The effects of pornography use has been a matter of debate. Some couples use pornography together (for example, watching videos or reading erotica) as a way to make their sex lives more exciting. Porn may also provide ways for couples to communicate about activities they’d like to try.
However, for some people, pornography becomes unhealthy. Sustained pornography use can have some serious effects on a person’s relationships, mental health, social and work interactions, and sexual function.
Relationship problems
Sustained use of pornography can give people unrealistic expectations of sex. They may start to expect their partners to look or act a certain way during sexual activities. Partners may feel inadequate, insecure, and excluded. There can be resentment, arguments, withdrawal, and less communication and intimacy among couples.
Psychological issues
Some people feel guilty and ashamed for using pornography because they consider it immoral. They may feel anxious about keeping their secret or getting caught.
Social and occupational problems
Too much pornography use may cause some people to isolate themselves from their friends and family. Their work may suffer, or they could be fired for using pornography at their workplace. They may also have financial troubles if the money they spend on pornography is more than they can afford.
Sexual dysfunction
Some men report erection and ejaculation difficulties if they masturbate while viewing pornography. Over time, they feel they are desensitized from their actual partner. It may seem to them that the partner is not “enough” for erection or orgasm and that they need pornography in order to be sexual with another person.
However, in January 2019, a Journal of Sexual Medicine paper reported on the effects of “mere” and “problematic” pornography use on men’s erections. In a study involving over 800 sexually-active, pornography-using men, researchers found that erectile problems seemed “rare.” But among men who felt their use was problematic – interfering with their day-to-day lives or causing emotional distress – erection problems were more common.
While “too much” porn might be difficult to define, a December 2016 Journal of Sexual Medicine study of 830 men and women described some profiles of porn users.
The authors classified 76% of the participants as “recreational” users, who averaged about 24 minutes of porn use each week. This group was more likely to feel satisfied with their sexual relationships and less likely to have sexual problems or avoid sexual activity.
About 12% of the participants were “compulsive” cyberporn users. This group spent an average of 110 minutes each week using pornography and often felt distress about their use. They were also more likely to avoid partnered sex.
Roughly 13% of the study subjects fell into the “highly-distressed non-compulsive” category. While they used porn the least (an average of 17 minutes weekly), they were the most distressed about it, felt the least sexual satisfaction, and tended to avoid sex. It’s possible that they were ashamed of their use and feared disapproval from societal or religious groups.
See also: What can be done to help someone who has a problem with pornography?
Additional Resources
International Society for Sexual Medicine
“Cyberpornography Causes Varying Levels of Distress Among Users, Study Suggests”
(January 9, 2017)
“Is Erectile Dysfunction Related to Pornography Use?”
(March 10, 2019)
https://www.issm.info/news/sex-health-headlines/is-erectile-dysfunction-related-to-pornography-use/
The Journal of Sexual Medicine
Grubbs, Joshua B., PhD and Mateusz Gola, PhD
“Is Pornography Use Related to Erectile Functioning? Results From Cross-Sectional and Latent Growth Curve Analyses”
(Full-text. January 2019)
https://www.jsm.jsexmed.org/article/S1743-6095(18)31285-2/fulltext
Vaillancourt-Morel, Marie-Pier, PhD, et al.
“Profiles of Cyberpornography Use and Sexual Well-Being in Adults”
(Article in Press. Published online: December 21, 2016)
http://www.jsm.jsexmed.org/article/S1743-6095(16)30842-6/abstract
SexHealthMatters.org
“Can Pornography Improve a Sexual Relationship?”
(March 19, 2014)
https://www.sexhealthmatters.org/sex-health-blog/can-pornography-improve-a-sexual-relationship