Behaviour-level concepts: compulsive sexual behaviour, problematic pornography use, and the urge-versus-craving distinction.
Compulsive sexual behaviour describes sexual behaviour that a person feels driven to perform repeatedly, often despite negative consequences, and that feels difficult to control. It is a descriptive term used across clinical and research settings.
Problematic pornography use (PPU) is pornography use that a person experiences as out of control, distressing, or harmful. It is a descriptive research and community term rather than a formal diagnosis.
An urge is a felt impulse or pressure to act, often fleeting and tied to a specific situation. Craving is typically described as a more intense, enduring, and conscious desire. The terms are related but not identical.
Porn Recovery Research & Knowledge Library