Abstract:
This conference paper aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the negative effects of male pornography consumption on their mental health. It will present empirical evidence from peer-reviewed sources to support the argument that pornography consumption is linked to several mental health problems such as addiction, depression, and anxiety. The paper will also address the broader implications of pornography consumption for society.
The repeated use of online networks such as Pornhub creates significant risks to the mental health of males, including addiction, negative body image, unrealistic expectations of sexual performance, and desensitization to real-world sexual stimuli.
Today many men are addicted to the use of online networks such as Pornhub and other pornography-based sites as an escape from society and a way to relieve stress on the body. Although the act of watching Porn has become very accessible and easy in today’s society, men must understand and wake up to the amount of detrimental side effects watching porn can have on your mental health. According to The Recovery Village, ‘Today, porn addiction, or problematic pornography use, affects approximately 3% to 6% of the adult population. Up to 65% young males watching pornography at least once a week, though this amount can be much higher.’ They also mention that 2/3 people visiting pornography websites are in fact males, which poses a major risk to men in society. Online networks that provide access to Pornographic content has been around since the emergence of the internet in the 1990’s which has seen to become one of the most profitable industries in the world. Feeding off the minds and mental health of many men trapped in a loop of the constant consumption of augmented, fake, exaggerated and unrealistic sexual performances Porn showcases which desensitizes male brains leading to depression, addiction, erectile dysfunction, social and relationship problems and many more negatives which will be discussed within the following arguments.
Addiction from Online Porn Networks in Men
While many men have come across porn, some have been left with severe addiction to the online networks providing them and often spend multiple times a day watching and consuming the content that is widely accessible to them. Addiction to pornography has been found to have similar effects on the brain as drug addiction, with changes in brain structure and function leading to compulsive behavior’ (Kühn & Gallinat, 2014). This study shows that the correlation between porn and drugs is in fact so similar that the brain is affected the same way from both effects. Humans addicted to porn overtime can start to develop neurological problems, specifically in the brains reward system also known as dopamine. Dopamine is released as a reward endorphin in the brain to make you feel better after you are rewarded in life, porn can create an imbalance in the male dopamine levels which can severely affect the mental health of a man and how ‘happy’ he is in life. ‘
Addiction of Porn and depression
Depression and anxiety: Men who are addicted to pornography have been found to have higher levels of depression and anxiety than those who are not addicted’ (Kühn & Gallinat, 2014). The effect of pornography on a man’s mental health to have the possibility of causing depression is a serious matter, which can lead to devastating effects. On average, men are 3 to 5x more likely to die from suicide than a female, which further highlights how detrimental the negative externalities of porn addiction can cause.
Addiction and Social relationships
Another source mentions that, ‘Addiction to pornography can lead to negative consequences in personal and professional relationships, as well as psychological distress and other health problems (Grubbs et al., 2015).’ When an addicted man consumes pornography for a decent amount of time, it is highly likely that his perception on sex and society are altered and the exaggerations and mistreatment of women especially in porn can affect his social relationships between other women in life. Porn objectifies women by showcasing in most videos, the man treating the women as an object for male sexual gratification, rather than human beings, which creates a unrealistic expectation to men of how women should be treated in real life sexual orientations. In some cases, men have been persuaded to believe treating women roughly with acts of violence is pleasing to them. A study by Bridges and Morokoff (2011) found that men who reported higher levels of porn use (typically those addicted) had lower levels of satisfaction with their partners and are more likely to have negative attitudes towards women, which summarizes how the addiction to porn can have a negative effect on men’s relationships with women.
Erectile dysfunction from repeated porn use
Many people don’t know that the repeated consumption of porn can create erectile dysfunction more many men which affects almost 52% of men at some stage in their life. Another study by Landripet and Stulhofer (2015) found that among male participants who reported sexual dysfunctions, frequent pornography use was associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing erectile dysfunction. The study suggested that pornography use may contribute to the development of sexual dysfunctions in some men. Why is this so? A study by Kühn and Gallinat (2014) found that higher levels of porn consumption were associated with decreased gray matter volume in the striatum, a brain region that is involved in reward processing and decision making. The study suggested that this decrease in gray matter volume may lead to tolerance and desensitization to sexual stimuli, potentially leading to erectile dysfunction. Something that is so easily accessible to men with many online networks publishing soft to mild pornographic content can absolutely destroy a man’s confidence and severely impact their mental health by desensitizing their brains.
Negative body image
Today, there is always something that can destroy your body image through online networks and social media, a simple post made about you, your comparison with other people and the unrealistic societal standards the online world has created. Something that is very common to be a major reason why some men have a negative body image is the use of porn. Studies have found that males who consume pornography regularly are more likely to engage in body-related self-objectification, where they view their own bodies as objects to be evaluated and judged by others (Tylka & Sabik, 2010; Grabe, Hyde, & Ward, 2008). Alongside the augmented and extremely unrealistic standards porn creates; Porn use can also lead to increased body dissatisfaction, as males may compare themselves to the unrealistic standards presented in pornographic content (Wright & Tokunaga, 2015). Although this also affects women, the unrealistic standard set will mainly hit the heads of males, as 75% of young males watch porn, as opposed to 30% of women.
Decreased satisfaction in non-sexual activities
Many online studies suggest that the excessive use of porn from males can lead to a decreased satisfaction in non-sexual activities. This is due to the stimulation received from pornography releasing so much dopamine, which will lead to desensitizing your body’s pleasure system. Other activities that the individual used to enjoy may not feel the same anymore as they can become numb to pleasure. A study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry found that individuals who reported problems with compulsive pornography use had lower levels of reward-related activity in their brains when participating in a task that was not related to pornography, compared to individuals who did not report problems with pornography use (Brand, Snagowski, Laier, & Maderwald, 2016). A study published in the journal Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity found that individuals who reported problems with compulsive pornography use also reported a decrease in their overall quality of life, including a decrease in their ability to enjoy hobbies and other activities that were once pleasurable (Grubbs, Volk, Exline, & Pargament, 2015). Overall, after looking into these studies and realizing the repeated use of pornography can in fact ruin a man’s quality of life and ruining their pleasure systems, there must be more barriers set in place to stop the easy access to these online networks which are constantly destroying male livelihoods.
Increased porn tolerance in male minds
When an individual constantly takes a drug over a set course amount of time, the body slowly builds up a tolerance towards it which means the individual must consume more in order to feel the same effect as before. Porn is the exact same, many men find themselves searching and consuming bigger and better videos in order to reach their previous pleasure from porn which can create and lead towards addiction. Repeated exposure to pornography can lead to increased tolerance, which means that individuals may require more extreme and deviant forms of pornography to achieve the same level of arousal (Kühn & Gallinat, 2014). This can lead to the consumption of more extreme forms of pornography that may be harmful and degrading towards women, such as violent pornography (Bridges et al., 2010). Humans will always build a tolerance towards any substance which is used frequently or abused, which is why it is imperative that we find a way to limit the amount of porn use in order to put a balance between dopamine and arousal levels and make sure that the tolerance levels of porn are set to a minimum, so males are not searching for more erratic and exaggerated videos.
Violence and porn
Many people don’t know that there is a big link associated between violence and porn. Most of the pornographic content is based around violence towards women to be seen as sexual ‘pleasure’ due to the nature of its exaggeration. This was drawn upon the traditional gender roles of the male and female, where females are seen to be more feminine and submissive towards a man, the exaggeration of these female gender roles can heavily alter the way a man views a female which can lead to males treating women how they are seen to be treated in porn. One study found that individuals who viewed violent pornography were more likely to engage in physical aggression towards their female partners (Hald & Malamuth, 2008). Another study found that men who consumed violent pornography were more likely to believe in rape myths and to express more negative attitudes towards women (Malamuth, Addison, & Koss, 2000). This poses a way bigger threat to not only the mental health of males, though more the safety and well-being of females in modern day society. If most men who are constantly consuming pornographic content are slowly altering their minds to think in this way the mistreatment of women in society and in sexual orientations can become very apparent. After further research on this it’s been found that women who are involved in the pornography industry are often subjected to exploitation, abuse, and trafficking (Farley, Lynne, & Cotton, 2005). Many women are coerced or forced into the industry, and they often face physical and emotional harm as a result of their involvement (Hergovich, 2009).
Conclusion
In a nutshell, this conference paper has shed light on how male pornography consumption can negatively affect their mental health. By citing various studies from reputable sources, we have demonstrated that pornography can lead to addiction, depression, anxiety, negative body image, unrealistic expectations of sexual performance, and desensitization to real-life sexual experiences. We have also discussed how pornography can impact broader societal issues such as social relationships, erectile dysfunction, and mental health problems like depression and anxiety.
It’s concerning that so many men continue to consume pornography despite the harmful effects it can have on their mental health. We hope that our paper helps raise awareness about the negative consequences of pornography consumption and spurs further research and action to address this growing problem. It’s important for everyone to understand that pornography is not harmless entertainment and can have serious repercussions. Let’s work together to promote education and awareness about this issue.
References
Kühn, S., & Gallinat, J. (2014). Brain structure and functional connectivity associated with pornography consumption: The brain on porn. JAMA PsychiatryBridges, A. J.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/1874574
Morokoff, P. J. (2011). Sexual media use and relational satisfaction in heterosexual couples. Personal Relationships,
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Hi L, The thing is the paper is mainly concentrated on the African continent particularly.If you make an analysis of…