Porn itself is not bad, rather, it is a matter of preference. Nevertheless, how you engage with it, can be catastrophic.
Dr. Prerna Kohli – PhD
With porn being easily accessible, more people are checking it out, and it is removing the taboo and allowing for discussions about sexuality. It is helping in normalizing desire and self-exploration. While the majority of people who watch porn can do so in a healthy manner, it can be a cause of concern for some.
The debate of the decade.
Is excessive viewing of pornography, an addiction? Porn addiction is not directly defined by diagnostic books as a true addiction. But an increasing number of researches shows, excessive viewing of porn as a symptom of porn addiction.
Porn taps into primitive instinctual drive- sex and is very reinforcing and hence, it can easily lead to addiction. Experts say the brain activity of porn addicts shows reward, memory and motivation circuit similar to people with drug or alcohol addiction.
Generally, an addiction is defined as a behavior that is repeated over and over again despite its negative consequences. Once a person becomes addict to pornography, they are unable to control the urge to watch pornography and despite the negative consequences they continue to view porn.
Porn Addiction and Rise in Anxiety
Anxiety in people with porn addiction increases when they are away from porn and also causes cravings. To relieve stress, addicts watch more and more porn to achieve the same dopamine levels, also known as tolerance.
Definition about how much porn is “too much porn” vary. But most experts agree when porn comes to interfere with day-to-day activities, it could be excessive viewing of porn. If pornography habits are causing you problems or someone you know, getting help is important.
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