Pornography is the display of sexual content in the form of text and images. Some viewers of porn are looking for self-exploration, sexual education, and even improving relationships with their partners, but some go to it to experience excitement and sexual stimulation. Of course, considering the time wasted on these movies and their destructive effects on emotional and sexual relationships, it can be said that this industry is more of a problem than a solution maker! In the following, you will read its positive and negative effects from reliable sources.
Is pornography good or bad?
Watching sex scenes and naked intercourse of two actors who have practiced sex many times to play it in the best way is not helpful with any logic! Porn content is a fierce competitor for brain activity. It takes up all of your time, saps your energy for daily activities, and is addictive. It may even delay the pleasure and harm the sexual and emotional relationship between you and your partner. Even if you have come to it for self-exploration and discovery of your sexuality, know that being exposed to pornographic media will sooner or later have disturbing effects on your sexual attitudes and behavior in your life together, especially movies that display unrealistic images of the body and sexual behavior. They advertise high risk.
The destructive effects of porn on married life
For various reasons, pornography can harm your healthy relationship. Believe it or not, the number of couples breaking up due to problems caused by porn is increasing every day. In this section, we have mentioned only a few of the harmful effects of watching sex scenes on married life.
1. Loss of trust
Watching porn is not an honorable behavior and is usually done in secret and away from the wife’s eyes. Over time, secrecy, feelings of shame, desire for isolation, and lies told because of this sneaky behavior become the basis of mistrust between husband and wife.
2. Less satisfaction with married life
Some people believe that watching porn increases the quality of their sexual life and strengthens their sexual health, while according to research, watching naked sex scenes does not have a good effect on the intimacy of men and women and their satisfaction with sex. Pornography is one of the most vital indicators of damage to the intimacy of husband and wife and reduces their attractiveness in each other’s eyes.
3. Unrealistic expectations from the partner
When you go to the cinema to watch a movie, you know that the actors on stage are different characters and they are only paid to play a role. The excitement of porn makes us forget this point. Real sex is never the same as the painstakingly directed and filmed scenes. Because of this, watching these movies constantly makes men and women have unrealistic expectations of sex, expectations that probably won’t be met, and nothing but discouragement and disappointment.
4. Decreased self-esteem
Leaving aside the constant comparison of the wife’s mind, what should we do with our mind, which is constantly comparing us with actors in porn movies? What do we do with the self-esteem destroyed by this constant analogy? The attractiveness of the actors in the pornography industry unconsciously tells us that there is no sexual attraction in us, and we have to make a change! This trap of self-deprecation damages the quality of the relationship with the partner and provides grounds for jealousy and mistrust.
Why do married people go to porn?
No man is happy when his wife watches porn. Discomfort and anger are people’s most common feelings when faced with this issue. Even many consider watching sex scenes as a kind of betrayal and do not simply pass by it. Of course, your wife is often drawn to these movies at the peak of their commitment to a life together and their interest in you. This tendency has several main reasons that we have examined below.
1. Compensating the void of love
Researchers believe that some people turn to pornography when their need for affection in the real world is not met. These people resort to watching pornographic movies to get rid of the feeling of loneliness, and usually, watching these movies is not their own doing.
2. Coping with stress
Pornography can be introduced as a coping mechanism against stress and other disorders and problems related to mental health. Watching porn scenes can be likened to a temporary escape that frees the viewer’s mind from anxiety and stress.
3. Feeling satisfied
Watching porn content activates a part of the brain called the “reward center,” the exact part that fills a person’s existence with pleasure and so-called “ecstasy.” If you know what a powerful effect the activation of this reward center has on the brain, porn addiction will no longer be strange and out of your mind.
Methods of dealing with pornography addiction
Pornography addiction has not yet been recognized as a mental health disorder, and there is no standard treatment for it. However, it is possible to take a step to fight it with various addiction treatment protocols, including psychotherapy, drug therapy, and lifestyle modification.
1. Cognitive behavioral therapy
Addiction to porn content is one of the most annoying types of sexual deviations that change a person’s mentality towards healthy sexual relations and hurt his daily life. The approach of most psychologists to the treatment of porn addiction is the same as other types of addiction. In cognitive behavioral therapy sessions, the therapist, while exploring and understanding the person’s motivations, teaches him healthier coping mechanisms to eliminate his desire to watch porn content.
2. Dynamic psychotherapy
Dynamic psychotherapy or psychoanalysis is a form of speech therapy. This technique discovers unconscious thoughts and memories that have triggered an event or desire in a person years later. During the treatment sessions, the therapist looks for the root of porn addiction in childhood events and traumas and teaches the person how to overcome this desire.
3. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
This form of treatment is not much different from cognitive behavioral therapy sessions, and its purpose is to identify thought patterns that have provided the context for watching porn as an addictive behavior. The difference is that therapy based on acceptance and commitment focuses on accepting negative thoughts for better management.
4. Group Therapy
According to the research, connecting with people struggling with the same problem reduces the feeling of shame and loneliness. Also, seeing their progress in overcoming this addiction can be a good motivation to try harder and get rid of addiction.
5. drug therapy
No definitive drug has been introduced yet to treat pornography addiction, but antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and opiate antagonists can be used to curb it.
- Antidepressants: People whose addiction to porn content is due to anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder can curb this desire by taking antidepressants.
- Mood Stabilizing Medication: People with bipolar disorder who struggle with compulsive sexual behavior, such as watching porn, can suppress or at least curb this desire under the supervision of a doctor by taking medications such as valproic acid and lithium.
- Opioid antagonists: Opioid addiction drugs such as naltrexone are not ineffective in treating porn addiction and curbing compulsive sexual behaviors. Taking these drugs reduces the feeling of euphoria after performing the compulsive behavior to reduce the motivation of the person to act in these behaviors.
6. changing lifestyle
Don’t underestimate the power of lifestyle change. The more difficult it is to access the addictive factor, i.e., porn content, the less likely it is to be watched. Also, this desire can be better controlled by identifying triggers such as stress, negative emotions, unemployment, and boredom.
7. Effective conversation with a partner
It is unlikely that pornography will cause a particular problem in your life together and in your sexual and emotional relationship. To solve all of the issues that arise from your or your partner’s desire to watch porn, you need to smooth the way of the conversation. Blame, advice, and threats will not bring you results. Set aside judgment and express your displeasure with the right words and tone. Say exactly what is wrong with this addictive behavior and why it bothers you. You can even share all your mental insecurities and the constant comparison of your body with porn actors with your spouse. You are halfway there by stating the problem.
last word
Pornography is at odds with our social traditions. Although some people think that such content teaches couples helpful tips that lead to higher-quality sex, you should know that watching it excessively may be enough to destroy a relationship alone. Whenever you feel that one or both of you have become addicted to these movies, instead of ignoring this vital behavior, look for a way to deal with it. Family counselors can introduce you to healthier alternatives to improve your sex life.
If you have experience in this field, please write us your comments. Maybe your experience will be a light for the readers of this article.
