Porn Recovery Research & Knowledge Library"Pornography addiction" is an officially recognized diagnosis.
RESEARCH EVIDENCEStatus: Not Established · Evidence strength: strong
Summary
Pornography addiction is not a formal diagnosis in major classification systems. The WHO ICD-11 includes Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder, which is defined by a pattern of failure to control sexual impulses causing marked distress or impairment — not by pornography use itself.
Current interpretation
The terminology matters: CSBD is a recognized diagnosis; "pornography addiction" as a specific entity is not. Researchers continue to debate whether problematic pornography use is best described as addiction, compulsion, or impulse-control difficulty.
What the community reports
The term "porn addiction" is widely used in communities and popular media.
Uncertainties
- Whether PPU is best classified within an addiction framework
- How PPU relates to CSBD in clinical practice
Supporting research
Contradicting or limiting research
Assessment
The classification status of problematic pornography use remains debated. ICD-11 recognizes CSBD; it does not name pornography addiction as a diagnosis.
Related
- Topic: csbd
- Topic: behavioral-addiction-debate
- Topic: ppu
- Question: is-porn-addiction-real (main site)
This is an educational evidence assessment, not medical advice. Last reviewed: 2026-10-04.