Pornography: An Analysis

A few days ago I read a nice article on pornography. The author had discussed the myths about pornography, offering scientific details. These were the myths:

MYTH ONE: “Obsession with porn is due to a character defect.”
MYTH TWO: “There’s no scientific evidence that porn is addictive.”
MYTH THREE: “Those who suggest porn is harmful are anti-sex and/or religious extremists.”

And these are some excerpts I chose:

"The human brain has never had to contend with such an assault, which is strategically calculated to stimulate this vulnerable part of the male brain. A few short decades ago young men usually got their first glimpses of bare breasts in National Geographic. Then came “Playboy,” “Hustler,” X-rated films, hard-core porn, and now the Internet. In effect, today’s porn viewers are guinea pigs in a mass experiment. It is quite possible that male brains are not well suited to handle this overload of erotica without losing their equilibrium."

"Sex is as natural as sugar, but when we use it in a binge pattern, as many porn users do, then it has the potential for addiction."

"Porn is like junk food. It can easily promote unhealthy isolation or shallow, risky relationships. It therefore interferes with relationships that have the greatest potential to nourish us. In this respect porn itself is anti-sex, even if it is pro-orgasm. Moreover, like junk food, porn can give rise to an unruly addiction."

"The porn industry is similar to the tobacco industry - driven by the addictions of its users. This demand, which both industries do everything in their power to increase, makes it hard to curb porn production. However, there is much that can be done to educate potential users and users about the true risks of using porn, and how to seek recovery once hooked."

If you are interested in reading the whole article, visit Reuniting: Healing with Sexual Relationships.