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Advertising, video clips or even images on social media and platforms, many of which nowadays contain pornographic content. No matter where we go today, almost everywhere we go we are confronted with stimuli that appeal to our pleasure center in the brain, also known as the nucleus accumbens. Via free websites or social media such as X (formerly Twitter) or OF (Onlyfans), we have access to all kinds of porn 24 hours a day and use it to relieve stress, relax and possibly to distract ourselves from the negative experiences of the day. If the loneliness factor is added to this, we can quickly slip into a porn addiction. What exactly is porn addiction, when do you become addicted to porn and how can you free yourself from an addiction to porn? This article explores these and other questions.
The colloquial term pornography addiction is referred to by scientists as pornography use disorder. This is a so-called behavioral addiction. Today, it is considered the most common form of “disorder with compulsive sexual behavior”. In the new ICD-11 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems) of the World Health Organization (WHO), which came into force in 2022 and lists all diseases that the WHO officially considers to exist, the diagnosis “compulsive sexual behavior”(ICD-11 code 6C72) was included for the first time.
Compulsive sexual behavior in connection with porn addiction means that those affected cannot limit their consumption and watching porn is a compulsive behavior. In this context, loss of control is an important indication of porn addiction. It is striking that the consumption of pornography via the internet has increased significantly in recent years , especially among young men, and is often accompanied by compulsive sexual behavior.
Basically, pornography is not a bad thing per se, as it can be a good way to relieve stress, stimulate the imagination and increase pleasure. Also, not every man who watches porn from time to time is automatically a porn addict. However, it is a fact that people who are intensively involved with the internet and social media (perhaps for professional reasons), who spend a large part of their time in the digital world and at the same time have no support from their family or friends, hardly pursue any hobbies, find little fulfillment in work or school, are more susceptible to addictive behavior. In principle, porn addiction can develop at any age, in both men and women. Many of those affected use pornography to avoid bad feelings. Alcoholics or heroin addicts drink or take a shot to forget worries and frustration, while porn addicts use films to cover up unresolved problems and can thus forget them for a short time. A major cause of porn addiction is also the fact that the whole of social life is bombarded with pornographic content, everywhere and all the time. Almost everyone can easily access almost unlimited material without any major barriers, often free of charge or at least very cheaply.
Other possible causes of porn addiction include traumatic experiences in childhood or early negative experiences with sexuality and a resulting unhealthy relationship with one’s own sexuality. A lack of coping strategies in the areas of emotions and stress can also be a cause. Genetic dispositions, family crises or other stress factors also play an important role. Specific personality traits, such as high impulsivity, may also be the cause. There is also the possibility that pre-existing mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety disorders or other existing addictions may trigger or at least promote pornography addiction.
Anyone who suspects that they have slipped into porn addiction can look out for various physical and psychological symptoms. Physically, for example, severely delayed ejaculation or reduced sensitivity (due to overstimulation) can indicate porn addiction. Other symptoms include fatigue, sleep problems and poor concentration. In addition to physical symptoms, there are also psychological symptoms, such as low self-esteem, an increased sense of shame or a reduced libido. In addition, there may be a declining interest in sex with real partners in favor of porn, general motivation problems and fluctuating moods (from excited to depressed) to depression.
In principle, sex is fun and creates feelings of happiness for those who enjoy it. It makes us feel good and is healthy for body and mind. Alongside food, sex is considered the strongest “ignition key” for the human pleasure center. If something excites us sexually, the brain releases the happiness hormone dopamine and we want to have the resulting feeling as often as possible, even if we don’t have a sex partner. If we watch porn more often, masturbate and experience an orgasm, we can quickly get caught up in a maelstrom that eventually ends in addiction. Possible consequences can include neglecting work, social contacts and personal obligations. Those affected by pornography addiction usually withdraw from their previous social life and become isolated. This intensifies the loneliness that is already considered a trigger for pornography addiction. In addition, those affected often do not know how to deal with the emotions that arise and how to regulate them. Both can exacerbate porn addiction. These consequences can be observed above all in men who either live alone or share a place to live with their parents.
Porn can have negative consequences for the mental health of minors because it influences their sexual fantasies, attitudes and behavior. Pornographic websites turn the partner into a sexual object without any relationship. In addition, the porn industry gives users the impression that a person’s value is determined solely by their physical appearance. For young women in particular (but increasingly also young men), this is often the reason for beauty corrections such as breast augmentation, intimate bleaching or penis surgery.
Men who use porn to obtain frequent and long-lasting arousing emotional experiences run the risk of developing uncontrolled, hypersexual behavior, also known as sex addiction, which can put a heavy strain on a partnership and normal sexual behavior. Another consequence of excessive porn consumption can be erectile dysfunction. These are caused, among other things, by the idealization of porn actors, which leads to very high, often unattainable expectations of oneself. In addition, the sexual stimulation in reality does not match what you see in porn.
Porn addiction is a disease that can be treated with the help of therapy. In such therapy, those affected should first understand the causes of their addiction. The long-term goal is to achieve a change in behavioural patterns and to internalize healthy behaviours. This can be achieved, for example, by overcoming negative feelings, rediscovering one’s sexuality and paying more attention to one’s own sexual needs and treating them with respect. Other goals of therapy include strengthening social skills and learning how to maintain a normal relationship. There are different therapeutic approaches to pornography addiction and everyone should choose the therapy that is right for them.
Further information and reference links:
https://www.tk.de/techniker/magazin/digitale-gesundheit/spezial/mypornme/pornosucht-erkennen-ist-der-erste-schritt-2074170?tkcm=ab
https://www.aok.de/pk/magazin/koerper-psyche/sucht/koennen-pornos-suechtig-machen/
https://www.kranushealth.com/de/magazin/psyche/pornosucht-erektionsstoerung
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/1874574
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