Hello drs. I had porn addition for 8 years and I got depression. Before 2 years I realised it I started quiting but I was always falling again and again then I started using medicine and I wasn't able to stop and I was getting more depression so before two months I got in relationship and along with medicine my life becomes better than I stopped my medicine now i'm only taking etizolam and escitalopram oxalate before sleeping but I still have some problems like feeling sleepy and tired most of the time and not feeling to spent time with my friends like before but i'm spending my time with my gf and family also although I have tested my self by watching porn but I didn't feel anything for it no reaction at all (more than 4 months clear). So my question is how my old energy and excitement in life will come back and what I am in now is it depression or what? And do I have to stop having sex with my gf? Thanks for supporting community.

Dear lybrate-user, addictions, including porn addiction, have many comorbidities. It might be depression or other mental disorders. Both need to be treated simultaneously. When you take tablets, you will have side effects also. Please talk to your psychiatrist about it. I don't know about your age and readiness to get into marriage. So I cannot comment about sex with girl friend.  

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There are multiple issues. Let's go one by one: 1. Depression: symptoms of tiredness, increased sleepiness and no response on watching porn which amounts to lack of sexual arousal are all well established signs of depression. So, even now I suspect that you have ongoing depression which needs to be managed by either change in meds (if escitalopram is not working ). 2. Porn: watching porn alters your motivation system (dopamine system) so much that you no more feel motivated to do anything productive. It also alters the way you imagine about real sex and even the way you perceive women as well as damages your own self image. So, avoiding all the visual cues and situations which trigger indulgence in further bingeing is strongly recommended. 3. Other striking feature is regarding weight. With your height being 5.1 feet, 77 kgs falls under category of obesity. That could be contributing to your lethargy and depression has been strongly associated with obesity. So, I would recommend cutting down on your weight as one of the first things to focus on. Strongly recommend consulting a psychiatrist before any alteration of medications. Can contact me as well on Lybrate if you need consultation.  

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