While some people told us that they became “hooked” on porn from the moment they first saw it, no matter how young they were, most described moving in and out of an involvement with porn depending on their needs at the time and the circumstances of their lives. No matter whether you grew up in the era of bobby socks, drive-in movies, and rock ’n’ roll or in the world of low-rider pants, computers, and rap music, if you used porn on a regular basis, it was most likely because you discovered that porn could in some way satisfy one (or more) of the following normal childhood needs:
1. Learning about sex
2. Belonging to a group
3. Sexual permission and pleasure
4. Coping with emotional stress
Let’s look at each of these needs and how they affect people who experiment with porn as children.