Porn addiction is fast becoming a serious issue for men and women in the modern era.
Although there are still some contentions as to whether sex or porn can be classed an addiction, more and more studies on the topic seem to point towards it being so. The most recent one is pretty startling, however.
A study by Cambridge University found that those who watched porn on a regular basis found that the chemical dopamine - which gives you a boost of adrenaline and that 'buzz' feeling - is less present in their brains, thus requiring further stimulation.
Consistent use of pornography eventually affects the brain, lessening the neurotransmitter that allows dopamine and forcing the user to seek more in order to satisfy the hit and stimulate the release of dopamine in the brain. The study also found that oxytocin and vasopressin, which are responsible for long-term memories, were also released into the brain when watching porn. This effectively means that if the user has a sense of satisfaction from watching certain images or videos, they'll associate satisfaction with them.
The study concluded that the brain of a porn user reacts to erotic images in the exact same manner as an alcoholic or like a cocaine addict. It could be argued that this is true of anything addictive - the more you take in, the bigger you need to sustain the hit.
So, what's the alternative? Moderation, of course, in all things. All studies and psychologists point towards moderation in watching porn, figuring that expectation versus reality is the key. Moreover, the fear is that younger users of porn will become warped by what it is expected against what is reality.
Chill out on the whole porn thing, in other words.
