There is generally a negative undertone to the word “porn”. However, much of this negativity comes from a moral perspective, or even from people who are just grossed out by the idea. But what amount the impact porn has on your wellbeing. Does watching porn have a negative influence on your mental or sexual health? And does this influence change between teenagers and adults? Let’s take a closer look at the health impacts of watching porn.
According to award-winning wellness writer Hope Gillette, ‘Despite the rumours, pornography is not just for the sexually depraved as some would believe. Many healthy individuals and couples indulge in internet or video porn. To understand who is watching porn, it is important to first understand what it is, as everyone has a slightly different opinion on the topic. By definition, pornography is “the depiction of erotic behaviour (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement.” That being said, many things can be classified as pornography, especially certain genres of books, movies, cartoons, and photographs. And just as there are many different forms of porn, it can affect men, women and young adults all differently.’
The main group people often associate with watching porn is teenagers, especially as the internet has made it so easy to access pornographic images and videos. In Australia, a study recently found that teenagers who watched porn were more likely to engage in similar, real-life sexual behaviours. The researchers found that teens who watched pornography ‘were more likely to have higher numbers of sexual partners, engage in a wider diversity of sexual practices, and use alcohol or drugs in association with sexual encounters.’ As you might expect, these teenagers were also more likely to have a high occurrence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
However, Gillette comments, ‘Though the research indicated exposure to sexually explicit images may result in earlier sexual experiences, it did not prove that watching porn causes any harm to teens, but rather only exposes them to the risks associated with being sexually active.’ Moreover, Psychology Today points out that, contrary to some social conservative statements, watching porn does not result in higher rates of rape or sexual irresponsibility among teens. In fact, there are fewer instances of such behaviours, and teenage use of condoms is on the rise. Psychology Today adds that, in a Swedish study, the teenage participants were able to easily distinguish between fantasies online and real relationships.
So what about adults? ‘The first major issue when it comes to adults and pornography is that of addiction,’ says Gillette. ‘Like many feel-good activities and drugs, addiction to porn is entirely possible. The Sexual Recovery Institute states porn addicts behave in the same manner as people who have chemical addictions; they replace their meaningful relationships and activities with their addiction. Porn addicts are usually isolated and can spend hours or even days locked away from social contact while they feed their addiction. Just like alcoholics or drug abusers, porn addicts often need professional assistance to overcome their issue.’
As well as this, being addicted to porn can lead to problems in the bedroom, as men who watch too much porn seem to have a lower sex drive. Marnia Robinson, co-author of Cupid’s Poisoned Arrow: From Habits to Harmony in Sexual Relationships, explains, ‘There are young guys who have grown up wired to high-speed Internet porn. [A recent] survey matches up with what we have been seeing for years—that that these guys are having addiction symptoms. The experts were telling them, “Take a Viagra” and “You just have performance anxiety.” Well you obviously don’t have performance anxiety with your own hand.’