Pornography has been with us since the beginning of time.
Our prehistoric ancestors made erotic drawings on the walls of caves. The ancient Greeks erected statues with a highly erotic component, as well as pictorial representations of sexual acts on vases. All of this happened long before the adult film industry began producing its first films.
Thanks to the golden age of the Internet and telecommunications, Frequent pornography consumption has skyrocketed in the last decade Does this mean porn is harmless?
Some men decide to self-stimulate by viewing pornography, thinking that it is only a quick and healthy way to relieve tension or explore sexual tastes and preferences without leaving the couch. This may be relatively true and beneficial in the short term, however, It can easily become an addiction that could negatively affect our brain
The effects of pornography dependence on the brain
The brain’s limbic system is responsible for rewarding us and making us feel pleasure when we have positive experiences, such as making love for the first time, winning a soccer game, or tasting our favorite food.
The hormones dopamine and glutamate are released in a controlled manner every time we are subjected to positive stimuli. Dopamine is the hormone of happiness, while glutamate makes our body remember the experience.
When we stimulate ourselves with pornography, there is an exponential increase in the amounts of glutamate and dopamine released This causes the body to react to that stimulus as if it were actually a very deep and real feeling of sexual pleasure, despite the obvious absence of another human being during this act.
This increase in the doses of dopamine and glutamate released by the brain will mean that we will increasingly need to consume more content and a greater variety, sometimes leading to prioritizing consuming pornography over other things. When this is not controlled, it can become a serious addiction, which can last years of therapy until complete rehabilitation.
No one is safe from porn addiction, which can be as serious as addiction to alcohol, tobacco, gambling or hard drugs. When dopamine levels are out of control due to excessive pornography consumption, the simplest things in life, which we used to enjoy normally, such as a walk on the beach at sunset or a meal with friends, become totally boring and tasteless when We compare them to porn.
This addiction can also decrease our libido and ruin our sexual relationships, since pornography can cause our ability to achieve orgasm and maintain an erection to decrease
The habitual consumption of pornography makes our brain learn to let our body respond only to the images that we are used to seeing on the screen, which quite often are far from a conventional sexual relationship. When we are having sex with our partner, our body will no longer be able to respond appropriately. This dysfunction It often causes feelings of frustration, guilt, shame, and lack of self-confidence
Another big disadvantage of easy and unlimited access to this type of content is the lack of motivation to go out and meet people, network and build fruitful and long-lasting relationships. Habitual porn consumption It will make us, little by little, withdraw more into ourselves, contenting ourselves with instant pleasure and decreasing our chances of having healthy relationships with other people. Because of this, our self-esteem will decrease, which will cause us to consume more pornography to redeem that pain with a temporary dose of dopamine, which will make us feel worse and worse. It is a vicious circle that will turn us into distant and apathetic people if we do not stop it in time.
From the individual’s point of view, pornography is not a problem, the real problem is the addiction that it can generate. This is due to the lack of motivation, shame and lack of self-esteem that its habitual consumption causes.
For some people, self-stimulation through watching pornography may be a good method to relax, however, When we use it without measure, as a means to escape reality, it can become a problem more serious than you can imagine.
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