The New Drug How to fight Pornography Addiction
The New Drug
How to Fight PornographyAddiction Introduction: In this book you will learn about a disease that is rapidly spreading throughout the world. The addiction to porn is as serious as any other addiction, creating conflicts in both personal and workplace environments. What this book is aimed to accomplish is both inform and provide options for help to those that are either personaly affected by the addiction or are close to someone who is. Within this book you will find background information as well as proposed solutions that could help eliminate this problem.
History
Scope
Ramifications
History Pornography has been traced to exist as far back as the first intelligible signs of humanity. Author George R. Scott asserts that the first pornographic picture was drawn by cavemen. One of the earliest, man-made depictions of the naked body is a 4-inch statue discovered in the banks of the Danube River in Austria, said to be over 25,000 years old. Greeks and Romans left behind countless depictions of heterosexual sex, homosexual sex, oral sex, orgies and more. The largest collection of antique erotica came out of the ancient city of Pompeii, where excavators found hundreds of sexually explicit images, sculptures and frescoes lining the walls of bathhouses, brothels and homes. Before the technology age, people had to go to great lengths in order to obtain pornographic materials, usually at great risk. In 1849, the daguerreotype was introduced (first photograph) which quickly became a medium for nude and sensual photographs. Originally, pornography was all in print. Then film made pornography a bigger problem. In 1896 when film came into play, Thomas Edison’s The Kiss was made commercially portraying cinema’s first kiss. In the early 1900s, “stag films” were produced depicting raw sexuality. “Stag” films were illegal at that time. In 1951, movie ratings were created to protect people from pornography. Home video allowed viewers to customize their viewing of pornographic film in their own home. The worldwide web hit in 1991 and the first porn site went up in 1994. By 2012 Xvideos was the largest porn site with 4.4 billion page views per month. Today, scientists and brain experts are finally realizing that the effects of pornography can be severely addicting and harmful. Sexologist Pattin Britton, Ph.D, said, “As a board-certified clinical sexologist, I can tell you that it is common knowledge in my field that sexually explicit films and videos are often recommended as a mode of treatment for couples or individuals with clinical sexual problems.” Probably the biggest contributor to today’s pornography problem is technology, namely, the Internet. Today, pornography is at everyone’s fingertips. People used to have to buy printed materials by showing an ID; now children who can work a Smartphone have access to it. With the ease of the Internet, children can view explicit material with a device they can keep in their pocket. Not only are explicit videos and pictures widely available, people can create and widely spread their own pornographic material with the use of apps like Snapchat and YouTube. Because of the ease of spreading information, sexting opens the paths for anonymous pornography to be spread and unwanted sexual material to be received. Today’s technology has made it possible for these text messages, videos, and images to go unchecked. Teens know that they can send these images without ever being caught. Technology travels quickly, and as such, cannot always be traced back. Technology has made the pornography problem overwhelming and out of control, because policing the Internet is extremely hard to do.
Scope Pornography in our day is completely different than it was even 20 years ago. With new, cutting -edge technology improving everyday, the pornography issue has never been more widespread. A Widespread Problem Access to pornography used to be a much more difficult process. In today’s world, an eight-year-old child can pull up any image or website with a smart phone. The addition of the Internet to our society has led to rampant pornography use. It is estimated that well over 60 million people in the U.S. purposely visit Internet porn sites, with 40 million adults in the U.S. visiting Internet pornography sites on a regular basis (“Porn Addiction”). In December 2005 alone, there were a reported 63.4 million unique visitors to adult websites, viewing over 15 billion pages of adult content (Alex). Every second, at least 28,000 people are watching pornography on the Internet (Grady). Additionally, one in five Internet searches on a mobile device are for pornography (“Porn Addiction”). Although the Internet can be used for an innumerable amount of good activities, pornography is still a huge draw. 35% of Internet downloads is porn-related, 30% of all data transferred through the Internet is porn-related, and 25% of Internet searches are for pornography (“10 Porn Stats”). Not everyone using the Internet is looking for pornography; however, unfortunately, sometimes that’s what they get, as 34% of Internet users are exposed to unwanted porn through pop-ups and ads (“10 Porn Stats”). Pornography at Home Pornography has been proven to adversely affect marriages, often breaking couples apart. Pornography has increased marriage infidelity 300% (“10 Porn Stats”). Men who are happily married are 61% less likely to look at porn, and those who have committed adultery are 218% more likely to view porn (“Pornography Statistics”). According to the National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families, 2010, 47 % of U.S. families reported that pornography was a problem in their home (Grady). Pornography not only affects spouses, but also children, as they often are accidentally exposed to pornography in their home at a young age. Pornography at Work Those addicted to pornography often find that they can’t stay away from it, even in the workplace. An alarming 20% of men admit to viewing pornography at work (“Porn Addiction”). Pornography use at work can lead to a poor work ethic, distractions, and poor reviews. Pornography Among Teens and Children The pornography issue is extremely disturbing in regards to today’s youth. Nine out of ten boys are exposed to some form of pornography before the age of 18, and on average, a male’s first exposure to pornography is at 12 years old (“Porn Addiction”). Teenage boys, 12-17 years old, have the highest risk of developing a porn addiction, and are the largest consumer group of pornography (“Facts and Figures”). This is a growing problem for male teens. Six out of ten girls are exposed to pornography before 18 years old (“Porn Addiction”). With no open communication about pornography and sex, teenagers report using pornographic sites to learn more about sex instead of talking to their parents, teachers, or doctors (“Facts and Figures”). This often leads to further
pornography use and even addiction. In fact, 71% of teens say they have done something to hide what they do online from their parents (“Porn Addiction”). As teenagers naturally withdraw from their parents in order to gain autonomy as a part of their development, pornography use increases their distance as they try not to expose their use. Many children and teens who do not want to view pornography do, with seven out of ten youth being unwillingly exposed to pornography (“Facts and Figures”). Violence and Pornography Another way the pornography world affects children is through the child pornography industry, which is frighteningly a $3 billion industry (“10 Porn Stats”). Child pornography is heavily linked to child abuse and human trafficking. In fact, all pornography contributes to violence against women and children. 88% of porn scenes contain physical aggression and 49% contain verbal aggression (“Porn Addiction”). The pornography industry affects prostitution as well. Those who have engaged in paid sex are 270% more likely to look at porn (Gilkerson). Men vs. Women It is not surprising, given the target on women in pornography, that far more men view it than women. The staggering fact is that men are 543% more likely to look at porn than females (Gilkerson). Even with college students, who may be more apt to view pornography, more males reportedly view pornography than females. 87% of college-age men view pornography, 50% weekly and 20% daily or every other day, with 31% of women viewing as well (Hilton & Watts). The focus on women in pornography contributes the objectification of women, which perpetuates rape culture and violence toward women. The Porn Industry The pornography problem reaches the far corners of the world. Although the problem is huge in the United States, with U.S. porn revenues reportedly reaching $10 billion seven years ago, global porn revenues still were estimated at $20 billion (Gilkerson). In 2006, world pornography revenue was $97 billion, more than Microsoft, Google, Amazon, eBay, Yahoo, Apple, and Netflix combined. The decline in revenue since 2007 is due to the amount of free porn online today (Hilton &Watts). The pornography industry does a great job of masking the abuse that goes on behind the scenes. Personal accounts of former porn stars and other industry workers are startling. The images in pornography are lies, often masking on-set abuse, drug use, and manipulation. However, the actions are portrayed as desirable, even if actors are suffering. Addiction Pornography has been proven to be addictive. Pornography addiction affects behavior and how people treat others around them, ruining a person’s ability to communicate and develop close, warm relationships with others. Pornography can hurt loved ones, as the user alienates those around them and withdraws from interpersonal communication and relationships. Porn alters the brain and acts as a drug, releasing chemicals in the brain that cause addiction and alter perception. Pornographic material doesn’t always come in the form of pictures; even explicit sexual lyrics in songs can change the way teenagers view others (Hughes). This problem is growing in the U.S. and around the world. Particularly disturbing is the increase in child pornography and trafficking, which has been proven to be directly linked to the pornography industry. With new technology in the hands of youth everywhere, the pornography industry seems to be targeting the younger generation. Teenagers and adults both need to be educated on the rampant problems that are resulting from the pornography culture to our world.
Ramifications The addiction to pornography is a major threat to marriages, families, individuals and the society at large. The problem does not belong only to the individual who is addicted. It threatens that person’s marriage and family, causing instability, which in turn undermines the stability of the entire community. Pornography and the Individual When a person becomes addicted to pornography, the entire structure of the brain changes. In 2013, Cambridge Neuropsychiatrist Valerie Voon spoke about her research on the brain of a porn addict. She found that the brain of a habitual porn user is very similar to the brains of alcoholics. A brain structure called the ventral striatum plays a significant role in the reward system of the brain. When a porn addict views porn, the same part of the brain “lights up” as when an alcoholic sees a picture of a drink. (Gilkerson, 2014) Sam Black in “The Porn Circuit” describes the various hormones and neurotransmitters involved when someone views porn and how it contributes to this problem. (Gilkerson, 2014) • When viewing porn, or having sex, dopamine is released into a region of the brain responsible for emotion and learning. This gives the person a very sharp sense of focus and a sense of craving. • Norepinephrine is also released creating alertness and focus. This is the brain’s version of adrenaline. • Sex or porn triggers the release of oxytocin and vasopressin. These hormones are responsible for the long-term memories for the cells. They “bind” a person’s memories to the object that gave him the sexual pleasure. • The body releases endorphins which create the feeling of pleasure throughout the body. • After sexual release, serotonin levels change bringing a sense of calm and relaxation. In sexual relations, this brings a couple together as they share this experience. Porn, however, short-circuits the system. Instead of forming a connection to the person, the person bonds to the pornographic experience which leads the person back to more porn. In addition, pornography gives the brain an unnatural high. When the brain experiences surge after surge of dopamine, it eventually fatigues, stopping the production of dopamine and leaving the viewer wanting more but unable be satisfied. As a result, the viewer must seek out more and more intense pornography to get the same high as before. (Gilkerson, 2014) Some of the problems suffered by a porn addict include: • Emotional distress such as anxiety, stress, and depression when porn is stopped. • Continued use of porn even though serious consequences may exist, i.e. loss of job, divorce, etc. • Problems with compulsive masturbating, • Sexual dysfunction, such as impotence and premature ejaculation. • Withdrawal and social isolation. • Guilt, shame, confusion, and ambivalence about stopping. • Less desire for real life contact. • Increased participation in high-risk activities.
Individuals experiencing these difficulties after excessive porn viewing should be aware of the potential of an addiction and should seek help of qualified professionals to assist in recovery. Porn addiction is not something an individual can overcome on their own. It is a very serious addiction and needs the help of professionals and the support of concerned family and friends in order to overcome it. Pornography Addiction and the Marriage and Family Pornography affects all members of the family. It eliminates an affectionate family life, and destroys marriages. It can cause trauma to children who encounter parent’s pornographic material. It lowers self-esteem and causes depression and loneliness, causing deep psychological wounds from the rejection suffered. It is estimated that 40 percent of porn addicts lose their spouses, 58 percent suffer considerable financial losses, and about a third lose their jobs. (Fagan) Here are nine ways in which porn addictions affect marriages: 1. Porn breaks trust. Marriages are built on trust, and when men view porn, wives feel their husbands are bringing other women into their relationship. It has been compared to infidelity. 2. Porn creates comparisons. Men cannot look at images of women without comparing those images to their wives. Soon men become dissatisfied with their realistic wives when they compare them to the photo shopped images they view on the screen. 3. Porn destroys self-esteem. Wives feel their body cannot compare with what their husband is viewing on the screen. They also develop a sense of not feeling “good enough” to satisfy their husbands. 4. Porn creates unreal expectations. Porn is not real. It is a movie with a director and paid actors. It creates in the porn viewer an expectation that their sexual relations with their wives should be the same as what they view on the screen. In most marriages, that is not reality, so the porn viewer becomes disappointed with his relationship. 5. Porn destroys intimacy. Porn is based on secrets. When one partner is keeping secrets from the other, intimacy is impossible to achieve. 6. Porn creates shame. Shame is one of the worst side effects of porn. Because people often turn to porn to escape stress or fear, it creates a downward spiral in their life. First they feel bad about their life, so they turn to porn. Then, they feel bad about viewing porn, so they turn to more porn to escape those negative feelings, and the cycle continues. 7. Porn is addictive. Porn appeals to the pleasure center of the brain more than cocaine. It is powerful and very difficult to overcome. 8. Porn never satisfies. The porn industry thrives on dissatisfaction. Drug addicts want “more,” but porn addicts always want “different’ perpetuating a billion-dollar industry. A porn addict is never satisfied with his marriage relationship or with his addiction. 9. Porn is progressively perverse. Because of its inability to satisfy, a porn addict is continuously lead to material that is more and more perverse. This increases their dissatisfaction with their sexual relationship with their wife. It can also lead to crimes against their children and others. In addition to these problems, viewing pornography leads to a loss of interest in good family relationships. Fathers become irritable and impatient with their children. They no longer desire to spend time with them and withdraw, leaving the child without an active, participating father. Pornography also leaves many children without fathers in the home as marriages end in divorce. Pornography and Society Since the family is the basic unit of society, disintegration of the family through pornography addiction has a significant effect on the community. Families lose their abilities to function and move forward. They become a drain on the resources of society rather than productive, contributing members. Broken families lead to other society problems such as delinquency, crime, drug and other addictions. Many children of pornography addicts will experience depression, low self-esteem, and other emotional ailments. Society is affected as the number of producing individuals decreases as families fail. According to Pat Fagan, “The presence of sexually-oriented businesses significantly harms the
surrounding community leading to increases in crime and decreases in property values. Pornography viewing and sexual offense are inextricably linked. There is a connection between the consumption of violent pornography with behavioral aggression and the incidence of rape.� With the fact that pornography addiction often leads to crime, the victims of pornography can be far and widespread. Ted Bundy, in his final interview with James Dobson, cited pornography addiction as the underlying problem for his rape and killing spree that included more than two dozen victims. He found a pornographic magazine in the trash when he was 13 years old and was captivated by it. He took this fantasy with hard-core porn into real life situations within a couple of years. His viewing built up to a sexual frenzy he could not control any longer. (Dobson, 1989) The main defense against pornography is a strong family, open communication, a good marriage, and active parent involvement in monitoring internet use. In the past, the government has played an active role in protecting society against harmful sexual activities, but the scope of pornography is too large except where child pornography is concerned. It is up to families, citizens, and individuals to fight this current addiction.
EDUCATION
ADDICTION RECOVERY PROGRAM
PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
SOLUtiONS
Public Awareness Campaign This solution would encompass a public awareness campaign comprised of public service announcements (PSA’s) broadcast on television stations during strategic times each day. The focus of the PSA’s would be pornography addicts who are in need of help but don’t know here to find it or people who are wondering if they have an addiction. It would also be directed toward teenagers who are curious about pornography. This campaign would be broken into three sub campaigns. The first would be directed towards adults who could be struggling with an addiction. PSA’s would be broadcast during late night television beginning around 9:30 p.m. Some of these announcements would feature addicts talking about the consequences they have suffered because of their addictions. Others would give information about the symptoms of pornography addiction. Still others would give educational information and additional information about where to find help. Websites would be listed that would give guidelines to help an individual determine if they were addicted and what the next step should be. It would also give information to deter future pornography viewing. Links to additional websites wherein addicts could find recovery help would also be included. The second sub campaign would be directed toward teenagers and would be focused on prevention. These PSA’s would be broadcast during prime time television (6:00 to 9:00 p.m.) and would be featured primarily on television stations that sponsor popular teen shows. In these PSA’s, the harmful effects of pornography would be espoused using language teenagers would listen to. The symptoms of addiction would be taught, and serious outcomes of porn addiction would be identified. Like the adult campaign, teenagers would be directed to a website where they could receive help if they recognized they were struggling with addiction. An emphasis with this campaign would be that they need profess -ional help and the support of their family to beat the addiction. The third sub campaign would be directed toward the family. These PSA’s would run at various times during the day and evening. Symptoms of porn addiction would be identified, and clues would be given about what to watch for if you suspect a loved one is involved. There would be clips about how to approach an addicted husband or teenager to suggest getting help. There would be educational inform -ation for parents to help prevent pornography viewing with their children. There would be information about how to safeguard the family computer and rules for cell phones. Marriage advice would also be offered for couples dealing with addiction. Plus, like the other two campaigns, website addresses would be given where additional help can be obtained. This solution could reach a very large number of people and could be broadcast frequently on many national and local television stations. The program would reveal the damaging effect of pornography and educate people about the importance of getting help. It would help people to understand the nature of addiction so they could self-evaluate to determine if they had a problem. Further, it would provide leads for recovery programs and give an addict a starting point for getting help. The difficult part of this PSA campaign would be the cost of advertising and getting the funding necessary. Support from the necessary television stations would be another hurdle that would need to be overcome. Are PSA campaign’s effective? According to a national study conducted by the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF), "in one of the toughest and most challenging areas for advertising today that of changing attitudes and behavior for health-related issues -- the use of public service advertising alone not only increased awareness, but also reinforced people's belief, fostered their intent to act and inspired potentially life-saving action."
AdDiction Recovery ProgrAm This solution to the problem of pornography addiction helps those who have already developed a strong dependence on it. The first step in recovering from an addiction is to admit you are suffering from it in the first place. An organization run by young adults called Fight the New Drug, offers such a program that can help an addicted person realize the joys of being free from addiction and how to break free. Fight the New Drug’s recovery program is called Fortify. While it is not a 12-step program, it does have some similarities, especially in that it requires the person to want to change. No true change can be made in a person’s life unless they welcome it and seek it themselves. Half-hearted prevention tactics like putting up blockers on the computer will not stop a person who wants to view pornography from viewing it. Friends and family’s good influence, unconditional love, and support will always be important in recovering, yet the individual must make the internal commitment to improve his or her life. Fortify relies heavily on opening the channels of communication and educating people everywhere on the scientific research on pornography’s harmful effects. Fight the New Drug’s website reads, “We… assist young people who are already struggling with porn addiction through our unique online program: the Fortify Program. As we present our message, not only do we educate teens on the harmful effects of pornography to allow them to make an informed decision but we also give them a place to turn for help, as so many are silently struggling and are too ashamed or embarrassed to reach out for help.” Fortify is an online video-based recovery program that doesn’t claim to be a care-all, but more of a step in the right direction and the support an addict may need to overcome pornography. It focuses on trust, small victories, and friends and fellow addicts who build a support system where they can rely on one another. Its use of social support, accountability, and awareness to address addiction problems helps teens and adults understand why they need to kick the porn habit. One of the key components to Fortify is the essential process of checking in often and reporting back progress. A “battle tracker” in the program allows people to see the progress they have made. Participants account for their actions, even reporting set-backs. Fight the New Drug’s approach is to avoid shaming at all costs. Nalale McAneney, the company’s COO, states, “Our culture’s way of dealing with people who are struggling with [pornography] is to shame them, but our stance is that shame doesn’t help anyone that is dealing with something. If you have fallen into the trap that the pornography industry has very cleverly laid out for you, we understand because we know how the industry is set up, and we want to help you.” McAneney also says that setbacks will happen. She says, “For a lot of people, we acknowledge that you might have setbacks, and that’s okay. Don’t give up just because you have a setback.” One of Fight the New Drug’s main focuses is about changing the conversation about pornography and developing a channel of open communication in a society that still doesn’t feel comfortable talking about pornography. The organization claims, “We are the first generation in the history of the world to face the issue of pornography to this intensity and scale. We’re also the first generation with a scientific, fact-based understanding of the harm pornography can do. With that knowledge, we feel the responsibili -ty to share with others that porn harms the brain, damages relationships, and affects society as a whole.
Our movement uses nothing but science, research, and personal accounts to bring this issue out into the open and get people talking about something that has previously been considered taboo.” Fight the New Drug is dedicated to helping all people overcome the harmful affects pornography has on relationships, the world, and the individual. While the Fortify program is available to all, the organization has made it clear that they are extremely concerned about the younger generation’s carefree philosophy on pornography and likelihood and ease of accessing it. The Fortify program is, therefore, free to teenagers who need help recovering from pornography addiction. They also offer two free downloadable publications on their website: Harmful Effects of Pornography: 2106 Reference Guide, and The Guideline: A Parent’s Guide to Addressing Pornography with Children. While Fight the New Drug focuses solely on the science behind pornography addiction, many other kinds of organizations offer pornography recovery programs as well. Religious, political, or community groups offer live or online support group meetings, 12-step programs, and personal accounts of recovery. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints holds local addiction recovery classes for addicts and spouses of addicts. These organizations are also doing their part to help those struggling with pornography overcome their addiction through helpful recovery programs.
EDUCATiON One solution to protect against pornography addiction is to provide education to parents and teachers on how to teach children when they are young about the dangers of pornography addiction. It would involve teaching age appropriate information and using filters and other technology in the home and in schools that can block inappropriate content. Our public school system already has a health education program in place. This program starts as young as third grade in our schools. Pornography addiction should be added to what is being taught in this program. Teachers can add this to the curriculum and teach it just like they teach about drug and alcohol addiction. Everything that is taught in the Health Education program has to be approved by the parents. The pornography addiction prevention information can be given to the parents at that time. The teachers can also work along with local Law Enforcement when they are teaching Internet Safety in the schools. In our homes, we install locks on our doors and windows, and we have security systems to protect us from outside problems. It just makes sense to install protection on electronic devices that bring the outside world into our homes. Parents and teachers can be educated on current technology filtering systems that can be used at home or in the schools. There are several different ways of filtering the content that comes from the Internet. There are different kinds of filters that can be used based on your circumstances. Software Software is the most common type of filter used. It can be purchased in a store or downloaded from the Internet and installed on your device. Software is usually the most powerful of the filters, but it is loaded on to just one device at a time. Software will not stop the content from getting to your computer; it just stops it from displaying on the screen. If you have many devices being used in your home, you will have to purchase separate software or upgrades for each device. Hardware Most homes have a cable modem or a DSL router that provides wifi to all of the devices in their home. These hardware filters will not provide as much protection as a software filter, but they will stop the undesired content before it makes it to your devices. Often times these filters are included with the cost of your Internet, so you have no additional charges. If you are using the time control to shut down wifi use, it cannot be done on individual devices. It will shut down all devices at the same time. These devices will protect gaming devices and Smartphones when they are connected to the wifi, but they will not protect Smartphones when they are using the cell phone network. There are many filtering devices that are provided at no charge that can help to protect against pornography. BrowseControl, NetAngel and FamilyShield are a few of the no cost options. For a review of some of these free solutions, as well as paid solutions, please see ProtectFamily.org.
“9 Reasons Why Porn Will Ruin Your Marriage” Debt To Life, Financial Freedom For Purpose Driven Couples, http://www.debttolife.com/9-reasons-why-porn-will-ruin-your-marriage “10 Porn Stats That Will Blow Your Mind.” Fightthenewdrug.org. Fight the New Drug, 2014. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from http://-ghtthenewdrug.org/10-porn-stats-that-will-blow-your-mind/ “10 Ways to Fight Pornography.” Allprodad.com. Family First, LLC, 2016. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from http://www.allprodad.com/10-ways-to-fight-pornography/ “Addiction Recovery Program.” LDS.org. Intellectual Reserve, Inc., 2016. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from https://addictionrecovery.lds.org/spouses-and-families/?lang=eng Alex. “History of Pornography, and How It Became a Problem.” Feed the Right Wolf. Feed the Right Wolf, 27 July 2011. Web. 6 July 2016. Retrieved from http://www.feedtherightwolf.org/2011/07/history-of-pornagraphy-andhow-it/ Carroll, Stacy, personal interview conducted on June 29, 2016, Sandy, Utah. Dobson, James, “Fatal Addiction: Ted Bundy’s Final Interview, January 24. 1989, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vlk_sRU491 “Facts and Figures.” Stoppornculture.org. Stop Porn Culture, 2014. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from http://stoppornculture.org/about/about-the-issue/facts-and--gures-2/ Fagan, Pat, “The Effects of Pornography on Individuals, Marriage, Family and Community,” Family Research Council, http://www.frc.org/onepagers/the-eects-of-pornography-on-individuals-marriagefamily-andcommunity Gilkerson. Luke, “Brain Chemicals and Porn Addiction: Science Shows How Porn Harms Us, Defeat Lust & Pornography, February 3, 2014, http://www./covernanteyes.com/2014/02/03/brain-chemicals-andpornaddiction/ Gilkerson, Luke. “Get the Latest Pornography Statistics.” Covenant Eyes. Covenant Eyes, 19 Feb 2013. Web. 27 June 2016. Retrieved from http://www.covenanteyes.com/2013/02/19/pornography-statistics/
Grady, Nicole. “Top Five Warning Signs of Internet Pornography Addiction.” American Osteopathic Association, Oct 2014. Web. 21 June 2016. Retrieved from https://www.osteopathic.org/insideaoa/news-andpublications/media-center/2014-news-releases/Pages/OMED-2014-top--ve-warningsigns-of-internetpornography-addiction.aspx Hilton, Donald L. and Watts, Clark, “Pornography addiction: A neuroscience perspective”, Surgical Neurology International, 11 Feb 2011. Web. 21 June 2016. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3050060/ Hughes, John. "Pornography: The Social Ill Behind some Dangerous Crimes." The Christian Science Monitor: 09, 16 Aug 2006. Web. 20 June 2016. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.byui.idm.oclc.org/newsstand/docview/405548681/45F0BCCDDE5C4D44PQ/ 8?accountid=9817 “Internet Safety”, LDSTech Wiki, 27 May 2016, Web, 6 July 2016 http://tech.lds.org/wiki/Internet_filtering_(Family_Safety) McAneney, Natale. Personal Interview. 1 July 2016. “My Battle With Pornography.” LDS.org. Intellectual Reserve, Inc., 2016. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/youth/article/my-battle-with-pornography?lang=eng Porn Addiction: Project Know, Understanding Addiction; Accessed June 27, 2016, https://www.projectknow.com/research/pron-addiction/ Porn Addiction, psychguide.com, Accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.psychguide/guides/porn:addiction/ “Porn Addiction.” PsychGuides.com. Sober Media Group, 2016. Web. 21 June 2016. Retrieved from http://www.psychguides.com/guides/porn-addiction/ “Pornography Statistics: Annual Report: 2015.” Covenant Eyes. Covenant Eyes, 2015. Web. 6 July 2016. Retrieved from http://www.covenanteyes.com/pornstats/ PSA Bibliography, “ARF Study shows Ad Impact, PSAs Used in Anti-Cancer Campaign, Public Service Report Newsletter Shnippel, Father Kyle. Photograph. "The Pervasiveness of Pornography." Called By Name. Wordpress, 25 Sept. 2015. Web. 9 July 2016. Retrieved from http://www.fatherschnippel.com/the-pervasiveness-ofpornography/ Skinner, Kevin. “How to Fight Porn Addiction.” Treatingpornaddiction.com. Treating Pornography Addiction, 2016. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from http://treatingpornaddiction.com/blog/how-tofight-porn-addiction/
“The Brain.” Fight the New Drug.org. Fight the New Drug, 2014. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from http://fightthenewdrug.org/ “The Heart.” Fight the New Drug.org. Fight the New Drug, 2014. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from http://fightthenewdrug.org/ YouTube Pornography Addiction PSA, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a0lz8p5ix0
APPENDIX
JESSICA KASTANIS Jessica Kastanis is a wife of 2 years and lives in Mesa, Arizona. She has lived in Arizona her whole life and is currently in her last semester of college. Jessica will graduate from BYU-Idaho on July 20, 2016 with a Bachelors in Communication. Selection of issue Our team chose the topic of pornography addiction because of how relevant and growing it is in the world today. It is being referred to as an epidemic, a drug, etc. The destructive qualities that it has in the lives of so many are so relatable, and most of us have personal experience with it in some aspect of our lives. So when we were asked to choose a topic that we felt was a social issue, this topic was unanimously agreed upon. Team member tasks As the editor, I was in charge of collecting, categorizing, and laying out the team’s information in the final setup. I had to design and construct a visually appealing layout for the information to be displayed. I was also in charge of critiquing the submissions from my team members as well as be a motivator for them to push through this last big assignment, and my team rocked it! Strategic Research
CONNIE SHIRLEY Connie was raised in Southern California and Nevada, and grew up in the LDS faith. After earning an Associates Degree from Dixie State College, she served a proselyting mission in Yekaterinburg, Russia. She is a senior at BYU-Idaho, seeking a degree in University Studies with emphases in English and Communication. Following graduation, Connie plans to obtain a Masters from Northern Arizona University, in hopes to someday become an online university professor. She enjoys reading, editing, camping, dancing, and playing games with her family. She has been married for 13 years and has four beautiful and active children, a new Aussie puppy, and a tortoise named Ruby. SELECTION OF ISSUE: As I have seen increased violence towards women and children in the news over the past few years, I have become more and more interested in the social problem of pornography and its impact on communities, families, and individuals. While I have not personally struggled with pornography addiction, I am aware of many who do. I have unwillingly been exposed to unwanted images before. I question pornography’s impact on the young people of the world. How has increased technology affected their access to and views about pornography? Do they believe
it is harmful? This issue of pornography addiction is becoming more prevalent, yet the conversation remains the same. We need to change the conversation and overcome the fear of speaking about this delicate subject for the safety of our youth and citizens everywhere. TEAM MEMBER TASKS: As one of the writers for this publication, I focused on the scope of the problem. This included gathering many facts and statistics about pornography use and addiction. These sobering findings show that the problem can begin at a very young age, and that addiction happens quickly. I also contributed a solution to the problem of pornography addiction, centering on teenagers and their struggle with pornography. Many recovery programs are available. Fight the New Drug, which is an amazing non-profit organization that I have had the pleasure of discussing statistics with, understands how harmful pornography addiction can be to a teenager. Their online recovery program, Fortify, is geared towards helping adults and teens overcome the burdens of pornography addiction. STRATEGIC RESEARCH: My research was conducted online as well as through a phone interview with an executive from Fight the New Drug. I found the bulk of my information on their website, fightthenewdrug.org, which is full of scientific research about the effects of pornography on a person’s brain, their heart, and the world as a whole. The information I was able to get from my interview proved to be very insightful in regards to why pornography addiction affects those who aren’t addicted themselves. Many statistics and personal accounts were found in these sources: “10 Porn Stats That Will Blow Your Mind.” Fightthenewdrug.org. Fight the New Drug, 2014. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from http://fightthenewdrug.org/10-porn-stats-that-will-blow-your-mind/ “10 Ways to Fight Pornography.” Allprodad.com. Family First, LLC, 2016. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from http://www.allprodad.com/10ways-to-fight-pornography/
“Addiction Recovery Program.” LDS.org. Intellectual Reserve, Inc., 2016. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from https://addictionrecovery.lds.org/spouses-and-families/?lang=eng “Facts and Figures.” Stoppornculture.org. Stop Porn Culture, 2014. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from http://stoppornculture.org/about/aboutthe-issue/facts-and-figures-2/ “My Battle With Pornography.” LDS.org. Intellectual Reserve, Inc., 2016. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/youth/article/my-battle-withpornography?lang=eng Skinner, Kevin. “How to Fight Porn Addiction.” Treatingpornaddiction.com. Treating Pornography Addiction, 2016. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from http://treatingpornaddiction.com/blog/how-tofight-porn-addiction/ “The Brain.” Fight the New Drug.org. Fight the New Drug, 2014. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from http://fightthenewdrug.org/ “The Heart.” Fight the New Drug.org. Fight the New Drug, 2014. Web. 19 June 2016. Retrieved from http://fightthenewdrug.org/ PERSONAL REFLECTION: Researching the topic of pornography addiction has been insightful to me. I have realized some things along the way that will stay with me. As a mother, my mind tends to focus on the young people of today’s world and the hardships they will encounter as they grow and develop into responsible adults. How these children are taught to view men, women, and children may affect their future relationships, jobs, and personalities.
With the technology children have at their fingertips today, they have access to an alarming amount of indecent photographs, videos, and text. They share what they find with each other at the touch of a button. With such easy access to pornography, teenagers and children should have just as easy access to help and open communication about what they are viewing. Many children do not have parents who will openly discuss sex, pornography, or even their changing bodies with them. This unfortunate problem turns children and teens to seek advice from those who will answer their questions before they have to ask them: the internet and their often ill-informed friends. The statistics regarding pornography use and addiction are staggering. Having worked with young people through my church responsibilities, I have become aware of the dangers they face constantly. Pornography use is deemed as completely normal, fun, and not to be taken seriously. If these teens only knew what a slippery slope it is, and how it can forever impact their future relationships, they may have a change of heart. In studying this problem, I have learned that the conversation about pornography needs to be changed; people everywhere need to become informed, learn the facts, and take a stand. After speaking with Fight the New Drug, I am committed to help their cause by overcoming fear and old-fashioned taboo and openly discussing the harms of pornography. Maybe before sex was so blatantly publicized, the conversations could be different. But in our world today, with children and teens being targeted for human trafficking, child pornography, and early sexual activity, we need to overcome the discomfort we may feel and teach our younger generation what harm pornography can do to them and our society.
MARY ANN LONGHURST Mary Ann Longhurst was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. She currently resides in Sandy, Utah with her husband of thirty-three years. She is the mother of four children. She is a senior at Brigham Young University – Idaho, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in University Studies with a Family History Research minor. She will graduate in April 2017. Mary Ann works in special education at Altaview Elementary in Sandy, Utah, where she teaches reading and math to special needs students in first through fifth grades. Her hobbies include reading, boating, movies, family activities, physical fitness, and gardening.
Selection of Issue Pornography addiction has become a problem of epidemic proportions in the world today. It is having a devastating effect on families throughout the world, reaching epidemic proportions. Many of its victims are unaware of the fact they have an addiction. They believe they can stop at any time, and it has not affected their lives. This study recognizes the severity of this problem and wishes to raise public awareness of its detrimental effect on marriages, families, society, and individuals. It incorporates an in-depth study of the history, scope and ramifications of this global addiction in an attempt to expose the problem and educate victims on how to receive help. Its purpose is to make people
aware of where they can turn for recovery programs and lend support as they attempt to overcome the challenges of pornography addiction.
Team Member Tasks The editor for this study is Jessica Kastanis. Susan Webb researched and wrote about the history of pornography addictions and the third solution. Connie Shirley covered the scope of the problem and the second solution, and Mary Ann Longhurst researched and contributed information on the ramifications of pornography addictions and the first solution.
Strategic Research Research on the ramifications of pornography addiction was researched through internet sites including government sites, psychology sites, religious sites, and other noncommercial advocacy sites. TEDX talks were also viewed as well as an interview done by James Dobson hours before Ted Bundy was executed. In addition, a personal interview was conducted with Stacy Carroll, a victim of pornography addiction and author of a book centered around pornography addictions. The research was conducted first on the impact pornography has on individuals, then on marriage and families, and finally on society as a whole. The following are the sources used in the final draft. Gilkerson. Luke, “Brain Chemicals and Porn Addiction: Science Shows How Porn Harms Us, Defeat Lust & Pornography, February 3, 2014, http://www./covernanteyes.com/2014/02/03/brain-chemicals-and-pornaddiction/ “9 Reasons Why Porn Will Ruin Your Marriage” Debt To Life, Financial Freedom For Purpose Driven Couples, http://www.debttolife.com/9-reasons-why-porn-willruin-your-marriage Dobson, James, “Fatal Addiction: Ted Bundy’s Final Interview, January 24. 1989, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vlk_sRU491 Fagan, Pat, “The Effects of Pornography on Individuals, Marriage, Family and Community,” Family Research Council, http://www.frc.org/onepagers/theeffects-of-pornography-on-individuals-marriage-family-and-community Carroll, Stacy, personal interview conducted on June 29, 2016, Sandy, Utah.
Porn Addiction: Project Know, Understanding Addiction; Accessed June 27, 2016, https://www.projectknow.com/research/pron-addiction/ Porn Addiction, psychguide.com, Accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.psychguide/guides/porn:addiction/
Personal Reflection The study of pornography addiction has been an educational journey. I started with very little knowledge of the scope and ramifications of the problem, and I actually believed the problem started as recently as the 1960’s when Playboy magazine was first published. I learned tremendously about the significance and severity of this problem. One thing that really struck me was how widespread the problem actually is. I seem to live in the bubble that says that if it doesn’t affect me personally, it’s not a significant problem. I was shocked when I read one report that stated that one of the reasons scientific studies had not been done on pornography addiction is because they couldn’t find enough young men who were not addicts to form a control group. That is a very frightening thought, especially as I learned more about the sexual crime that many addicts are lead to. The future potential of the harm pornography addiction could do to our society as a whole is overwhelming. Another eye-opening experience for me was interviewing a victim and hearing of her experience, feelings, and life changes that the addiction of her husband caused. They are two very good people, and to see how it affected them and the lives of their children was disheartening. They nearly lost their marriage, and their young children were without the love of their father for a time. They have had an incredible battle trying to overcome the addiction, save their marriage, and carry on with their lives. They will fight this battle to their death. It is a devastating addiction After studying pornography addiction, I have become an advocate for educating the masses and getting help to those who are battling this new drug. It is a problem that can destroy people, families and our society as a whole. It is much greater than the more visible drug addictions we are currently aware of. Its damage can be more destructive than any other. It needs to be stopped for the good of the whole.
SUSAN WEBB Susan Webb lives in Granite Bay, CA. She has been married to her husband, Brent, for 34 years. They have four children with just one of them left living at home. She has been a student in the BYU-Idaho online program for five years, and will be graduating in two weeks. She has been studying Marriage and Family, and has loved the entire BYU-I online experience. Selection of Issue The authors chose the topic of pornography addiction because they felt that it is a big problem in society. The problem is fairly new and continually changing because of the ease of accessing the Internet. It used to be just grown men who were affected by it, but now it is causing problems for people of all ages. One of the authors has a close friend who has been affected by this problem, because her daughter and son in law are dealing with it. Team Member Tasks I was assigned to be writer #1. My job was to focus on the history and background of the problem. I also focused on one of the solutions. My solution was to train parents and teachers on how to educate children at a young age, and to talk about filters that can be used in the home and at school. Strategic Research Most of my research was done on Internet sites and through a personal interview with a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in pornography addiction. I chose Internet sites that were not tied to addiction recovery programs, because I thought they would not be trying to sell me a recovery program. I did my live interview with several questions ahead of time and some follow up questions that were done by
email. The interview backed up everything that I had found in my Internet research. Weir, Kirsten. “Is Pornography Addictive?” American Psychological Association. April 2014, Vol 45, No. 4, Print version: page 46, 21, Web, June 2016, http://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/04/pornography.aspx Ruse, Cathy. “Pornography and Its Consequences.” Family Research Counsel. Web. 21 June 2016, http://www.frc.org/pornographyconsequences “Porn Addiction” PsychGuides.com, Sober Media Group 2016, Web, 21 June 2016 http://www.psychguides.com/guides/porn-addiction/ Maltz, Wendy. “Pornography on the Rise: A Growing Mental Health Problem”, Psychotherapy Networker, Nov. 2015, Web, 21 June 2016 https://www.psychotherapynetworker.org/blog/details/677/pornography-on-the-rise-agrowing-mental-health-problem Hilton, Donald L. and Watts, Clark, “Pornography addiction: A neuroscience perspective”, Surgical Neurology International, Published online 2011 Feb 21. doi: 10.4103/21527806.76977, Web, 21 June 2016 Grady, Nicole, “Top Five Warning Signs of Internet Pornography Addiction”, American Osteopathic Association, Oct. 2014, Web, 21 June 2016, https://www.osteopathic.org/inside-aoa/news-and-publications/media-center/2014news-releases/Pages/OMED-2014-top-five-warning-signs-of-internet-pornographyaddiction.aspx Steurer, Geoff LMFT, “The Effect of Pornography on the Spouse of an Addict”, Sexual Addiction Lifeline Foundation, 2014, Web, 21 June 2016, http://salifeline.org/article/effects-of-pornography-on-a-spouse/help-for-spouses Kuhn, Simone and Gallinat, Jurgen, “Brain Structure and Functional Connectivity Associated With Pornography Consumption” JAMA Psychiatry, July 14, Vol. 71, No. 7, Web, 21 June 2016, http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx?journalid=70&issueid=930432 Gilbert, Chelsea, MFTI. Personal interview. 27 June 2016.
Personal Reflection As I did my research on the subject of pornography addiction, I seemed to find information that confirmed what I had already been thinking was the problem. When people are addicted to pornography, they tend to neglect their relationships with their spouse, their children, their coworkers and their friends. The family relationships seem to suffer the most. Marriages are broken, and people are not able to forgive each other. The addict feels ashamed and is not able to progress in the things they need to do in this life.
Because I am not personally associated with someone who is addicted to pornography, I felt that it was not really my problem. When I did my personal interview with Chelsea Gilbert, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in pornography addiction, my opinion completely changed. I realized that pornography addiction touches everyone. Because of pornography addiction, there is a great deal of time that is wasted in the work place. Loss of productivity means more cost in wages, which generally means higher prices for services and goods. This affects me. Pornography addiction usually means people sneaking around to find sexual satisfaction, which can increase prostitution, and in some cases lead to sexual abuse. This increases sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted abortions and pregnancies. This also increases the cost of our healthcare. There are also the problems that come from those who are producing the pornography. Again, this leads to an increase in STDs, abortions and children being born into unwanted situations. The thing that most impressed me in what I was learning was that pornography addiction is just like any other addiction. It is treatable, and those who have this addiction should not be made to feel ashamed. They should be given help, just like we would do if they were addiction to drugs, gambling or alcohol. We all have our trials in this life. We need to treat each other with kindness and respect, and help our brothers and sisters on their journey in this life.