Assessment

The scientific limits of self-assessment and screening tools, and why this site does not offer a self-diagnosis tool.

Why there is no self-diagnosis tool here

This knowledge base deliberately does not provide a self-test, quiz, or score-based "are you addicted?" tool. There are several reasons:

• Self-report is not diagnosis. Validated clinical tools — such as structured clinical interviews — are designed to be administered and interpreted by trained professionals. A self-administered checklist cannot replicate this.
• Self-perception is biased. Research shows that whether a person labels themselves "addicted" is strongly influenced by moral incongruence — the gap between their values and their behaviour — and is only modestly related to how much pornography they actually use.
• No single score captures distress and impairment. Whether behaviour is a clinical problem depends on distress and life impairment, which a fixed score cannot reliably measure.

What validated tools actually do

Research instruments such as the PPCS measure problematic pornography use in research settings. They are useful for population-level study, but they are not diagnostic tools for individuals.

What to do if you are concerned

If pornography use is causing you significant distress, interfering with your life, or co-occurring with low mood or anxiety, the appropriate step is to speak with a qualified professional. See when and how to seek professional help.

This site is educational. It is not a medical site, not a diagnosis tool, and not a treatment program. See the full disclaimer and the main site for practical recovery guidance.