Kathleen Gallaher, Ph.D., discusses internet pornography addiction to approximately 100 seminarians and formation directors Feb. 18 at St. Paul’s College in Washington, D.C. Ms. Gallaher cited research that $3,000 per second is spent on internet pornography, and more than 25 million Americans spend 1-10 hours per week engaged with internet porn.

Kathy Gallaher, Ph.D., delivers a talk on the Internet sex addiction to seminarians and formation directors. The goal is to have the semianrians become effective ministers to those struggling with the addiction.

The statistics are staggering: U.S. adults spend more than $3,000 per second on Internet pornography; 25 million U.S. adults spend 1-10 hours per week engaged with Internet pornography; 10 percent of U.S. adults admit to an Internet sex addiction.

Addiction to Internet pornography is so pervasive that seminaries are searching for ways to provide future priests with the tools to aid those struggling with the addiction.

Achieving this goal was brought one step closer as almost 100 formation directors and seminarians gathered at St. Paul’s College in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18 for a workshop titled, “Caught in the Web: Internet Pornography Addiction and Resources for Healing.”

“The more we know, the more compassionate we can be when people come to us with these issues,” said seminar leader Kathleen Gallaher, Ph.D. “There are moral and religious issues regarding the use of money that goes into Internet pornography and the amount of time spent on it. … It can stack up to years of a person’s life and destroy relationships.”

Internet pornography goes far beyond the inquisitive adolescent male getting his first glimpse of a racy magazine, Ms. Gallaher said.

“The level of hard core exposure at such a young age without someone to process it with can really affect that person into adulthood,” she said.

Internet pornography is so compelling, said Ms. Gallaher, because of the anonymity (you don’t have to show yourself at a public place to obtain it), the accessibility (the Internet does not close), and the affordability (some sites are even free), and the instant gratification.

“You never get to the end of the Internet like you do a magazine,” she said. “There is no natural stopping point.”

Some of the tools Ms. Gallaher suggested to help those struggling with Internet sex addiction include:

• Using e-mail accounts with effective spam blockers (such as Yahoo)
• Installing filtering and tracking software
• Placing the computer in a public are in the home
• Placing a photo of a loved one near the computer
• Try an Internet fast: only log on when there is a specific goal to achieve
• Create a “first aid kit” for when you are struggling with your addiction: people to call who know your struggle; a list of 10 things you hate about being addicted to Internet porn; a favorite poem
• Keep a list of online and other resources for recovery to sex addiction, such as Sex Addicts Anonymous.

Father Dave Pivonka, T.O.R., brought 10 seminarians to the workshop because “they are going to be in ministry where people are struggling” with Internet sex addiction.

“The exposure to the issue and the tools to help others will help them be more effective ministers,” he said. “The issue is all pervasive. Someone they encounter will be affected by it.”

*Statistics gathered from MSNBC.com, toptenreview.com and alexa.com.