Reviews for The pornography of representation

The average rating for The pornography of representation based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2009-03-27 00:00:00 Dande Mutande This is the first book I received from the Harper Collins First Look program, and what a way to start. I have a dear friend who is a self-professed porn addict, struggling for many years to completely eliminate his porn use. This book doesn't judge or preach. It's not a morality issue. They delve into the beginnings of the addiction, how our childhood exposure largely determines our relationship with porn later, and how it escalates. The two biggest things I took away were: 1) This addiction has a STRONG neurobiology component. Because of the process our bodies go through, a porn addiction is a PHYSICAL addiction. Just like drugs or alcohol, there is a legitimate, medical, physical withdrawl that must be expected, planned for, and managed. It will require complete abstinence, as the neuropathways are there for life. 2) This addiction will ALWAYS ESCALATE, no matter how benign or how cancerous it seems at the moment. There is no plateau. There is no standing still. You are either actively recovering, or you are sinking, and there is no bottom until the consequences create one. The authors pull no punches in detailing the accounts of porn addicts and the journey of their disease. There are not only relational, but serious physical repercussions to porn addiction, ad they cannot be avoided. One of the most telling comments I remember is a recovering addict who said,"Porn has created a huge gap between the kind of woman I enjoy being it ad he kind of woman I actually desire sexually." Those fighting a porn addiction, or even those just suspecting that they may have a problem, will find this book valuable. The entire last half is devoted to recovery, deciding if you are indeed ready to recover, discovering the motivation and the desire needed to recover, doable action steps and even help dealing with relapse. The book is also an indispensable resource for anyone who cares about a porn addict, and the numbers are staggering. I not only helps you understand the why and the how, but gives even the partner clear guidelines for what not to do and how to truly help and support someone in recovery. The authors aver that pornography and porn addiction has become not only a personal and relation issue, but with the easy availability the Net has brought, it as become a societal issue. All of us will be affected by porn addiction in one way or another, in the course of our lives. All of us should educate ourselves and prepare to help and support those around us looking to win the war.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-11-13 00:00:00 Shawn Poland Some of the advice is simplistic, some insightful. The book, written by therapists who have treated dozens of addicts, does a good job of describing the shame that addicts feel. It also describes the reaction of spouses well. For example: "Feelings of betrayal, disappointment, sexual inadequacy and rejection can last for many months, even years, well past when the angry outbursts and crying spells have ended. Women often suffer in internal psychological ways that can be difficult for the porn user to see or understand. A woman's self-esteem, sense of security and ability to feel open and sexually responsive are often profoundly wounded. Porn users are often surprised at how much continued suffering their partners report. The length of time a woman feels hurt depends in large part on how well her partner responds to her feelings and what steps he takes to address the porn problem that results in regaining her trust and rebuilding intimacy in the relationship."