Dual Control Model

References

Importantly, at their core, the criteria describe the relationship between sexual distress or sexual impulses and the ability to control oneself sexually. Without this being specifically named in any way, this description reflects one of the most important theories in clinical sexual science — the Dual Control Model [32,33]. However, temporal persistence and negative consequences have to be part of the clinical picture in order for it to be categorized as a disorder2. Furthermore, the negative consequences should not be due to moral or religious attitudes that are hostile to sexuality, as such attitudes cannot be the basis of a psychiatric disorder2.

Briken, P. (2020). An integrated model to assess and treat compulsive sexual behaviour disorder. Nature Reviews Urology, 17. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-020-0343-7

Dual Process Theory

• We previously noted the widespread application of dual-process models in contemporary psychology (Loewenstein & O’Donoghue, 2007). The dual control model of sexual response and the dual-process model of human behavior share several traits. The dual control model describes response as a weighted relationship between sexual excitation and inhibition (Janssen & Bancroft, 2007). Both the dual-process model and dual control model are interactional models focusing on the relative influence of these two systems on each other...
  • Psychotherapy is unlikely to affect a client’s capacity for sexual excitation, but it can modulate the client’s sexual inhibition levels through reappraisal of sexual- performance threats or consequences. We hypothesize that sexual health can be improved by enhancing client self-regulation ingredients to rebalance the sexual excitation and inhibition interaction. Men with self-regulation deficits and higher than average sexual excitation levels are more likely to make an in-the-moment decision that contradicts their sexual and relationship agreements. For instance, people with low traits for self-control also report having low dispositional sexual restraint (Gailliot et al., 2007).
  • Plato used a similar metaphor in which the self (or soul) is a chariot, and the calm, rational part of the mind holds the reins. Plato’s charioteer had to control two horses: "The horse that is on the right, or nobler, side is upright in frame and well jointed, with a high neck and a regal nose; . . . he is a lover of honor with modesty and self-control; companion to true glory, he needs no whip, and is guided by verbal commands alone. The other horse is a crooked great jumble of limbs . . . companion to wild boasts and indecency, he is shaggy around the ears—deaf as a post—and just barely yields to horse-whip and goad combined." Haidt, Jonathan. The Happiness Hypothesis (pp. 15-16). Basic Books. Kindle Edition. [Quoting Plato, Phaedrus 253d, in Cooper, 1997.]

Douglas Braun-Harvey MA, MFT, CGP, CST, Michael A. Vigorito LMFT, LCPC, C. (2016). Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior: Rethinking Sex Addiction (Vol. 7, Issue 2). Springer Publishing Company.

Sexual Tipping Point

• See Perelman (2018) here. Also discussed in Briken, P. (2020). An integrated model to assess and treat compulsive sexual behaviour disorder. Nature Reviews Urology, 17. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-020-0343-7.

Notes

As Briken note, Urge Surfing and others skills can reduce Excitation. Since it works like a dimmer switch (Perelman), all you need to do is to reduce it a bit so that the balance doesn't tip. Also thinking about the negative consequences may be able to increase inhibition as in Douglas Braun et al cited above. Each side of scale includes both Mental & Physical. Also Background factors (like availability of pornography can be changed). @Editor.

From @Florin:

I would advise using a simplified and practical form of the model for the members such as "Prevent" (for inhibition) and "Promote" (for managing excitation) with practical advice such as below

Prevent (inhibition)

• remember how you're going to feel after you watch porn
• remember that porn can be addictive: you will want more of it and will get out of your control the more you use it
• remind yourself of your commitment to staying clean; remember your progress so far
• remember a past time when you were able to resist the urge.

Promote (excitation)

• use better ways to deal with stress: take deep breaths for 30 seconds, stretch for a minute

• use better ways to feel good: watch a comedy, call a good friend, eat something that you like, verbally praise yourself for your ability to resist urges.

• Use both prevention and promotion, keep doing what works.