Can you want something you don’t even like?
Many people who try to leave their porn addiction are confused by their own desires. They genuinely wish to stop. They may even feel disgusted by pornography, not to mention the effects it has on their lives. But they still want it irresistibly. If this is you, rest assured: You’re not alone. The Apostle Paul himself grappled with similar struggles, “For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate” (Romans 7:15).
“I hate porn because I feel genuinely dirty from it. I am afraid of being separated from God. Porn has no redeeming value. I want freedom.” Covenant Eyes Blog Comment
“It’s been so hard to not want it denying its pleasure makes it harder to stop.” Covenant Eyes Blog Comment
“I quit watching porn 2 years ago. I don’t need porn [and] I don’t want it, but **** recovery is a long road.” Covenant Eyes Blog Comment
In this article, I want to share with you some important research that sheds light on these struggles, and the difference between “wanting” something—such as porn—and “liking” it.
The Brain Science of “Wanting”
Since the 1950s, scientists have gained a rich understanding of the role that dopamine plays in human physiology and psychology—including its vital role in our motivation. Take away someone’s dopamine (as they’ve done with lab rats) and they quickly lose motivation to do anything, even eating and drinking for basic survival.
Studies into drug and alcohol addiction reveal how this natural system goes haywire in a drug-addicted person. Scientists call this “mesolimbic wanting.” It produces cravings if they attempt to quit and lowers their ability to enjoy normal things. More recently, brain scan technology shows that dopamine plays a similar role in behavioral addictions as well, including pornography addiction.
The Brain Science of “Liking”
For many years, psychologists assumed that this dopamine-based system controlled what we like and dislike. However, psychologist Kent Berridge made a surprising discovery. Dopamine fuels our wants and desires with chemical rewards, but this does not determine our likes and dislikes.
There are chemical rewards involved when we like something, but these rewards are different from the dopamine rewards. Berridge explains:
“For a long time it was thought that the issue with addiction was withdrawal… you get rid of the withdrawal and you get rid of the addiction. But if it’s sensitized wanting, it can emerge in a person who isn’t getting much pleasure from the drugs [or behavioral addiction] any more. They have a sincere cognitive desire to not take drugs because they know what it does to them.”1
I’ve heard many people say, “If you don’t like porn, just don’t watch it.” But Berridge’s discovery reveals that “liking” porn may have very little to do with our impulses to watch it.
Bible Teaching on “Wanting” and “Liking”
Since the time that Paul reflected on doing the things he didn’t want to do, many Christian thinkers have struggled to put words to this cognitive dissonance. St. Augustine reflected on “disordered desires,” when the things we want don’t line up with our love for God. Jonathan Edwards wrote a treatise on “religious affections,” thinking deeply about the relationship between our true desires and how we act.
Like Berridge, the Bible shows us that not all sins are committed because we “like” them. Sometimes our “wants” go astray. Make no mistake: Sin is still sin, but we can take comfort that God understands the challenges faced by Christians who struggle with porn. Psalm 103:13-14:
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. For he knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust.”
Unfortunately, just knowing that you don’t like porn doesn’t help you stop wanting it. But we can look to Jesus’s words for further encouragement and practical help in dealing with these unwanted desires. While he was awaiting the cross in Matthew 26:41, Jesus told his disciples:
“Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
“The spirit is willing,” meaning we may “like” the things of God and “dislike” the temptations of the enemy. Nonetheless, “the flesh is weak”—we often give into the impulses of our bodies (“wants”) even when we believe it’s wrong and we don’t want to.
Stay “awake” to temptation.
Jesus tells the disciples to be on the lookout. Temptation comes most often when we’re relaxed and have let our guard down. Remember that “the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Don’t underestimate the power of prayer.
Is prayer a last resort in your fight against porn? According to Jesus, that’s a big mistake. It’s not enough to be wary of temptation; we need to pray actively that God would keep us on the path. If you need help with praying against porn, check out this blog post.
Remember the weakness of your flesh.
We often overestimate our own strength—I know I do. Jesus gently reminds his disciples that however spiritually minded they are, their flesh is weak. That means their physical bodies, their emotional reactions, and their “mesolimbic wanting.”
This weakness should drive us to Christ. The Apostle Paul said, “I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). When we feel strong, we can quickly start to rely on ourselves instead of God. The temptation to look at porn can actually serve to point us back to Jesus when we’ve started to put confidence in ourselves rather than him.
Lean on others for help.
Part of remembering your weakness is understanding that you can’t do this alone. Hebrews 3:13 says “encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.”
You need a system in place to deal with your wants, and it needs to involve other people. It’s especially important to have an ally—a trustworthy friend who can help you pursue the good things you truly love and desire.
I think the reason why people regularly indulge in porn is because they DO like it, and when enough time passes after the last images were seen, they WANT it again. The porn addict will ALWAYS like and want it for the rest of their lives. These individuals must be willing to count the cost of losing a clear, guilt free conscience, lost time, and lost productivity (doing other important tasks). Conquering an addiction must be driven by comparing rewards and consequences of the two pathways in their lives. Once the behavior changes, then after a long period of time, the impulsive feeling diminishes, but never vanishes. Some people need help from others, and others can manage it alone. It takes intelligence and discipline to continually review the anticipated outcome of keeping the habit or renouncing it. Success is ultimately up to the individual and their God-given freedom to exercise judgement and do the right thing. It is not easy and sadly many people expect victory when their will cannot be exercised anymore, ultimately with their death.