Veterans and Pornography Addiction: An Epidemic On A Hidden Battleground Behind Closed Doors

Veterans, Porn Addiction, and the Invisible Crisis: A Call to Action

By: Jessica Jordan, Kim Perry, Ed.D.

Members of the military and veterans often experience profound physical and emotional hardships, many of which can lead to problematic pornography use (PPU) and porn addiction.

Why This Happens

Several factors common among veterans can disrupt impulse control and foster addictive behavior, including:

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

• Post-Traumatic Stress (PTSD)

• Isolation

• Strained interpersonal relationships

• Downtime and boredom

In one study, 16.7% of male veterans met criteria for Compulsive Sexual Behavior (CSB), with PTSD severity the strongest predictor (Smith et al., 2014). That's 2.78 million male veterans who meet the criteria for CSB.  Another study showed veterans reported significantly more problematic pornography use than non-veterans (Borgogna et al., 2021).

A Hidden Battlefield

Pornography and sex addiction often play out in secret—on computers or phones. Private. Difficult to quit. Like drug addiction, it can devastate lives behind closed doors.

What’s especially insidious: pornography is easy to access, often free, and requires only basic connectivity. Addiction isn’t limited by money—it’s fueled by accessibility.

TBI and Sexual Behavior

Research going back to 2008 demonstrates that TBI increases risk of hypersexual or compulsive sexual behavior. Veterans have high rates of TBI, which suggests millions may face heightened vulnerability to sexual and pornography addiction.

Problematic pornography use was reported by 16.7% of male veterans in Smith et al.’s baseline data (2014). Given the widespread prevalence of TBI in veteran populations, these figures likely underestimate the scope of the issue.

Now Is the Time to Act

Veterans are at increased risk for suicide—so supporting their mental and physical health isn’t optional.

Ignoring pornography addiction means leaving those who served in silence and shame. It’s time to normalize conversation. Veterans deserve recovery and programs that help them rebuild self-worth, freedom, relationships, and careers.

References

Borgogna, N. C., Kraus, S. W., & Grubbs, J. B. (2021). Military veterans’ psychological distress associated with problematic pornography viewing: A national panel study. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 20(7), 3660–3674. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00508-z

Grubbs, J. B., Perry, S. L., Wilt, J. A., Exline, J. J., Pargament, K. I., & Kraus, S. W. (2018). Moral incongruence and pornography-related problems: Examining the roles of emotional distress, perceived addiction, and religious belief. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 25(2–3), 123–143. https://doi.org/10.1080/10720162.2018.1466413

Kraus, S. W., et al. (2020). Validation of a Brief Pornography Screen (BPS) across multiple samples, including U.S. veterans. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(8), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01858-8

Smith, P. H., Diggs, C., & Hook, C. (2014). Compulsive sexual behavior among male military veterans: Prevalence and associated clinical factors. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 3(4), 214–222. https://doi.org/10.1556/JBA.3.2014.017