How Does Pornography Change The Brain

Pornography is commonly used in many cultures across the world. Within the United States, alone, roughly 40 million people regularly visit porn sites (Streep, 2014). And yet, despite its growing popularity, only a handful of studies have explored pornography’s potential effects on sexual satisfaction for those in exclusive relationships (Bridges & Morokoff, 2011; Daneback et al., 2009; Maddox et al., 2011; Stewart & Szymanski, 2012; Stulhofer et al., 2010; Zillmann & Bryant, 1988). As using pornography can potentially have negative effects on both the user’s and their intimate partner’s sexual satisfaction, it is important to

In this essay I will discuss how pornography harms women in reference to A. W. Eatons paper, A Sensible Antiporn Feminism.  Eaton explains that pornography harms women by impairing their ability to pursue their interests. She does this by outlining the Harm Hypothesis, addressing and resolving issues commonly raised by critics of antiporn feminism, and then discussing the harms that are caused. I will then consider an objection raised by Cooke, and how it is unsuccessful.

It’s normal for a man or a woman to lust after the opposite sex but with pornography it becomes unhealthy. This is so because it’s all you want to watch, other people having intercourse with other people. Adults and/or kids escape to this world because they themselves can’t have a normal, healthy relationship with someone. It’s easy to stumble upon the material with the internet around but its accessibility to kids it’s an easily controlling addiction.

Pornographic videos in today’s society have become more and more accessible to everyone from pre-teens to older adults, essentially anyone who has access to the internet on either a phone or a computer they have the ability to access pornography. While most of us think adolescents view porn when they are older; O’Sullivan and Ronis (2013) found that viewing of pornography begins at early ages. In exploring viewing rates of pornography by adolescents, O’Sullivan and Ronis (2013) found that 85% of boys and 42% of girls have viewed pornography intentionally. It is clear that pornography is reaching young boys and girls at younger and younger ages and is becoming the main source of sexual education for them as well as for adults (Vannier, Currie, and O’Sullivan, 2013). It is a very tight rope we walk when consuming pornography. Often the images and representations of what the pornography industry views as intercourse distorts our own views of intercourse and what relationships aught to look like which has a profound negative effect on relationships (Grov, Gillespie, Royce, and Lever, 2011). How deep exactly does the influence of pornography go? Pornography has a major influence in how we view ourselves, our views of sex and relationships. Pornography is not the only culprit in this situation; we internalize the messages given to us by media as well as pornography (Simon and Gagon 2003). By internalizing these messages, we distort how we view ourselves and how we view our

The human race wouldn’t be where it is today without the evolvement of the brain. But unfortunately, as astonishing as the brain is, different chemicals released can affect our abilities and choices so easily. An adrenaline rush is a sudden increase in the secretion of adrenaline from the adrenal glands. This happens when the brain communicates to the glands that there will be a need for a fight-or-flight response. (Brogaard). Serotonin is regarded by some researchers as a chemical that is responsible for maintaining mood balance, and that a deficit of serotonin leads to depression (McIntosh). Another influential chemical released to the brain is dopamine. Otherwise known as the reward chemical, dopamine is the brain’s way of making us feel good. Dopamine has the ability to rewire the neurons in the brain to connect memories or feelings with substances, such as eating something delicious. “The spontaneous neural activity of dopamine neurons is greater in adolescents than juveniles or adults” (Sturman and Bita). This translates to teenagers having a higher tendency to get addicted to the release of dopamine through examples of enjoyment such as eating, drugs, and, of course, pornography. The brain gets overwhelmed by the constant overload of dopamine, and it fights back by taking away some of the dopamine receptors. With fewer receptors and the same levels of pornography releasing the constant levels of dopamine, viewers (especially adolescents) don’t get as excited and tend to go looking for more hardcore pornography for stronger releases of the reward complex. As another side affect, regular activities that would usually cause healthy releases of dopamine, such as laughing or seeing a loved one, don’t have the same reward release and make the addicted user unhappy or uneasy whenever they go for awhile without seeing pornography. (Fight the New Drug). It might be hard to

Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain is a book that was written by William Struthers. Struthers is a professor of psychology at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. He teaches courses on the subjects of behavioral neuroscience, addictions within men, and biological bases of behavior. The student has read the book in its entirety.

While it is agreed that hyper-sexuality exits, many scientists dispute the absence of clinical evidence that is typically associated with an addict and his/her addiction (Hall, 2011). Although history has recorded ancient texts, such as satyriasis in men and nymphomania in women, by linking sexually addictive behavior, (Riemersma & Sytsma, 2013) clinicians faces challenges of relating “addiction” to “sexual behaviors that feel out of control” (Hall, 2011). The topic sexual addiction was covered in a recent movie fittingly titled Addiction. The premise of the film follows a once monogamist married woman fighting the urge of her sexual fantasies that were caused by a childhood rape. The film showed a darker side of one of many psychological factors that can lead to sexual addiction. Childhood trauma can cause such compulsion. Research suggests that children that has grown up in homes that were lacking the expression of love and emotional support, sex becomes a replacement for that sense of need. Also, children that may have been exposed to sex in inappropriate ways can therefore lead them to seek pleasure. Sex addiction relates to those who have been mentally bruised sexually as a child which is more than half of society. It is suggested in the article, Sexual and Relationship Therapy, that “the addiction is not necessarily a pleasure seeking strategy but a survival strategy” (Hall, 2011). Hall points out that sexual behavior may

CBT in compulsive sexual behaviors obtains treatment with substance use for the disorder, and as well as focus on identifying triggers that cause these certain sexual behaviors for individuals. It happens to speak on cognitive distortions that play a part in sexual behaviors. This article contains data and studies that helps figure out sexual addiction. The Understanding and Managing Compulsive Sexual Behaviors article happens to revolve around psychological and sociological perspectives to comprehend one obstacle and that is sexual addiction. The article invests solely on clinical features of the commodity that is sexual behavior, but also on the psychological and pharmacological treatment that intertwines with sexual addiction. The liking

They explain how, in recent years, the pornographic marketing scheme, along with the internet’s global communication and sharing versatility, is designed to increase pornographic ratings in the young and adult alike. The authors describe how pornographic material is used in different stages of life, the social and personal factors that exacerbate the psychological need for pornography, and the extent to which pornography negatively impacts a variety of, seemingly disconnected, areas in the subject’s life. However, the source for this study are not children or adolescents, but primarily adult males, married and some with children. Nonetheless, both age groups share the same dualistic psychological/social patterns that trigger the constant use of pornography and their hidden shame of

Obscene and pornographic material are relevant and applied to many aspects of life. The adult film industry brings in approximately 12.6 billion dollars a year (Tibbals) from the United States alone, and that is not inclusive of the revenue increase from sexually endorsed advertisements and products. On a global scale, the industry produces about 97 billion dollars in revenue. The industry contributes greatly to the economy and has several benefits, but also has other aspects regarding mental health, physical health, relationships, and feminism. To fully grasp the effect of the pornographic industry, all factors must be evaluated.

There is very little scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of biological treatments for pornography addiction. Though several related studies have been conducted, the focus of these studies was not specifically on pornography addiction, but sexual addiction in general. Additionally, they lacked validity as they were either case studies or small-scale studies, involving less than 30 participants. Conducting a large-scale study may not be feasible at this point of time, as not many people with pornography addiction are willing to seek medical advice, let alone participate in research studies.

Many people would agree that if pornagraphy was negatively effecting people we need to look into it more and administer more research. What many people don’t realize is that porn has already been proven to poorly affect people who view it in multiple ways. Neuroscientists are looking at research that is comparing porn to a drug in the sense that it is an extremely addictive substance. Along with that there are studies that are showing, much like drugs, people who view porn develop a tolerance to it and they begin wanting content that is more perverse, and more abnormal. (frc.org) Some people are referring to porn as “the new drug.” This may not be seen as a problem because for these reasons it is not intruding upon other people’s moral rights. This may be true to a point, but I think the effects of pornography speak for themselves.

In recent years, the term pornography has been primarily associated with that which is accessed and streamed over the internet, rather than the literal definition of, “obscene writings, drawings, photographs, or the like, especially those having little or not artistic merit.” This form of visual pornography is a popular and successful business as it is viewed for fulfilling pent up sexual desires, however it promotes the act of having multiple sex partners without the need of any commitment. Although it is for this reason that this business is permitted, there are many overlooked, long – term affects that have become topics of controversy. Not only does pornography affect those who indulge in it, but it can influence those who divulge

Scott Taylor Deseret News.  (2009, December 9). Study says porn damages mind, heart. Deseret News,B.2.  Retrieved March 15, 2010, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 1917536931

Pornography has strong influences over its viewers. Recent research has been done in attempt to find the link between sexually explicit material and how exposure to it has caused changes in a person’s aggression level toward women, and one’s cognitive development of sexual and social standards and expectations. The findings are grounds for advising trying to regulate the accessibility of pornography to minors to avoid these potentially harmful influences. Although, during adolescence, usually centered between the ages of 13 and 19, sexual curiosity is expected, compulsive curiosity to sexual material that is not most realistic in nature can cause unrealistic views of women and sex roles. These impacts are happening in the plastic minds of 13 and 19-year-old web surfers who are unaware of the effects taking place. Child pornography is a form of child sexual abuse. Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor less than 18 years old. Progressively, child pornography laws are being used to punish the utilization of computer technology and the Internet to get, share, and appropriate pornographic material including kids, including pictures and movies. Having a violation of federal child pornography laws is a serious crime and first time offenders found guilty of producing child