Have you ever wondered why people start viewing pornography in the first place? Porn can be introduced through friends, older family members, or even accidently through web browsing or channel surfing. Sometimes lonely people turn to porn as a source of comfort. Despite the promises that pornography will improve your sexual intimacy, provide comfort, and teach you all you need to know about sex, consumers quickly realize these are empty promises. People who turn to pornography feel bad and ashamed after viewing it which often causes depression and loneliness. The cycle repeats as they turn back to the porn for comfort.
As people spend more time consuming porn, it is normal for them to isolate themselves as they start to avoid hanging out with friends, stop participating in their hobbies, and lose connection with people in their lives. Some users become so reliant on pornography that they prefer it over real-life experiences, which harms their actual relationships. A number of peer-reviewed studies have shown that pornography has a big impact on their mental health because of the depression, anxiety, loneliness, lower-life satisfaction, and poorer self-esteem (FighttheNewDrug).
Another way that pornography affects mental health is that the user sees constant images of men and women who are in an unrealistic physically fit condition. They compare not only themselves to these unrealistic standards, but to their romantic partners, or those whom they have a romantic interest in. Since neither the one they have interest in, nor themselves can meet these standards, a healthy relationship with realistic expectations is difficult to sustain.
How can we help someone, whether it is ourselves or a loved one, to break the cycle of loneliness and pornography use? Continue to be there for them, invite them to social activities, and don’t give up. Fight the New Drug has a website (see below) that can be accessed for help, as well as articles that may be beneficial to overcoming their pornography addictions. There are also personal stories that can be related to them in their own circumstance. There is hope for everyone, as long as there is the needed support as they make along the journey to recovery.
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