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Elaine Brady, Ph.D., M.F.T. Certified Addiction Therapist Certified Sex Addiction Therapist

CCOSO CONFERENCE 05/09/13. Internet Sex Offenders: Horse of a different color. Elaine Brady, Ph.D., M.F.T. Certified Addiction Therapist Certified Sex Addiction Therapist. networthrecovery.net elainebrady.com. Net Worth Recovery, Inc. Treating Internet and Sex Addictions. Ctrl.

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Elaine Brady, Ph.D., M.F.T. Certified Addiction Therapist Certified Sex Addiction Therapist

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  1. CCOSO CONFERENCE05/09/13 Internet Sex Offenders: Horse of a different color Elaine Brady, Ph.D., M.F.T. Certified Addiction Therapist Certified Sex Addiction Therapist networthrecovery.net elainebrady.com Net Worth Recovery, Inc. Treating Internet and Sex Addictions Ctrl

  2. Clinical Significance: We are seeing an ^ # of cases in which Online Sexual Activity(OSA) has resulted in significant consequences for individuals Many of us are unfamiliar with relatively new aspects of Cyberculture & Cybersex We are being ^ called upon to render opinions regarding our clients potential: Danger to public welfare Danger to own children Ability to benefit from post-offense rehabilitation

  3. Statement of the Problem: Pedophilia & paraphilia are the most common online sex crimes Alarming ^ # of new cases over last 5 yrs. Large # of these had no prior hx. of: psychiatric issues, criminal behav. or sexual interest in minors- Pseudo & Virtual Pedophilia

  4. Assertions Regarding Problem: Pseudo-pedophilia is a dsyfunctional coping mechanism that uses fantasy as an escape tool. 2.Occurs Within the Context of: Internet Addiction Cybersex Addiction 3. Represents lower risk of hands-on offense

  5. 4. Pseudo-pedophilia Occurs As a Result of: Unique Characteristics of the Internet Active Entrapment by Pornography Industry Passive Enabling of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) Latent Predisposition

  6. PRESENTATION GOALS 1. Familiarize attendee with the growing phenomenon of OSA, Internet and Cybersex Addiction 2. Provide resources for assessment of Internet and Cybersex Addiction 3.Enable attendee to distinguish between true and pseudo-pedophilia

  7. World Wide Web- w.w.w. 1988 A Virulent Virus is Birthed ● 200,000+ new users ea. mo. ● Average 7 hrs. per week (rec.) ●Now 2 billion World Wide “Users” ●5 billion W.W. mobile subscribers ● Over 225 Million (79%) users in the U.S. ● 500 million mobile users

  8. Majority Use in positive and productive ways. BUT…..

  9. Lost in Cyber-Space!

  10. Scope of the Problem225 Million “Users” • 6-10% (13-22 million people) of all Internet users become “addicted” to it; spend 20-40+ hrs wk; single sess. 20+ hrs (gaming) • 16 -19 %ofcollege students become addicted •Children most vulnerable: 25% boys, 13% girls addicted = 5.2 mill. boys, 2.3 mill. girls in U.S. Suffer significant life consequences- job/academic, health, $, legal, relationships

  11. Cybersex Addiction 15% OSA users severe problems- 40% are W 6-8% become addicted= 3-4m- 21%are W Spend aver. 11hrs. wk., often 2-3 x’s that- exper. signif. life problems

  12. Prevalence Among Youth •20-30% of adult material viewers are children • 12-17 y.o.largest viewers of Net porn • 15-19y.o. largest viewers of child porn, ¼ of convictions for sex offences Industry actively markets & “recruits” into child porn

  13. Cybersex Addiction 20-33% Users engage regularly in some form of OSA=45-69 mill. 6-10% will become addicted= 4 -7mill.

  14. Defining Moment

  15. Behavioral Addictions Anyactivity, the very process of which, alters brain/body chemistry and is engaged in to the extent it meets the criteria for “addiction.” • Eating Disorder • Gambling•Work • Spending • Exercise • Romance/Sex Pathological Gambling DSM-IV1994

  16. ADDICTION: The Behavior Meets Four Primary Criteria- P.C.O.C. Progressive Compulsive Obsessive Consequences

  17. Internet &Cybersex AddictionPlug in, Turn on, Drop out A repetitive, intrusive urge to engage in an Internet activity that is pleasurable in the moment but that causes subsequent distress, functional impairment, and significant “withdrawal” symptoms if not engaged in.

  18. Types of Internet Addiction 1. Cyber-sexual addiction - addiction to adult chat room or cyberporn. 2. Cyber-relationship addiction - online friendships made in chat rooms or cyberporn. 3. Net compulsion - compulsive gambling, day trading, or auction shopping. 4. Information overload - compulsive Web or database surfing. 5. Computer addiction - compulsive game playing or programming

  19. Online Sexual Activity (OSA) Any activity (text, audio, graphics) that involves sexuality for the purposes of recreation, entertainment, exploration, support, education, commerce and/or seeking out sexual or romantic partners.

  20. Cybersex Focuses on sexual gratification E-mail, I.M., chat rooms, sharing fantasies, role play, Virtual Worlds Viewing erotic material, posting/sharing pics., downloading, trading, interactive Webcams, masturbation, sex toys/suits

  21. Internet Addiction Has been successfully established as an Impulse Control Disorder in a court of law- St. of W. Virginia vs Scott Russell, 1998

  22. Assessment & Resources www.netaddiction.com www.virtual-addiction.com www.cyberwidows.com www.onlinesexaddict.com www.sexualrecovery.com www.porn-free.org (Christian-based)

  23. What makes the Internet so addictive?

  24. The Internet has unique visual and psychological qualities- In studying human behavior, researchers have found that-

  25. Somewhat like TV, but more powerful in it’s ability to ensnare it’s Users

  26. Hypno-visionTV – Introduction of Visual Media (1928)60 years before W.W.W. Orienting response Sensory Disorientation

  27. Orienting Response TV hijacks our instinctive visual & auditory reactions to any sudden or novel stimulus. TV action is timed to capture & fix this response. Sx: dilation of the blood vessels to the brain, slowing of the heart, and constriction of blood vessels to major muscle groups- lethargy

  28. Sensory Disorientation The TV watcher is visually and auditorily stimulated to react while remaining physically passive. This sensory disorientation confuses the mind & creates an almost hypnotic trance in the viewer.

  29. TV AS A DRUG

  30. TV vsINTERNET For the first time, more Americans see the Internet as the most important medium in their lives. Arbitron Inc. and Edison Media Research, 2010

  31. Increased Access79% usage

  32. Internet’s Unique Properties ● Orienting Response ● Sensory Disorientation Biochemical ● Infinite options ● Operant Conditioning ● Shock value ● Visual qualities- realism ● Time distortion

  33. Internet’s Unique Psychological Properties ● Interactive ● Social ● The ACE Model

  34. INFINITE OPTIONS

  35. Shock Value Cybersex Drug of Choice

  36. OPERANT CONDITIONINGInstant gratification and Reinforcement

  37. Visual qualities- realism

  38. Visual Fixation ●Graphics incredibly realistic, colorful and fantastical ● Men respond to visual stimuli with more vigor and speed than females ● Tunnel vision

  39. Brain Believes What it Sees-Stimulated

  40. Biochemistry • The brain is tricked into “fight-flight-mate” responses that triggers the release of brain chemicals that can be highly addictive • Dopamine: study found that dopamine levels doubled during play • Time limits increase- ^ Adrenaline “Jacked Up”- Stimulant

  41. Those with ADHD 2x’s as likely to become addicted to Internet! ● easily distracted● have an under-stimulated brain and are frequently seeking stimulation● always looking for something new and exciting● immediate rewards ● multiple windows with different activities ● get a lot of pleasure out of being in the state of hyperfocus● poorimpulse control *Yen, ’09

  42. Endorphins Serotonin XXX Dopamine Over time, the body develops tolerance to these “drugs” and needs more (i.e. time, freq., shock) to get the same “high,” avoid “withdrawal.”

  43. Psychoactive Qualities Dual-delivery ●Stimulant- jacked up, hyper-agitated ● Sedating- trancelike/dissociative state

  44. Cybersex “scrolling” Mindless “surfing” or “scrolling” back-and-forth eye movement similar to hypnosis, inducing an “entranced” or hypnotic state

  45. Entranced Dissociative: something about the individual's personality appears split off from the usual response patterns to the environment. Excessive Internet use is associated with higher levels of dissociative symptoms. Trance: a state in which the subject'sawareness and behavioral responding is altered from the usual.

  46. TIME DISTORTION Electronic Software Association (‘07) reports an aver. of 7.5 hrs of daily game play 70% report having played 10-20 hours straight

  47. INTERNET AS A DRUG methamphetamine

  48. Big Difference Internet’s Unique Psychological Properties Television is passive Internet is interactive and social

  49. Unique Addictive CharacteristicsKimberly Young, “Tangled in the Web,” 1998 Internet The ACE Model Anonymity Convenience Escape Addiction Center for Internet Addiction Recovery

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