Your Brain on Porn

Sex is Not Wrong

Being aroused by sexual images, or experiencing sexual desires does not make you a bad person. However, misuse of these desires can be dangerous. With the rise of internet pornography – perhaps the most accessible and powerful form of erotica ever created – health professionals are seeing more and more people struggling with sexual addictions.

Why?

It all begins with the brain, as Craig Goss and Steven Luff explain in their book “Pure Eyes.” When humans engage in certain activities, the brain releases a pleasurable chemical called dopamine to encourage them to do it again. Some of the more common instances include eating, taking drugs, and sex. Which is why all three are also some of the most common addictions.

The brain becomes hooked on the pleasure associated with viewing porn, which is how it becomes an addiction. Because of chemical reactions in the brain, you can get to where all you need is to see a computer to feel the urge to view porn. As your brain develops a tolerance for dopamine, it becomes more difficult to feel the same rush every time you view porn. This is why people find themselves graduating to content that would repulse them in real life – it’s the only material sufficiently titillating left.

Porn Takes Over

Meanwhile, other pleasures dull in comparison. The authors of “Pure Eyes” use an interview for their chapter explaining porn addiction. During the conversation, Alexandra Katehakis, a certified sex addiction therapist, said, rather than the common descriptor of saying porn “hijacked your brain,” she prefers to say it “usurped your reward system.” Viewing porn has the biggest reward payoff chemically, so your brain pursues it beyond all others.

One of these “lesser” pleasures that becomes a casualty to extreme content is sex with your partner. It’s just not sufficiently thrilling anymore. You train your brain to respond to extreme content on a screen, which alters its ability to interpret more vanilla sex with a human being as comparably exciting – a problem researchers are beginning to see in adolescents who develop pornography habits around, or even before, the onset of puberty. They become so accustomed to being sexually aroused by extreme content on a screen that their brain does not understand how to negotiate sexual relationships with actual people. That aspect, the reality of sex with your partner, can be ignored by the person for so long, it’s becomes incomprehensible.

Dependent on Porn

In addition to the biggest reward, porn also becomes how addicts cope with life. Rather than accepting and dealing with the occasionally unpleasant occurrences of life, they turn to porn. Sad? Watch some porn. Angry? Watch some porn. Stressed? Watch some porn.

Part of the addiction is not so much related to the chemical dependency as it is the personal dependency. Porn and masturbation become the crutch that helps them limp through life.

While there is nothing sinful in enjoying earthly pleasures, God did not design them with the intent for his people to make them the foundation of their lives. As the Old Testament reminds us, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27 NKJV)

Christian Counseling for Porn Addiction

If you think your porn habit has gotten out of control or is keeping you from living a legitimately fulfilling life, consider getting in touch with a Christian counselor. We can help you figure out why you are drawn to pornography, and how to break free from your habit. A professional Christian counselor will use biblical principles and therapeutic techniques to help you break porn’s control on your life.