Television presenter and former Strictly Come Dancing champion Ore Oduba has sent shockwaves through the public this week with a deeply personal confession. The 39-year-old revealed he secretly battled a three-decade-long addiction to pornography, a struggle he hid from everyone close to him.
Oduba admitted he was 'absolutely overwhelmed' by the public's 'incredible' response to his disclosure. His addiction, which began at the shockingly young age of nine, systematically destroyed his life 'from the inside out', leading to intense self-loathing and even suicidal thoughts.
The Hidden Epidemic in the UK
While many people watch pornography without issue, experts are sounding the alarm about a growing number of Britons for whom consumption is becoming a serious problem. Current estimates suggest that problematic porn usage affects one in 20 people in Britain, though the true scale of the addiction remains unknown.
The issue is particularly acute among younger generations. A 2023 study by the charity Dignify found that more than a fifth of 14 to 18-year-olds in the UK watch porn frequently, with one in ten of those young people reporting they felt addicted to it.
Recognising the Signs of Addiction
Psychotherapists identify several key indicators that a person's relationship with pornography has become unhealthy. A major red flag is a reduced interest in sexual activity with a real-life partner. Dr Paula Hall, of the online therapy programme Pivotal Recovery, explains that the brain can become conditioned to be aroused only by the specific circumstances of viewing porn, making real-life intimacy difficult.
Other warning signs include spending excessive time alone with devices and becoming protective over them, using porn to cope with negative emotions like stress or anxiety, and finding that the habit is starting to damage relationships or work performance. In extreme cases, some individuals watched X-rated content for up to 14 hours a day.
Perhaps most dangerously, addicts often find they need to seek out more novel or extreme material to achieve the same 'fix'. Nathan Jones, clinical director of the London Centre for Addictions, has treated patients who escalated to viewing illegal content, highlighting the slippery slope of dependency.
The Road to Recovery
For Ore Oduba, the turning point came after a period of profound personal crisis, following his father's death and the end of his marriage. Now 18 months 'sober', his primary motivation for speaking out is to protect his own children and help others facing similar battles.
Overcoming such an addiction begins with acknowledging the problem. Dr Hall recommends setting a porn-free goal and filling your time with other activities to identify and manage triggers. For deeper issues, professional help may be necessary to address underlying causes like anxiety or low self-esteem.
While new age verification laws for porn sites in the UK aim to protect minors, experts note a sharp rise in the use of VPNs to bypass these restrictions, indicating that legislative solutions alone are insufficient to tackle this complex and deeply personal health issue.
