Dispelling the Myths of Porn Addictions

Many people find it challenging to discuss pornography in public. It appears to be the subject of a social and cultural panic.

Porn is often demonised in articles and books on the topic, which incites fear. Through devices, pornography is now instantly accessible. If we believe that porn is available everywhere, just a few clicks away, and has already invaded the privacy of our homes, it is simple to become anxious about it.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on what pornography is. You can either watch it or not. I'm not bothered by it. I don't support or oppose porn. But what really annoys me is how many unreliable and unscientific facts there are out there about porn. The amount of false information is so great that it obscures the real science.

The purpose of this post is to reintroduce some facts into the discussion. Some of these realities might be upsetting. However, as a clinician, I am guided by clinical findings rather than by my own beliefs or those of others.

The reality of pornography

It is simple to demonise porn and blame it for all of the issues that exist in people's sex lives and romantic relationships. Anti-porn writings can definitely lead you in the wrong directions. Your sex issues, your relationship issues, or your sense of wellbeing won't be resolved by concentrating on quitting porn watching. You won't learn anything about your erotic mind, yourself, or how to accomplish psychological well-being from it. Being preoccupied with quitting porn would only teach you to suppress some aspects of your sexual mind, which will only prepare you to deal with them once more in the future, in different—possibly even worse—forms. I apologise for deflating the bubble.

Dispelling the myths of "porn addictions".

Poor society is made by porn.

Wrong. According to data, sexual crimes are less common in areas with greater access to pornographic material.

Objectification results from porn.

Wrong. Focusing on a specific body part and treating it like a sexual object without taking into account the entire human being is called objectification. Men and women, including those who don't watch porn, objectify, according to research on sexual fantasies. In fact, it appears that objectification is a component of arousal and sexual desire. A great example of objectifying women that seems acceptable is the Diet Coke commercial in which the male model strips off his shirt to the delight of the women lusting after him. Though some folks may objectify more than others, it is generally considered to be a normal human behaviour.

Due to the prevalence of men who sexually assault women, it is understandable that when men objectify, it can be seen as more threatening. It's true that some men can go over the line between playful objectification and intimidating women.

Another intriguing study reveals that viewers of porn pay more attention to the faces of porn actors than their genitalia because this is what makes them feel most aroused, suggesting that there is an emotional element to watching porn. On a psychological level, both men and women have erotic fantasies.

Pornography causes issues in relationships.

Wrong. Porn is a quick and easy way to end a relationship if there are issues, but it doesn't cause issues in relationships. Other factors, such as sexual shame, strict morals, contempt, anger, power struggles, low self-esteem, false beliefs about sex and relationships, insecurities, to name a few, also contribute to relationship issues.

Erection problems are brought on by porn.

Wrong: This is a widely held misconception that is unfounded in fact and is supported by anti-porn campaigns. Even an acronym was developed to make it seem more plausible: Porn-Induced Erectile Dysfunction, or PIED. Several academic studies have disproved that rumour. In actuality, watching porn is less likely to cause erection issues than being shamed for it. Additionally, the study of sexology has established that porn does not lead to issues with either sexuality or mental health. Because porn is the easiest way to enjoy one's sexuality without worrying about "performance," it is more enjoyable for men who struggle with erection issues and other sexual issues.

Demonizing porn won't solve the sexual issues; on the contrary, it might make them worse. Sex-positive psychosexual therapy is the most effective treatment for sexual issues.

The brain must be reset because porn "porn-ifies" and negatively rewires it.

Wrong. Another widely held belief that has no scientific foundation is this one. Again, I'm going to deflate your bubble: There is no restart button in the brain because it is not a computer. Instead, the brain is constantly evolving. When we watch something which makes us feel titillated, it usually stays in our memories and draws us back because it is enjoyable and entertaining.

The same thing occurs when we watch something that makes us uncomfortable; we usually stop watching it and never resume it (which disproves another inaccurate view that porn habits escalate to illegal territories).

With every experience we have, the brain continues to develop. Porn will keep getting more alluring if we continue to have anxious experiences engaging in sexual activity with an individual and anxiety-free watching porn. Your brain won't reboot if you stop watching porn and masturbating for 90 days. In fact, it will make you feel more anxious and ashamed about your sexuality. The main issue, in fact, is that it won't teach you how to have sex with partners in a way that really turns you on while being anxiety-free.

Watching porn can result in sexual misconduct and violence against women.

Wrong. This is possibly the most alarmist anti-porn propaganda. Actually, reliable research repeatedly shows the opposite. Masturbating while watching porn is not pathological and does not signify psychological issues. Numerous academic studies have demonstrated that porn watchers do not hold more misogynistic attitudes toward women than non-watchers. Men who watch porn tend to have more socially progressive views toward women, according to some fascinating and unexpected research.

Porn is a drug.

Wrong. A more well myth rooted in moral judgments rather than facts is this one. All psychological and medical organisations consistently reject the notion of "pornography addiction" because there is no scientific proof that porn has addictive qualities. The World Health Organization (WHO) has explicitly rejected the concepts of "sex addiction" and "porn addiction" and agreed on clinical guidelines for compulsive sexual activities (ICD-11), which were driven by scientific data.

Numerous "studies" and "brain scans" are frequently cited by anti-porn and anti-masturbation organisations, books, and other sources to support their claims. Don't let it intimidate you! Because of their flawed methodologies and failure to assess the connection between porn, masturbation, and sexual satisfaction, the majority of "studies" mentioned in those websites and journals are not scientifically sound. Additionally, they mix up correlation and causation. They disregard a number of crucial facts.

How to deal with the true problems with porn

Of course, a lot of people do have problems with their use of porn. Stopping the porn panic and concentrating on the real problems instead—poor sex education, associated with sex shame, morality (or religious) value systems about porn, the unsafe relationship dynamic with a partner(s), the dissatisfying sex life with a partner(s), and well before sexual issues—will best serve the public because it is neither an addiction nor a character defect. Find a sex-positive psychosexual and relationship counsellor who does not adhere to the addiction paradigm.

https://www.recoverydirect.co.za/top-10-tips-for-porn-addiction-recovery/

https://telegra.ph/Cape-Towns-Top-Rehab-Facilities-Database-11-04

https://telegra.ph/Why-do-some-people-have-a-higher-risk-of-addiction-11-04