated, that part of the brain does not weigh up the cost to the rest of your life. Difficulty arises when the pursuit of that reward begins to override everything else.
This distinction matters, because shame is one of the main reasons people delay seeking help, often for years. Counselling at our Centre is not about persuading you that porn is immoral. It is about helping you regain choice over your own behaviour.
What drives compulsive porn use?
Compulsive porn use is rarely about sex alone. For most people it functions as a way of managing something else, and it commonly develops alongside:
- Stress, exhaustion or burnout, where porn becomes the fastest available relief
- Anxiety, low mood or loneliness
- Difficulty tolerating uncomfortable feelings such as boredom, rejection or shame
- Early exposure to pornography, often well before adolescence
- Past trauma, including sexual trauma
- Relationship difficulties, conflict at home, or avoidance of intimacy
- Poor sleep and long unstructured periods alone
This is why willpower, blocking software and deleted accounts so often fail on their own. They remove access without addressing what the behaviour was doing for you, and the urge returns as soon as the underlying pressure does. Therapy works on both of these aspects.
Treatments available for porn addiction
Treatment is individualised. The aim is to understand what is driving the behaviour for you specifically, rather than applying a standard programme.
With a psychologist or counsellor, you can expect open and supportive discussion of your concerns, your history and the situations in which use escalates. From there, treatment focuses on building practical strategies for managing urges, understanding and addressing the underlying drivers, and rebuilding the parts of life that have narrowed. Therapists attending Brisbane Counselling Centre provide a safe, non-judgmental space for this to be explored with you.
Common approaches include:
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which targets the thoughts and situations that precede use
- Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which builds the capacity to sit with urges without acting on them
- Mindfulness-based therapy, which strengthens awareness of triggers as they arise
- Psychodynamic therapy, which explores longer-standing patterns and their origins
- EMDR, where stress or past trauma is part of the picture
- Couples therapy, where the relationship needs repair alongside individual work
The approach chosen will depend on your needs, as assessed by and discussed with your psychologist or counsellor.
What if my partner’s porn use is affecting me?
Discovering or living with a partner’s compulsive porn use can be genuinely painful. People often describe feeling betrayed, deceived, inadequate or unable to trust what they are told. Those responses are common and understandable, not an overreaction.
You do not need your partner’s agreement or participation to seek support for yourself. Some people come alone to work through the impact. Others attend couples counselling together, often once each person has had some individual support first. Where the discovery has been sudden or has badly broken trust, our affair recovery page may also be relevant.
Our reception team can talk through which option suits your situation.
How do I book an appointment for porn addiction counselling in Brisbane?
If you wish to speak with someone about problematic porn use, take the following steps to make an appointment:
1. Call (07) 3831 4452 or complete our enquiry form. Our reception team will talk through what you are looking for and suggest a suitable practitioner. You do not need a referral to book an appointment or to see someone if you would prefer not to, and you do not need to explain the reason for your appointment to reception if you would prefer not to as well.
2. See your GP if you want a Medicare rebate. Ask for a Mental Health Treatment Plan. You can book with us before or after that appointment. If you have private health insurance cover, you may be eligible for a rebate under your policy with a counsellor or psychologist. It is best to check with your health insurance provider.
3. Attend your first session. Bring your Medicare card and your plan if you have one. There is nothing else to prepare.
Brisbane Counselling Centre is at Level 7, 87 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, near the Brisbane CBD, approximately five minutes’ walk from Central Station. We are open Monday to Friday 7:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday 8:30am to 5:00pm.
Meet the psychologists and counsellors or see our fees and rebate information.
Frequently asked questions
Is porn addiction a real condition?
How do I know if I watch too much porn?
Will my sessions be confidential?
Do I need a referral to get help for porn addiction?
Can I claim a Medicare rebate for porn addiction counselling?
How much does it cost to see a psychologist or counsellor in Brisbane?
Can I see someone online instead of in person?
I feel too ashamed to talk about this. Is that normal?
Do you work with women as well as men?
Can you help my teenage child?
I have tried blockers and apps and keep relapsing. Will therapy be different?
Do you offer couples counselling if this has affected my relationship?
Where are you located and is there parking?
We can help!
If you are looking for professional, consistent and caring support with compulsive porn use, the psychologists and counsellors in attendance at Brisbane Counselling Centre are available to help. Please call (07) 3831 4452 to speak with one of our friendly team members to discuss your needs further. You do not need to have everything worked out before you call. Brisbane Counselling Centre can assist you with porn addiction.
If you need urgent support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, available 24 hours. In an emergency, call 000.
