Part One: Pornography and Its Effect on the Brain
With access to the internet literally in our pockets, information, shopping, and connection are only seconds away at all times. And while all of this access helps us and our world in so many ways, there is a very real threat that we have more access to than ever before - pornography. While some may brush off viewing pornography as “just porn” or “not a big deal,” the reality is that pornography negatively impacts individuals, our relationships, and society as a whole. Over this two part series, we will take a look at how pornography negatively affects individuals and relationships. We want to be transparent and upfront that pornography has very negative impacts, and as we’ll discuss in this article, viewing pornography has similar effects on the brain to using tobacco or other addictive substances. We want to encourage you that if you or someone you love is struggling with pornography use or addiction, you can break through and have freedom.
Before the rise of the internet, pornography was much more taboo. It was consumed or purchased in secret with much more difficult access, but in today’s digital society, it is everywhere, all the time. And with it, so are the negative impacts it has on individuals and their mental health.
Pornography changes your brain
There are two main ways in which pornography consumption changes our brains for the worse.
Solidified pathways through an over-production of Delta-FosB mean that it’s easy for pornography consumers to repeat the behavior over and over. We’ve all heard the phrase “just like riding a bike” in reference to something we learned a long time ago but is easy to repeat because we “just remember” how to do it. This happens because when we learn to do something new, particularly if it is fun and repetitive, our brains produce the chemical Delta-FosB, which makes the nerve pathways in our brain stay in place for a long period of time. This same concept applies to unhealthy behaviors, too. Pornography, whether we like to face this reality or not, is pleasurable and repetitive. This means that when a person consumes pornography, Delta-FosB is produced, solidifying the pathway in the brain that says, “Repeat this action again! It was fun!”
Supernormal imaging of pornography makes its consumption more “rewarding” than real life; hijacking our brain’s pleasure center. “Supernormal” is a phrase used to describe something that is an amplified version of reality. This applies to pornography because while it uses real humans, it only uses them in amplified, unrealistic ways, resulting in reality being less appealing. A way to think of it is this: If you only ate at five-star restaurants for a year, you probably would all of a sudden find your mom’s cooking lackluster. Pornography warps our sense of what real intimacy looks like because it exposes us to supernormal intimacy.
Pornography can become an addiction
Because of these changes to our brain chemistry when we consume pornography, it can become an addiction. In addition to Delta-FosB solidifying pathways in our brain when we complete a repetitive, pleasurable action, our brains also release dopamine when we consume addictive substances. The process of this is complex, and you can read more about it here, but the bottom-line is that your brain treats pornography like nicotine or another addictive substance. The brain releases dopamine when you consume it. Every time you have this dopamine release, you crave more and more dopamine, and eventually the substance causes you to make poor decisions in an effort to obtain your next high. People who consume porn are more likely to have trouble controlling other impulses as well because it causes their brain’s prefrontal cortex to have lower decision-making abilities. Pornographhy can be an addiction, and should be treated as such. Just as with any other type of addiction, please seek professional help for dealing with this. You can recover, and you don’t have to do it alone.
Pornography increases stress responses
Finally, if pornography consumption reaches an addictive state, it adds to a person’s stress response, making mental health issues appear or worsen. Stress can have some benefits, like pushing us to accomplish a goal, but when a person suffers from an addiction, stress only adds to the problem. Let’s say a person with a pornography addiction enters a stressful situation at work. Their reward center in their brain will seek dopamine to off-set the stress. Where do they get dopamine? Pornography. The more stress, the more they seek the addictive substance. Further, if they’re removed from the abused substance, they will feel stressed, causing them to want it even more. People with pornography addiction have been seen to undergo withdrawals similar to that of other drug addictions or people trying to quit smoking.
So what can be done?
All of this information is frightening for sure. With the prevalence of pornography and the ease with which it is accessed by anyone of any age at any time, it may feel hopeless. If your life is already being negatively affected by pornography, we want you to know that there is hope. We want you to live a life free from the oppression of pornography. We want your relationships to thrive, and we want your mental state to flourish. If you or someone you care about is struggling with pornography consumption or addiction, please reach out to one of our therapists. We have so many loving, compassionate professionals who would love to walk through healing with you.