Are You a Consumer?

When was the last time you consumed porn on your phone, laptop, or tablet? Do you find you can’t keep those images out of your mind? By 11 years old, 51%(1) of boys have seen porn and by 17 years old, 79%(2) of young men have.

Pornography affects 93.2%(3) of men. While some casually view porn, many actually experience a real addiction to it. Society and pop culture perpetuate the belief that all men watch porn by making jokes and crude comments about it. To be a man, a good sexual partner and to satisfy your needs, porn is treated as normal and good—it’s even expected that you view it.

So, if everyone watches it, why should you stop?

Our culture presents a dangerous illusion. There’s nothing healthy or normal about pornography. In fact, porn is like a drug. It’s a powerful addiction that affects your mind and body. When you view porn, or even recall the images, your brain triggers the release of massive amounts of natural chemicals, like dopamine.(4) The rush feels amazing and you want the thrill back. You want the “high” and start consuming more porn and pushing the limits on what you view.

Did you know repeated consumption of porn will rewire your brain? Studies show it can actually make your brain smaller.(5) You’ll start to notice your brain is less active and struggles to focus on anything but pornographic images. If you keep consuming, you’ll start to feel disconnected from other humans. Eventually you could find yourself struggling to have sex. Yep— pornography-induced erectile dysfunction is real.(6) “Porn is such a ferocious competitor that hardly any other activity can compete with it, including actual sex with a real partner. That’s right; porn can actually overpower the brain’s natural ability to have real sex!”(7)

The porn industry doesn’t talk about that. One thing’s for certain, you are not alone in your addiction. It is possible to break the habit and there are countless people and resources to help you.

Visit www.fightthenewdrug.org or joinfortify.com to find resources to help you!

1 Bbfc. “Children See Pornography as Young as Seven, New Report Finds.” Home, BBFC, 26 Sept. 2019, https://www.bbfc.co.uk/about-us/news/children-see-pornography-as-young-as-seven-new-report-finds. | 2 Robb, Michael B, and Supreet Mann. “Teens and Pornography.” Edited by Jennifer Robb, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/, Common Sense Media, 2023, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/2022-teens-and-pornography-final-web.pdf. | 3 Sabina, Chiara, et al. “The Nature and Dynamics of Internet Pornography Exposure for Youth.” CyberPsychology & Behavior, vol. 11, no. 6, Dec. 2008, pp. 691–693., https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2007.0179. | 4 Laier, C., & Brand, M. (2017). Mood changes after watching pornography on the Internet are linked to tendencies towards Internet-pornography-viewing disorder. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 5, 9-13. doi:10.1016/j.abrep.2016.11.003 | 5 Kühn S, Gallinat J. Brain Structure and Functional Connectivity Associated With Pornography Consumption: The Brain on Porn. JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(7):827–834. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.93 | 6 Park, B. Y., Wilson, G., Berger, J., Christman, M., Reina, B., Bishop, F., Klam, W. P., & Doan, A. P. (2016). Is Internet Pornography Causing Sexual Dysfunctions? A Review with Clinical Reports. Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 6(3), 17. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs6030017 | 7 Volkow, N. D., Koob, G. F., & McLellan, A. T. (2016). Neurobiological Advances from the Brain Disease Model of Addiction. New England Journal of Medicine, 374, 363-371. DOI:10.1056/NEJMRA1511480