Heartbreak

The Addiction That Destroys 1 In 5 Marriages, Accorrding To Research

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Man on computer stressed

Porn isn't a problem, right? Watching it is fun, not harmful, and this seems to be the general consensus. 

But according to research from the national counseling service, Relationship Australia, one in five couples have intimacy problems that were triggered by porn.

The study goes on to say that not only has porn led to a breakdown of trust and has affected intimacy; but porn is also being cited as a reason for the destruction of many marriages.

A woman named Peta (not her real name) spoke to News Corp Australia about how she believes internet porn ultimately destroyed her 22-year marriage since her husband chose watching porn over her. Peta says that her husband's whole demeanor changed after he became preoccupied with internet porn.

RELATED: 5 Shocking Porn Truths That May Send You Running For Help

"He became secretive and sneaky, he became more distant, he didn't treat me with love and respect anymore, he treated me as a thing. He used to be bubbly and outgoing and social, but it's like he just died inside. He's become hollow," Peta said her husband and how he refused to talk about what he was doing.

He'd shut her down when she tried to talk about it and started making unusual sexual requests of her.

Although Peta is now separated from her husband, she said she'd still be open to getting back together if he were willing to be honest about his porn-watching habits and to work on rebuilding her trust.

RELATED: 5 Signs Your Man Is Addicted To Porn

Hugh Martin of the Man Enough counseling service runs special clinics for men who experience relationship problems triggered by porn. Most of his clients are sent to him by their wives.

"What I have found in my work with couples, is that porn use that is not mutually agreed upon within the relationship comes under the category of infidelity. 

The lying, the emotional distancing, and the pain of learning about the betrayal feel exactly the same," says Martin.

Intimacy and trust are major elements to any successful relationship, and if your partner has a porn addiction they act shady about, it's easy to see how a relationship can be eroded.

RELATED: The Hard-To-Face Truth About Being Married To A Sex Addict

Christine Schoenwald is a writer, performer, and frequent contributor to YourTango. She's had articles featured in The Los Angeles Times, Salon, Bustle, Medium, Huffington Post, Business Insider, and Woman's Day, among many others.