Pornography Use Will Impact Mental Health

In today’s digital age, the accessibility and prevalence of pornography have raised concerns about its impact on mental health. While often portrayed as harmless entertainment, growing evidence suggests that pornography consumption can have significant negative effects on individuals and their relationships. This blog explores three key areas where pornography use can lead to negative mental health outcomes: depression, anger, and anxiety. Check out our blog post on when to get help for anxiety found here.  By examining the process and psychological consequences of prolonged exposure, we aim to shed light on the hidden costs of pornography consumption and its potential to disrupt personal and social functioning.

Pornography Increases Depression

Part of the reason porn is so addictive is because it stimulates the brain’s dopamine pathways which create a rush of pleasure. This is enjoyable at first, as dopamine feels good when released. However, porn creates shortcuts to the feeling and at a higher dosage than naturally expected. Many times, the early experiences of porn are the most exciting, and the future uses are simply attempts to get back to that level of a dopamine high. People continue to use pornography because dopamine is not released when a reward is found but rather in anticipation of the possibility of a reward. Read more about this phenomenon in the book, Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary Way of Understanding Addiction by Maia Szalavitz.

Additionally, over time, the brain adjusts to the higher levels of expected dopamine to find a balance. This causes the individual to be desperate for the next artificial or shortcut hit of dopamine and to cease to be able to feel the same levels of pleasure they used to feel from normal experiences in life. This shows up in a lack of thrill at someone giving them a compliment or finding a new favorite drink. This begins to show up in depression symptoms, which have an impact on themselves and their communities.

Pornography Increases Anger

This sense of depression can also lead to heightened states of anger. If someone is looking for the next hit and cannot find it, their brain will enter a state of relapse. This often brings up feelings of desperation, which can cause increased outbursts of anger if anyone limits the ability to get that hit. Additionally, porn begins to teach the user that they can have what they want when they want it when they are using it. This sense of entitlement can subtly begin to seep into daily relationships and mood swings.

Pornography Increases Anxiety

Additionally, porn use may begin to contribute to higher levels of anxiety. Anxiety may begin to be more present if someone is worried about getting caught or found out. This anxiety can limit someone’s potential in the workforce, in families, and in friendships.

Pornography Impacts Mental Health

Pornography use can negatively impact people’s mental health by increasing depression, anger, and anxiety. The addictive nature of porn stems from its ability to stimulate dopamine pathways, creating an artificial high that becomes increasingly difficult to achieve. This leads to decreased pleasure from normal experiences, potentially resulting in depression. The struggle to maintain these artificial highs can also lead to increased anger and a sense of entitlement. Finally, the fear of being discovered can contribute to heightened anxiety, affecting various aspects of life. Overall, pornography use can have significant detrimental effects on mental health and interpersonal relationships.

References:

Szalavitz, Maia. 2016. Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction.