Pornography Addiction Side Effects
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What are the Pornography addiction side effects?
Are there side effects to viewing Pornography? Is it dangerous? The answer is yes, there are side effects, and the damage they do is horrible. Continued exposure to Pornography damages the individual, his relationships and family, and even the community. How? Here are some of the ways:
How is a person as an individual harmed by Pornography?
Pornography is as addictive as drugs and causes similar effects in the brain. Just as drugs cause a release of dopamine, so too does Pornography. That may sound good, but it's not. Just as drugs cause an actual, physical restructuring of the brain, so too does Pornography. And since both drugs and Pornography can create an addiction, both can cause our frontal lobes to shrink. Since that's the part of our brain that helps us think logically, addictions (including those to Pornography) can result in our making poorer decisions. And just as trying to stop drugs can cause a person to go through withdrawal symptoms, so too can trying to stop Pornography.
Pornography and drugs have something else in common: a person can become increasingly tolerant of them, meaning that the person needs stronger forms of stimulation in order to get the same high. In the case of Pornography, this can mean seeking and viewing more extreme, more violent, and more shocking Pornographic media.1
But the damage doesn't stop there. It alters a person's view of reality. It destroys relationships. It can cost a person his wife, much of his money, or his job2 . It can lead to illicit sexual behavior 3 which increases the risk of STDs, damaged relationships and feelings of low self-worth. It also affects a person's relationship with God.4
How are relationships harmed by Pornography?
A wise man has said that “prostituting the true meaning of love . . . destroys . . . faith in those we love. It shakes the pillars of trust upon which present—or future—love is built, and it takes a long time to rebuild that trust when it is lost.”5
The website, FightTheNewDrug.org, states that “Research has found that after men are exposed to Pornography, they rate themselves as less in love with their partner than men who didn’t see any Pornography. . . . On top of that, another study found that after being exposed to Pornographic images, people were more critical of their partner’s appearance, sexual curiosity, sexual performance, and displays of affection. . . .”6
Pornography can destroy marriages and dating relationships and cause pain and heartache in a spouse, significant other or children. It and the perverted sexuality it portrays lessens one’s ability to enjoy healthy, real relationships.
As an added punch against the person viewing Pornography, the damaged relationships can lead to decreased emotional well-being. This is because our relationships with others significantly affect our happiness and ability to cope with life. Thus, Pornography not only destroys the most important relationships in a person’s life, it also destroys the person’s life.
How are communities harmed by Pornography?
Since the family is the fundamental building block of society, and Pornography can destroy families, Pornography can also destroy society. It can lead to greater emotional trauma and less trust in other people. It can also distort the way a person views others. Thus, it affects the interactions of people in the community.
Additionally, Pornography viewing is linked to sexual offenses and violent Pornography is connected to rape.7 This means that Pornography can actually lead to crime.
The side effects of Pornography truly hurt the individuals who view it and their relationships with others. It can also damage their community.
There is help:
If you view Pornography or may have a sex addiction, please call Paradise Creek Recovery now for help: (855) 442-1912.
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References
1 See the blog posts at http://www.fightthenewdrug.org/category/get-the-facts/brain/
2 www.frc.org/onepagers/the-effects-of-pornography-on-individuals-marriage-family-and-community
3 www.wral.com/news/local/story/7611644/
4 www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/pornography?lang=eng
5 www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/place-no-more-for-the-enemy-of-my-soul?lang=eng
6www.fightthenewdrug.org/porn-kills-love-2/
7www.frc.org/onepagers/the-effects-of-pornography-on-individuals-marriage-family-and-community
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