Pornography is so easy for people to access in today’s society. It simply takes a few moments and you can view millions of pornographic images, videos, and other content with few restrictions. We all understand that this is widespread, but do we really know the effects that this can have and are currently having on society?

If you are dealing with porn addiction, or suspect that you are — we recommend you seek help through avenues such as your GP, or a professional specialised in pornography addiction.

Watching porn can be addictive

• When you watch porn, dopamine is released, thus creating a natural high. As with any highs this feeling can be addictive, particularly when used as a way to deal with stress, anxiety or depression. As this action is repeated more and more, it becomes easier and more desired for the brain.

Porn can desensitise you to violence

• Much pornographic material has a violent nature, which such violence often being directed towards women. This goes a way to normalising such behaviour, with watchers thinking it is appropriate and normal to behave more violently towards their partners. This can be very dangerous for partners, particularly women, who are more likely to be subject to abusive and violent behaviour which is construed as ‘normal’.

Porn skews your reality

• There are many typical constructions of what sex, ‘attractive’ bodies, and behaviour when engaging in sexual activities Many fail to remember that porn is created to be highly stimulating and fantastical, therefore leading to unrealistic expectations both of their partner and their own body, performance, and more. Such a skewed concept of reality can cause watchers to feel insecure, and also cause their partners to feel insecure by expecting them to perpetuate these unrealistic expectations.  

Porn can desensitise you to sex

• Due to the very high levels of stimulation usually experienced by watching porn (again, due to it’s fantastical nature), this can mean that when sex occurs in real life, those addicted to porn can feel under-stimulated. Such can result in issues including erectile disfunction — for example a recent study found that up to 40% of men who watched 40 minutes of porn a day had erectile disfunction, compared with 10% of men who watched under 30minutes a week.

Porn impacts your long-term relationships

• It is undeniable that the above impacts will impact your relationships, particularly those you are seeking to be long-term. So it is important to consider this when looking at your consumption of pornography, and really understand the impact this can have on your partner.

There is not a problem with watching pornographic material, and of course watching porn does not mean you immediately feel all of the effects outlined – but we should all be aware of the influence this is capable of having!

Jessica Hobbis