WHAT WE TREAT
At Paracelsus Recovery, we take a compassionate, harm-reduction approach to helping you regain control over pornography addiction. Our personalised treatment programs are designed to equip you with the tools and support you need to establish healthy boundaries, find balance, and achieve peace: mentally, physically, and emotionally.
Pornography addiction is an extremely common behavioural addiction. In this case, consuming pornography is the set of behaviours that a person becomes dependent on and craves. It is also known as a ‘process’ addiction because it is a set of actions or a process that people become addicted to, rather than a substance. Pornography addiction is characterised by compulsive consumption of pornographic content, despite any negative consequences of doing so.
The rush that consuming pornography provides to the brain acts in much the same way as substance-related addiction. When we engage in an activity that keeps us alive or helps us pass on our genes, our reward system sends out a chemical messenger called dopamine which gives us a hit of satisfaction to encourage us to repeat that action. These dopamine hits can become addictive given the right environmental, psychological and biological factors. Therefore, any activity that releases a rush of dopamine, such as consuming pornography, can also become addictive.
Pornography addiction can cause various issues that impact all areas of life, from finances and career to relationships and family. In all cases, pornography addiction will introduce a great deal of stress, fear and pain into the individual’s life, resulting in the worsening of their physical and psychological health. In particular, pornography addiction is commonly associated with secrecy and feelings of shame, which can put a strain on relationships. The resulting isolation and sense of loneliness only reinforce the addiction, often triggering more intense consumption of pornography in an attempt to fill the void. There is also a link between compulsive porn use and increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
Through our combination of medical, psychological and personal care, we are proud to be the only clinic in the world that addresses co-occurring conditions and every possible root-cause of pornography addiction. In doing so, we can help you recover in a matter of weeks, rather than years or months.
The symptoms, as well as the underlying issues, potential harm and problems, resulting from behavioural addictions such as pornography addiction are often very similar to those of substance-related addictions. Symptoms of pornography addiction include:
- Engaging in pornograpy even though you obtain no pleasure from it and the development of specific triggers.
- Spending an excessive amount of time consuming pornography to the detriment of your relationships or career.
- Becoming dependent on pornography as a way to cope with emotions and “feel normal”.
- Struggling to stop consuming pornography despite attempts to quit.
- Minimising, lying and hiding your pornography problem from loved ones.
- Experiencing symptoms of withdrawal (i.e. depression, trouble sleeping, irritability, personality changes) when trying to stop consuming pornography.
- A loss of control over how frequently you consume pornography and how much risk you take.
Bespoke treatment
How we treat pornography addiction
We understand that living with a pornography addiction can feel like being stuck in a cycle of shame, secrecy and emotional disconnection over which you have no control. While we can’t tell you exactly what your four-week stay will entail, we can ensure you that each step of your treatment journey is designed to get you back in the driving seat of your life. At Paracelsus Recovery, there is no predefined treatment path; each client receives a bespoke treatment plan curated specifically for them. Similarly, we do not adopt a specific treatment model. Instead, we advocate for a completely pragmatic approach to addiction; whatever works best for you to achieve your goals.
Your time with us is carefully structured, with each therapeutic element handpicked to support you in overcoming your reliance on pornography as a coping mechanism for whatever pain you are navigating in life. The therapies included in your programme are designed to work in harmony to help you break free from the cycle of addiction, regain control over your habits, and rebuild your self-worth. See below for further details.
Our approach considers the whole person: mind, body and soul
We do not adopt a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Instead, we adapt each programme to each client’s unique set of needs. While our approach prioritises cutting-edge modalities and holistic care, it is ultimately those unique needs that guide our work together.
At Paracelsus Recovery, our 360-degree treatment approach is designed to help you address, process and overcome the root causes of your dependency. By carrying out rigorous testing, we are able to identify all underlying issues and pave a path towards overcoming them. From here, we develop your personalised treatment plan, integrating cutting-edge therapies to address the root causes of your addiction while restoring your psychological, cellular, and biological well-being. To treat pornography addiction, we incorporate therapies such as nutritional therapy, biofeedback, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), psycho-education, and art therapy.
Beyond addressing the underlying drivers of your pornography addiction, we also focus on the broader impact it may have had, including any neurological or physiological strain. Treatment typically involves a combination of intensive psychotherapy, biochemical restoration, and complementary therapies, all designed to support lasting recovery, regain control of your life and cultivate healthier habits.
15+ team members, all dedicated to your health and well-being
We are the only pornography addiction treatment centre in the world to provide a minimum of 15 dedicated professionals to each client.
Your treatment will be delivered by a team of experts. We offer an unparalleled staff to patient ratio of more than 15:1, enabling our team to provide around-the-clock treatment. This team is made up of world-renowned doctors, therapists, addiction specialists and a Nobel Prize-winning board member. At the heart of this team is a dedicated live-in therapist who will be available for 24/7 emotional support. No matter the unique blend of treatments you receive, they will be delivered with the Swiss medical excellence we are known for.
Comprehensive programmes as unique as you are
We tailor-make our comprehensive and intensive pornography addiction treatment programmes to meet your specific needs. What all of our programmes have in common is that they are steeped in our core values of pragmatism and empathy. This means adopting a harm-reduction approach that leaves the decision to completely remove pornography from your life entirely with you.
We can provide treatment for pornography addiction and any co-occurring dependencies and mental health conditions at our discrete pornography addiction treatment centre in Zurich.
FURTHER READING
