How Porn Literally Changes Your Brain

From nights with lovers to solo reels under the cover – more Americans than ever.

In 2024, the United States once again made its global list of Pornhub, visiting more than 3 billion visits to free adult movie websites in January alone.

But while porn can bring pleasant moments, too much screen time can bring some less sexy side effects. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Danielle Sukenik breaks down potential risks in conversations – spoiler alerts: They are not exactly reposting.

The digital age has revolutionized the adult entertainment industry and made the range of porn more accessible than ever.

Research shows that about 40 million Americans visit porn sites regularly, with 28,258 adjusting each second.

Young people are no exception. Common Sense Media’s 2023 survey found that 73% of adolescents aged 17 and under watched online porn, 12 of which were the average age for first time exposure.

The effect of pornography on the brain

For many, porn can be a harmless tool for sexual exploration and education. But for others, it can have problems, not only giving their relationships, but also causing their brains.

A 2015 study found that men who often see porn have less gray matter in the brain area and are responsible for motivation and decision-making. Large consumers with grade X content also generally respond less to sexual stimuli, which may be due to desensitization.

“This in turn leads to increased desire and impulsivity to reach previous reward levels in the brain,” Sukenik wrote.

Porn can also disrupt your brain’s reward system.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that feels good in the brain whenever we feel happy. But when dopamine keeps flooding the brain with repeated porn use, the reward center builds tolerance.

result? You need more intense stimulation to feel the same satisfaction.

Research shows that this may lead people to look for something that has never been considered before. A 2016 study found that 49% of participants ended up exploring what was once offensive or even offensive to them.

“Since porn users may eventually feel the need to seek more extreme content because pornography may affect brain changes and subsequent pleasant responses,” Sukenik wrote.

As this desensitization continues, it can also reduce the fun of the real world. Some experts believe this is due to the user’s sexual arousal, which is used to regulate certain aspects of pornography, which cannot be translated into real life experience.

For some, this can cause problems under the belt.

A 2020 study found that 23% of men under the age of 35 who regularly watch porn reported erectile dysfunction in real life. It also shows that heavy porn users take longer than their real-world partners to orgasm.

These effects also often spread to the bedrooms – pornography effects are associated with reducing interpersonal satisfaction and emotional disconnection.

“It is also obvious in the relationships affected by problematic porn use, the rate of infidelity, lower commitment, emotional detachment and loss of trust are also obvious,” Sukenik wrote.

Loss of personal life, coupled with changes in the brain’s reward system, may severely impact a person’s mental health.

Studies show that average porn users often report higher rates of depression, lower quality of life and overall mental health than those who avoid this.

“Pornography use may have a more profound impact on the developing brain,” Sukenik wrote. “This is because the adolescent brain is experiencing rapid development and establishing and recombining connections at high speeds in adolescence.”

A 2021 study found that more than 20% of students who compulsively consume rating X content experience severe or extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress.

Other studies have shown that early exposure to pornography is associated with higher personality and impulse disorders.

A separate 2021 study of nearly 11,000 European adolescents between the ages of 14 and 17 found that people exposed to pornography are more likely to engage in rule violations and aggressive behaviors.

Further research suggests that early exposure to pornography may lead to criminal behavior, high-risk sexual behavior and even material use.

Is porn good for you?

While porn can have a dark side, not all are doom and melancholy. For some, this is actually an elevation in the bedroom.

Porn is often used for masturbation – with its own list of health benefits. Experts say solos can help people feel more in line with their bodies, sexual behaviors and even fantasies. It is also related to reducing stress and anxiety.

It’s not just a solo sport. For some couples, watching porn can actually make them closer.

A 2021 study found that partners who watched porn reported higher levels of sexual satisfaction, communication and interpersonal communication than partners who watched alone.