Safety Net

7. Will discussing pornography make the
problem worse or even raise curiosity?
In society today, pornography is rampant; virtually all
children will be exposed to pornography by the time they
graduate from high school. As a result, it is necessary to
discuss pornography openly.
Without this discussion, children and teens are left with
the impression that pornography is rather harmless.
They are left totally unaware of its addictive nature and of
the fact that regularly viewing pornography can destroy
their ability to experience healthy and empathic
relationships with others. Openness does not mean
condoning immoral behavior or lessening
consequences; instead, it involves teaching the truths
about the consequences of viewing pornography and
creating a relationship where exposure to
pornography is discussed.
8. Why is pornography so dangerous?
While some people feel there is nothing wrong with
pornography, evidence shows that there can be very
real and dangerous effects on both individuals and
society as a whole. Research indicates that
pornography can be extremely addictive. Pornography
conditions a person to respond emotionally and sexually
to a self-­­centered, artificial world. Many online
relationships are similar to pornography in that they are
not based in reality: what individuals “read and see
about people, relationships, and sex is distorted.”
Research demonstrates that repeated exposure to
pornography results in 1) increased callousness toward
women, 2) trivialization of rape as a criminal offense, 3)
distorted perceptions about sexuality, 4) increased
appetite for more deviant and bizarre types of
pornography, 5) devaluation of monogamy, 6)
decreased satisfaction with a partner’s sexual
performance, affection and physical appearance, 7)
doubts about the value of marriage, 8.) decreased desire
to have children, and 9) viewing non-­­monogamous
relations as normal and natural behavior.
9. Is pornography addictive?
Many wonder why those viewing pornography do
not just stop when they have a sincere desire to do
so, especially as they experience dramatic negative
consequences associated with the behavior. Most
accept the concept that drugs and other substances can
be addictive in a neurobiological sense, in other words,
they can change the chemistry and function of the
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pleasure/control centers of the brain, a process called
neuromodulation. Can this happen with “natural”
addictions also, such as with food, pathological
gambling, and sexual addictions? The last ten years has
produced research into the neurobiology of addiction
which has provided strong evidence that the same
“molecular switches” that induce and perpetuate drug
addiction are also operative in natural addictions as
well. This evidence supports the model that all
addiction is perpetuated by an imbalance in the
dopaminergic reward systems of the brain, this being
associated with pathologically functioning control/
reward centers.
The human brain is programmed to incentivize
behaviors that contribute to survival. The mesolimbic
dopaminergic system rewards eating and sexuality
with powerful pleasure incentives. Cocaine, opioids,
alcohol, and other drugs subvert, or hijack, these
pleasure systems, and cause the brain to think a drug
high is necessary to survive. Evidence is now strong that
natural rewards such as food and sex affect the reward
systems in the same way drugs affect them, thus the
current interest in ‘natural addiction.’ Addiction,
whether to cocaine, food, or sex occurs when these
activities cease to contribute to a state of homeostasis,
and instead cause adverse consequences. There are
some professionals as well as those involved in the
pornography industry that disagree with the research
and suggest that pornography may become a
compulsion but not an addiction. The pornography
industry and its apologists want to minimize any
research pointing to an addictive basis for this
devastating social and individual emotional illness.
Rather than consider what is now a growing and
substantial body of research supporting the existence
of natural addiction, they attack or ignore any such
research or researcher, generally saying that sure,
pornography can be a “problem” for some. They
obtusely point out that since there is no specific study on
pornography, nothing can be said with regard to
pornography as an addiction.
10. What is Sexual Addiction?
Sexual addiction is best described as a progressive
intimacy disorder characterized by compulsive
sexual thoughts and acts. Like other addictions, its
negative impact on the addict and on family members
increases as the disorder progresses.
Over time, the addict usually has to escalate the
addictive behavior to achieve the same results.