There's no discounting the fact that many teenagers get exposed to online pornography, either by accident or on purpose, while they still live at home. While you and your spouse will need to decide how you want to manage this risk with your children, you should also look for signs that your teen is developing a pornography addiction. As with other addictions, it's important to identify the warning signs so that you can take action. While you might wish to do things such as remove the teen's computer, you can also talk to an addiction rehabilitation center or contact a porn addiction online program to get your teen some help. Here are some signs to watch for.
Your Teen Is Evasive About His Or Her Internet Use
Many teens spend long hours on the Internet watching videos, playing games, and chatting with their friends. A teen's prolific internet use isn't necessarily a sign that he or she is becoming addicted to pornography, but you should watch for any evasiveness about being on the computer. For example, if you ask your teen what he or she is doing online, and the teen constantly responds with "nothing," it's a potential cause for concern. Likewise, if your teen quickly closes the online browser when you enter the room, this can be a sign that he or she is viewing pornography.
The Teen Is Isolating Himself Or Herself
As a parent, it may be difficult to assess whether your teen is simply viewing pornography occasionally or fighting addictive behavior toward this content. The latter scenario may be the case if your teen has begun to isolate himself or herself from friends, family, and typical activities. For example, if your teen passes up chances to spend time with friends in favor of being on the computer alone, this is a sign of addictive behavior.
The Teen Seems To Quickly Run Out Of Money
While teens can easily access online pornography for free, a sign of someone with an addiction is that they've begun paying for it. Buying paid subscriptions to online websites can quickly add up, leaving your teenager without much money. If you monitor your teen's credit card statements, check for suspicious charges on it. You might even wish to check your own credit card statements if you suspect your teen may have used your card without your permission.
Upon noticing one or more of these signs, it's a good idea to discuss this topic with your teen and potentially arrange professional help.
