Pornography use and recovery / PPU-A08-1
Loneliness and Connection Needs — Concept brief
Understand the idea behind loneliness and connection needs and consider whether it fits your context.
8 minutes · Handout · Adults; supported use as appropriate
Fictional example: Noah wants more ordinary companionship after work.
Use an ordinary or fictional example, with a clinician when appropriate. A behavior may serve connection or comfort needs that deserve direct attention.
The idea
A behavior may serve connection or comfort needs that deserve direct attention.
An ordinary example
Noah wants more ordinary companionship after work.
What this can look like
Map times of isolation and brainstorm accessible connection options without making another person responsible for preventing use.
Check the fit
What kind of connection is actually wanted? You may disagree with the framing, use fiction, or decide that this approach is not useful today.
A useful distinction
A chosen change goal and a clinical diagnosis are different questions. Address functioning, control, consent, values, and distress without assuming that sexual expression itself is pathological.
Prompts for this resource
- What part of this idea makes sense to me?
- What kind of connection is actually wanted?
Conceptual background
AASECT Position on Sex Addiction — American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists
Background on the approach only. Original exercises and wording are by More Than Therapy with AI assistance; the source does not validate or endorse these materials.