Psychological Effects Of Pornography

“It can snatch any kid out of the home…It snatched me out of mine 20 years ago.” (Final Interview, 2:54-3:02 minutes). The addiction to pornography is often likened to that of a drug, “One should become addicted to it, and I look at this as kind of like an addiction. Like other kinds of addictions…you keep…I would keep looking for more potent, explicit, more graphic kinds of material. Like an addiction, you keep craving something that’s harder…something…which gives you a greater sense of excitement.” (Final Interview,

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

To begin, pornography has addictive characteristics and because of those characteristics intimate relationships often suffer. Today, men and women tend to become addicted to watching pornography and use it to masturbate. It has been proven that “problematic pornography is characterized by a predominant urge for behavioral engagement, referred to as a craving” (Allen 67). If both parties of a relationship have this urge or craving for pornography, this could cause their relationship to suffer. The sexual act lacks love and intimacy and becomes mechanical or second natured. Pornography has been compared to addiction and people who are addicted enable each other. Therefore, there is no

Mark Lasser’s book “Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction” there are 4 major themes being explored, Part One: What is Sexual Addiction? Here Dr. Lasser explains what sexual addiction is, and what the three building blocks of sexual addiction are “Sexual Fantasy, Pornography, and Masturbation”. (Lasser, 2004, pp 28)Lasser expands on the different types of sexual addiction, and give us understanding of the different characteristic of the addiction. Major theme part 2: “The Roots of Sexual Addiction”, here Lassser gives the roots of sexual addiction and explains the reasons

Love, T., Laier, C., Brand, M., Hatch, L., & Hajela, R. (2015). Neuroscience of Internet Pornography Addiction: A Review and Update. Behavioral Sciences, 5(3), 388–433. http://doi.org/10.3390/bs5030388

There have been many speculations about porn and its significance. Many would argue there is no sole purpose for it other then opening up doors for people to fantasize about things that generally do not happen in a normal sexual encounter. However, that is quite the contrary research has shown over the past decade that porn isn't entirely 100% bad. Although, there are negative connotations associated with porn especially for a female, researchers are finding that more

However, for the purpose of this paper, sexual addiction will be defined as a dysfunctional preoccupation with sexual fantasy, often in combination with the obsessive pursuit of casual or non-intimate sex; pornography; compulsive masturbation; romantic intensity and objectifies partner sex for a period of at least six months. This issue could be described as a prescriptive issue because it is addressing whether or not sexual addiction should be considered as an official disorder that is diagnosable and treatable. It can also be described as a descriptive issue in the way that sexual addiction is not currently explicitly listed as a subcategory of addiction in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which is problematic due to the generational changes in technology that has now allowed individuals to avoid the usual social inhibitors, and as a result has created a reality where sex is more available, accessible, and anonymous than ever before, (Hall,

Although the reader might think to himself/herself that it doesn't cure the ongoing questions and the need for answers about pornography and masturbation, we all have to keep in mind that this book is thoroughly scientific and approaches to answer the questions of what goes on in the brain when pornography consumes the brain. It is very fascinating and very

When it comes to relationships there are many things that need to be present in order for it to work out. You must have support from both sides and honesty is also a big factor. When pornography enters a relationship it can be destroyed and could possible ruin that relationship forever. This essay will be able to inform you of all the ways that pornography can and does ruin relationships. Support for this argument will be drawn from the following sources: Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, Love, Sex, and Health, and The Question of Pornography.

Pornography can physically change the brain. In the past few decades, a discovery has been found to have a better understanding of how the brain functions in what is called neuroplasticity, with “nuero” meaning the brain and “plasticity” meaning changeability (Doidge, preface). Doidge referenced this as to the brain playing a never-ending game of Tetris, always making new paths to one’s experience. Alongside the discovery of the neuroplasticity, it was found that pornography fills the brain with dopamine (Hilton, 2013, 5). Dopamine is a “chemical in your brain that affects your emotions, movements and your sensations of pleasure and pain” (Sorensen, 2015). With this dopamine chemical, it causes one’s emotions to run all over the place, and as time goes on, the more pornography one watches, the brain fights against the dopamine receptors (Watts and Hilton, 2011) and ultimately the pornography no longer seems to arouse, so one will search for more hard-core pornography to get the arousal feeling back (Angres and Bettinardi–Angres, 2008).

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

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

The many personalities of this world are phenomenal because they are all so different. Not one individual is the same, and that is one thing that makes the human brain as fascinating as it is. The human brain is quite beautiful; unfortunately, biochemical or other brain changes can alter proper functioning of the human brain, leading to mental disorders or diseases. Sexual addiction, although not always recognized, is a severe condition which affects many. Sexual addiction should be widely acknowledged as a severe issue because of its impact on the addict's nervous system, the root of its development, and its relevance to human behavior.

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

Victor B. Cline who specialized in treating patients with pornography addiction writes, “The first change that happened was an addiction effect. The porn-consumers got hooked. Once involved in pornographic materials, they kept coming back for more and still more…. The second phase was an escalation effect. With the passage of time, the addicted person required rougher, more explicit, more deviant, and “kinky” kinds of sexual material to get their “highs” and “sexual turn-ons.” It was reminiscent of individuals afflicted with drug addictions.… The third phase was desensitization. Material … which was originally perceived as shocking, taboo-breaking, illegal, repulsive, or immoral, in time, came to be seen as acceptable and commonplace.… The fourth phase was an increasing tendency to act out sexually the behaviors viewed in the pornography, including … frequenting massage parlors (Cline).” American culture has normalized addictive behavior by saying it’s “healthy” and “educational.” Pornography teaches boys and men to dehumanize women and children and turn them into objects of sexual fulfillment. It is threatening to society when young boys and men are in create find fulfillment from sexual gratification whether it be through pornographic content, paid sexual encounters, or forced sexual intercourse. When men actively engage in pornography it creates a narcissistic personality. Rather than seeing a young girl with