A fact barely mentioned in the debate over universal healthcare in the U.S. is the benefit of being able to analyze medical outcomes for millions of patients at one time. We frequently see studies in the U.S. based on a handful of participants. We often see studies from the U.K., with thousands and even millions of participants. Their studies have orders of magnitude more certainty than many U.S. studies.

A case in point is a new study on pornography addiction in the U.K. The annual “Mindometer” study is published by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). With nearly 3,000 licensed, accredited therapists, it is a comprehensive survey of the country’s mental health. The news is not good.

Two-thirds of U.K. therapists say the public’s mental health has deteriorated over the past year. Major contributing factors include war, global conflict, financial pressure, and cost-of-living issues. Over 40% say AI has become a factor in their patients’ declining mental health.

The result that stood out for The Guardian‘s English correspondent, Robyn Vinter, is the increase in pornography addiction. More than half of the nearly 3,000 therapists reported “they had seen a rise in people seeking help for problematic pornography.” Some of the complaints they are hearing:

• using pornography is interfering with their lives
• they feel driven to seek out more extreme content
• they are neglecting responsibilities due to using pornography
• their pornography use has damaged relationships
• they experience sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction

Many of the therapists surveyed blame the general decline in mental health for the increase in pornography addiction, with 71% of therapists seeing patients with high workloads and stress, while more than half feel stuck in their careers. BACP-accredited therapist Andrew Harvey summarized the situation:

I’ve noticed a growing number of clients seeking support for alcohol, drug, and pornography use. These often become coping mechanisms for people facing difficulties such as mental health struggles, financial stress, and other life pressures.

While the portion of the BACP survey dealing with pornography addiction says it is based on “therapists who work with men with addiction,” Dr. Paula Hall told The Guardian the disorder “affects significant numbers of people of all ages and genders.”

Patients show up most frequently with other disorders, such as substance use disorders, and are subsequently referred for treatment for pornography addiction. Referrals often come from couples counseling or divorce counseling, says Dr. Hall.

Dr. Harvey explains that pornography addiction works a lot like other addictions. The patient gets a dopamine hit from using porn, which leads to an uncontrollable urge to use in a small percentage of cases. Those compulsive users, however, may spend hours a day watching pornography, leading to a collapse of their personal and professional relationships.

Both therapists, Dr. Harvey and Dr. Hall, agree that the solution to the increase in pornography addiction is not to try to banish pornography or punish the addict. Both of those methods increase stigma, reducing the number of people seeking help and prolonging the suffering of victims and their families.

Rather, the solution is to screen more thoroughly for pornography addiction when patients present with other addictions. Then be prepared with medications and referrals to therapists who have a track record of being able to help patients recover.

Written by Steve O’Keefe. First published January 12, 2026.

Sources:

“BACP Mindometer 2025,” News from BACP, November 2025.

“Therapists who work with addiction report rise in out-of-control porn use by men,” The Guardian, January 3, 2026.

Image courtesy of FreeRangeStock, used under Creative Commons license.