Research
We are committed to using research in our treatment methods and dispelling biased claims that create unnecessary shame and panic.
Center for Overcoming Pornography
Our Research
All of the research depicted here has been independently conducted. We are dedicated to dispelling
research that proves little empirical evidence. We are completely honest about what we do and do not
know from a research standpoint.
Here's what we found:
Compulsive viewing of pornography is about escapism- the inability to sit with uncomfortable emotions.
That’s it.
Not addiction.
Not sexual deviance.
Not some hidden inner desires. It is simply a release of dopamine that can be habit forming.
Experiential avoidance and problematic pornography use
(Borgogna & McDermott, 2019)
Experiential avoidance and scrupulosity were found to be positive correlates of Problematic Pornography Viewing (PPV).
Indirect effects suggested experiential avoidance was a positive mediator between
Moderation analyses indicated these relationships only held for men.
The present findings support the use of acceptance-based interventions for individuals struggling with PPV.
Our Summary: Experiential avoidance (defined below) and scrupulosity are related to greater problematic pornography use. Interventions that combine mindfulness and acceptance of thoughts (thought work) may decrease problematic pornography use the most.
Experiential avoidance (EA) involves the unwillingness to remain in contact with aversive experiences such as painful feelings, thoughts, and emotions.
Read the study:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10720162.2020.1751361
Emotional regulation and problematic pornography use
(Cardoso et al., 2023) Pornography; Reasons.
Difficulties in emotion regulation are positively correlated with PPU. Loneliness partially mediates the relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and PPU.
Our Summary: Loneliness may explain the relationship between difficulties dealing with emotion and problematic pornography use. Men are more likely to know how to handle loneliness well.
Read the study
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19317611.2023.2224807
Pornography as a means of escape and validation
Pornography as a means of escape and validation
(Chasioti & Binnie, 2021) Pornography; Reasons.
A sense of vulnerability rendered the use of pornography as a means of escape and validation. Furthermore, commitment to abstinence, framed by the notions of recovery and relapse, was found to be a major factor for maintaining distress.
Our Summary: More evidence that pornography is often used to escape negative emotions, and the goal of abstinence often makes the distress worse.
Read the study:
Since the compulsive use of pornography is a form of escapism from uncomfortable emotions, shame around the issue will only make it worse. We understand that any approach to quitting pornography that produces more shame creates a spiral of pornography use that is especially hard to break out of.
These are band aid solutions for a much deeper issue that is not being addressed.
This includes:
Filters
Confessionals
Accountability groups
Willpower
Saying “Just Stop”
Distracting yourself
Moral disapproval of pornography and shame
(Droubay et al., 2021)
Given that secrecy and deception about pornography viewing are linked with negative relationship outcomes, we sought to identify variables associated with persons’ endorsement of hiding it.
Consumer moral disapproval of pornography and experiences of shame were associated with hiding behavior.
Results from a path analysis suggest that the positive relationship between sexual conservatism and endorsement of hiding viewing from one’s committed partner is mediated by both moral incongruence (associated with viewing) and perception that pornography causes a host of harms.
Persons with moral qualms related to their viewing were especially likely to endorse hiding it if they were shame-prone
Individuals who internalize messaging that pornography causes serious harms are more likely to keep their viewing secret.
This suggests that practitioners, policymakers, and advocates need to be circumspect about their messaging, avoiding shame-inducing rhetoric, while keeping in mind the centrality of people’s values in informing attitudes and behaviors about pornography.
Our Summary: People who believe that pornography causes harm are more likely to hide their pornography viewing, and if they are shame-prone the hiding behavior is even worse. Hiding and secrecy creates relationship problems. Make sure the way we talk about pornography is not making the problem worse.
Read the Study:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0092623X.2020.1822483
Thought suppression & Compulsive Sexual Behavior
(Efrati, 2018)
The rebound effect of thought suppression refers to attempts to suppress thoughts that result in an increase of those thoughts.
The aim of this three-study research was to investigate the suppression of thoughts and its possible importance in the cognitive model of predicted compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) among Israeli Jewish religious and secular adolescents.
Increased preoccupation with sexual behavior, a hallmark of adolescence, is further intensified by suppressing these thoughts, thus becoming an essential part of the development of CSB.
More specifically, suppressing such sexual thoughts and the inability to control them increase sexual fantasies and preoccupation with sexual behaviors, thus increasing the negative emotions of shame and guilt, which are an outcome of one’s inability to control such thoughts.
The analyses indicated that religious adolescents are higher in CSB than secular ones, and that sexual suppression and CSB mediate the link between religiosity and well-being.
Our Summary: Trying to fight off sexual thoughts can actually increase them. This may be why acceptance and commitment-type therapy (which includes acceptance, mindfulness, and non-judgement) may be more effective to help people choose behaviors aligned with their values.
Read the study:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2018.1461796
Self-acceptance and acceptance of pornography use
(Sniewski & Farvid, 2019)
We report on six cases of men with SPPPU as they underwent a mindfulness-based intervention program. The aim of the article is to offer greater insights into the men’s individual, subjective, and reflective experiences during the intervention.
Results suggest that self-acceptance and acceptance of pornography use may represent intervention goals that are more realistic, practical, and attainable than abstinence.
Triggers often took the form of affective states that were difficult to manage and regulate and viewing pornography served as the mediator for these uncomfortable experiential states even though viewing created additional problematic consequences.
All of the men also disclosed the helpfulness of the pre-study interview process. While the intention was solely to gather data for research purposes, these men reported feeling relief after being able to speak openly about their pornography in a nonjudgmental space.
The pre-study interview also seemed to spark the first instances of self-reflection and self-awareness of pornography consumption.
Participants seemed to use the daily pornography-viewing logging spreadsheet as a momentary pause for reflecting on their pornography use, considering alternative responses to their temptation to view pornography, visually assessing the amount of pornography viewing, or set-ting intentions and goals with regards to future viewing.
Perry and Pablo experienced therapeutic benefits when they started becoming more accepting of themselves and their pornography use, consistent with mindfulness literature that has shown positive associations between practicing mindfulness with both self-acceptance (Carson &Langer, 2006; Birnie, Speca, & Carlson, 2010) and self-compassion (Baer, Lykins, & Peters, 2012). Consequently, both Perry’s and Pablo’s pornography use lowered, which could be because the accompanying feelings of shame and guilt after watching pornography would not be present to fuel continued use (Levin, Lillis, & Hayes, 2012).
Research has shown that the feelings of connectedness, bonding, and being listened to help create an atmosphere of self-acceptance and are negatively correlated with hypersexual and sexually compulsive behavior (Hook et al., 2015).
The primary tool for gathering quantitative data during the intervention study was the daily logging spreadsheet, which required participants to record their daily pornography use, both in terms of frequency and duration.
An unexpected finding was that the logging sheet served as a potent intervention in and of itself. Indeed, all of the participants reported the helpfulness and usefulness of logging pornography use, with some of the participants perceiving the logging process to be more helpful and useful than the guided meditation intervention.
Participants reported experiencing an increased level of awareness around the contextual factors that triggered their viewing once they began the logging process.
Pornography represents a maladaptive coping strategy for unwanted thoughts or negative feelings, even though pornography viewing most often leads to additional harm and unintended negative consequences (Levin et al., 2012).
Research indicates that experiential avoidance accounts for both frequent pornography viewing, as well as the negative consequences associated with viewing (Levin, Lee, & Twohig, 2018).
As such, any intervention that shifts an individual’s coping strategy from one of experiential avoiding to one of experiential allowing should reasonably expect some level of perceived discomfort since the individual will likely experience the affective states (i.e., unwanted thoughts, negative emotions and affective states, or uncomfortable or unpleasant physical body sensations) that had been avoided via pornography use.
Our Summary: Acceptance of self and acceptance of pornography viewing may actually lessen pornography viewing more effectively than efforts at abstinence. Triggers to view porn are often negative emotions that are hard to manage. Mindfulness allows self-acceptance and self-compassion while experiencing a negative emotion, rather than using pornography to avoid the negative emotion. In this study, having a safe, non-judgmental place to share feelings was relieving and helped to spark self-awareness and self-reflection. Additionally, a daily logging spreadsheet where participants recorded the frequency and duration of their porn viewing increased the participants awareness of their triggers to viewing.
Read the Study:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10720162.2019.1645058
Our Approach
This deeper issue is a lack of emotional resilience and processing skills that research has found to not only be good for overcoming pornography but essential.
This is why we take a completely different approach to quitting pornography that is:
Shame free
Sex positive
Research based
Result focused
Trauma Informed
This revolutionary approach doesn’t only sound great, but it really works. Hundreds of clients have reported not only quitting porn but no longer having a desire to view porn at all after going through our program.
90.4 % of program members report feeling more in control on their lives since joining Overcome Pornography for Good.
Our podcast teaches these skills and resonates true with over 1 Million
listeners. We regularly receives reviews like this:
Get to the Root Model
Through years of analyzing research and coaching, the Center for Overcoming Pornography has developed a “get to the root” model.
We acknowledge that unethical pornography use is a symptom of a much larger issue- a societal issue founded in homogenized masculine tendencies which has created an unbalanced system. This system is focused on symptoms, dressing bullet holes with band aids leaving individuals feeling that their body is inherently un-trustworthy.
In contrast, our center strives to bring awareness to abusive behaviors, control tactics, and power dynamics that make it difficult to quit porn.
We also make porn consumers aware of emotionally abusive behaviors they might be playing out in their own relationships.
We don’t blame the porn for these behaviors, as you'll see in the research. We ensure that we are a safe place for people to land. We never ostracize pornography consumers. People are not the villains, legal and ethical pornography is not the villain,
harmful beliefs and systems are.
Benefits of the "getting to the root" model:
Study explaining operant conditioning (how people use porn to escape emotion) https://pressbooks.online.ucf.edu/lumenpsychology/chapter/operant-conditioning/#:~:text=Positive%20reinforcement%20is%20a%20process,by%20removing%20an%20undesirable%20c
(Borgogna et al., 2020a)
Few studies have examined how culturally constructed masculine role norms relate to pornography problems and how [self-esteem] may moderate [change] these associations.
Power over women and playboy norms [traditional masculinity] was associated with increased problematic pornography viewing, whereas emotional control and winning norms were negatively related to problematic pornography viewing.
Findings suggest that men’s pornography viewing may be tied to their expressions of traditional masculinity.
In addition, men with low self-esteem may be especially drawn to pornography, potentially as a way of over-conforming to and performing certain male role norms.
Implications for practice include exploring masculinity ideology with male clients struggling with pornography viewing problems and integrating masculinity as an important cultural consideration within established treatment modalities for pornography addiction.
Our Summary: Men with low-self esteem may struggle more with problematic pornography viewing. Debunking old, homogeneously masculine traditions and helping raise self-esteem may help male clients who struggle with pornography consumption.
Read the study:
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-25331-001
(Horvath, 2022)
The full expression of the contemporary CBT approach (for any problem, and for addiction specifically) is founded on the fundamental human learning processes, including respondent conditioning, operant conditioning, modeling, and cognitive mediation.
Respondent conditioning occurs when a stimulus that elicits an automatic response (e.g., food eliciting salivation) is paired closely in time with a neutral stimulus (e.g., a bell). With enough pairings where the bell rings and the food quickly arrives, the bell alone can elicit salivation.
Operant conditioning occurs when a positive or negative experience quickly follows a specific behavior. If the experience is positive, the behavior increases; if negative, it decreases. If I earn money for a behavior it tends to increase, but if I get fined it tends to decrease.
Modeling occurs when we observe someone (a model) engage in a behavior new to us and we learn about the behavior by observing it. This process is also called observational learning.
Cognitive mediation occurs when the “facts” of a situation are appraised (and possibly changed substantially) by the observer. [Sounds like thought work!] The interpretation or behavior that follows is based on the appraisal rather than immediately on the facts. You may appraise someone’s behavior as kind, but I may appraise it as manipulative. My appraisal may be based on my experience with that person, or with others who previously engaged in that behavior, or with others whom that person reminds me of, or on other aspects of my learning history.
Because we can cognitively mediate our own cognitive mediations, we can change them. Mediation of mediation is at the heart of CBT.
A functional analysis connects the antecedents of a behavior, the behavior itself, and the consequences of the behavior (ABC) in an effort to understand how specific situations lead the client to expect that the addictive behavior will be reinforced in them.
In some cases, the answer to the question “What do you like about it?” will be sufficient as a functional analysis.
CBT is approximately as effective as any other treatment for addiction. Clinicians can confidently use CBT for addiction but should refrain from stating that it is better than other approaches.
Our Summary: A discussion about CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or thought-work), including conditioning (Pavlov’s dogs’ style and reinforcement style), and cognitive mediation, which is like thought work, in evaluating whether your thoughts are accurate, etc. Additionally, thinking about functional analysis (the ABCs described above) can prove useful to understand the WHY behind the behavior. Previous articles in this document would suggest that these elements of CBT, combined with mindfulness, is an effective way to approach problematic pornography use.
Read the study:
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-23706-006
(Twohig & Crosby, 2010)
An emerging treatment approach, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), holds promise as a treatment for Internet pornography viewing because of its focus on processes hypothesized to underlie this maladaptive behavior.
Time viewing pornography as the dependent variable. [This was the outcome they measured]
Treatment resulted in an 85% reduction in viewing at posttreatment with results being maintained at 3-month follow-up (83% reduction). Increases were seen on measures of quality of life, and reductions were seen on measures of OCD and scrupulosity.
Our Summary: This was one of the first studies to evaluate ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) with reduction of pornography viewing, and showed the first evidence that ACT is an appropriate treatment.
Read the study:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27157029/
(Hallberg et al., 2019)
Aim: To investigate the efficacy of group-administered CBT for hypersexual disorder [using a randomized controlled study].
Methods: Male participants (n = 137) diagnosed with HD, were randomized between 7 weeks of group-administered CBT (n = 70) and a waitlist control receiving the intervention after 8 weeks (n = 67). Measurements were administered at pre-, mid-, and posttreatment, with follow-up after 3 and 6 months.
Results: A significantly greater decrease in HD symptoms and sexual compulsivity, as well as significantly greater improvements in psychiatric well-being, were found for the treatment condition compared with the waitlist. These effects remained stable at 3 and 6 months after treatment.
The long-term treatment effects are vague due to the low response rate on follow-up measurements, and the efficacy of this program for hypersexual women remains unknown.
Our Summary: More evidence that CBT works well to treat hypersexuality and compulsivity, as well as good research design to show effectiveness over time.
Read the study:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1743609519304308?via%3Dihub
Harm of homogenized masculine societies:
(Borgogna et al., 2019b)
Men’s restrictive emotionality and heterosexist ideologies predicted control difficulties with pornography use and using pornography to escape negative emotions.
Additionally, men’s avoidance of femininity ideology predicted excessive pornography use and control difficulties.
Our Summary: Men often need more help with regulating their emotions and in valuing women and minorities as equal, rather than in believing homogenized masculinity is best.
Read the study:
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-25331-001
(Borgogna et al., 2020a)
Few studies have examined how culturally constructed masculine role norms relate to pornography problems and how [self-esteem] may moderate [change] these associations.
Power over women and playboy norms [traditional masculinity] was associated with increased problematic pornography viewing, whereas emotional control and winning norms were negatively related to problematic pornography viewing.
Findings suggest that men’s pornography viewing may be tied to their expressions of traditional masculinity.
In addition, men with low self-esteem may be especially drawn to pornography, potentially as a way of over-conforming to and performing certain male role norms.
Implications for practice include exploring masculinity ideology with male clients struggling with pornography viewing problems and integrating masculinity as an important cultural consideration within established treatment modalities for pornography addiction.
Our Summary: Men with low-self esteem may struggle more with problematic pornography viewing. Debunking old, homogeneously masculine traditions and helping raise self-esteem may help male clients who struggle with pornography consumption.
Read the study:
Center for Overcoming Pornography
Our Mission is to completely revolutionize
the way that our society addresses
pornography.
We see so many men and women who feel trapped, broken, and lost from their inability to stop watching porn and we desperately want to help them understand that there is nothing wrong with them- they are just using the wrong tools to heal their problem.
We encourage everyone to gather as a community to support these individuals in building new and healthier habits. This is done through a radical shift in mindset about how porn affects us.
Disclaimer: The Center for Overcoming Pornography defines pornography as explicit representation of sexual activity performed by consenting adults in images or in writing.
This does not include explicit sexual representation of anyone under the age of 18 or anyone unable to consent to sexual acts. We consider this material not as pornography but as Sexual Exploitation Material (SEM). As we discuss research on pornography, we want it to be clear that we are not discussing SEM. The Center for Overcoming Pornography does not condone illegal material such as SEM. If you have come across SEM we encourage you to report this material to the United States Justice Division (For US residents) or your local Criminal Division.
We are a Porn-Neutral organization.
While our current culture has divisive ideas about pornography, the research is quite definitive
It’s no secret that historically, porn has been taboo. There have been unfounded claims about pornography that have very little empirical evidence making research on porn difficult to sift through.
Examples include: porn is addictive, watching porn makes you a violent person, or porn consumption damages your brain. Each of these claims and many more have been debunked
(see drop downs below). These claims perpetuate shame towards those who consume pornography and make it so much more difficult to quit.
Pornography can be classified as a "moral panic". Dr. Marty Klein explains this in depth in his book, His Porn, Her Pain. He teaches that moral panics are not new to society. In the 1980’s, Dungeons and Dragons, a popular board game, was thought to cause mental illness and lead to immoral behavior. In the 1950’s comic books were feared. Amateur “research” concluded that comic books led to antisocial behavior among young readers. There were public burnings of comic books, censorship, and bans on words like "zombies" or "vampires." Likewise, “moral panic” was used to create “porn panic” in the early 2000’s. Incomplete studies were conducted on assumptions of immorality creating many of the sources that are regularly quoted today by anti-pornography campaigns.
We do not teach that legal pornography (consensual adult material) has moral value, but that it can be a symptom other issues underneath the surface.
We simultaneously acknowledge that there can be very genuine pain around pornography. It is normal to experience relationship pain, self identity pain, or “feeling out of control” pain. Pornography is sometimes used by abusers against their victims which can cause a very poignant pain for this topic. We promise to address your pain-point wherever you may be with pornography without villainizing porn as the problem.
There are many great reasons to quit porn that have nothing to do with the moral character of porn. For many of our clients, pornography use has become a form of escapism preventing them from progressing. It is the escapism that we are work to eliminate, not the medium one chooses to escape with.
Additional Myths in Research on Pornography
Consumption:
Neuroscience proves that watching porn can damage the brain (especially in the young) and cause porn addiction.
Neuroscience evidence is mixed on the effect that pornography may or may not have on the brain.
The area of the brain that goes off with porn is related to the same area that goes off with cuddling puppies, eating sugar, drugs, watching sunsets, anything that triggers desire and dopamine.
“No data have demonstrated that porn is different from any other ‘liked’ activity or object”- Georgiadis and M.L> Kringelbach. “The Human Sexual Response Cycle: Brain Imaging Evidence Linking Sex to Other Pleasures”, Prog Neurobiol. 2012; 98(1):49-81. doi:10.1016/j.p-neurobio.2012.05.004
Bruce Carpenter, researcher at BYU “There is no evidence, not a single study of pornography use showing brain damage or brain change” What to look out for in research claims that neuroscience proves porn damages the brain:
What to look out for in research claims that neuroscience proves porn damages the brain:
Claiming certainty
Studies on tiny populations
Misunderstanding of the complexities of neuroscience No explanation for people who watch a medium or large amount of porn WITHOUT becoming addicted, compulsive, self-destructive, or sexually dysfunctional
Catch 22's - If brain activity goes up, it means addiction, if it goes down, it’s called “reduced sensitivity” because of pornography.
Porn contributes to rape culture.
Let's be clear: harming and hurting women or other people? Wrong. Non-consensual sexual activity? Wrong. Hard line.
And the research shows little to no evidence that viewing porn increases rape culture.
(Borgogna et al., 2022b)
Neither pornography viewing, nor hardcore pornography viewing, were related to rape myth acceptance when controlling for sexist attitudes among men.
Indicated hostile sexism to be a significantly stronger predictor of all rape myths examined compared to pornography viewing or hardcore pornography viewing in men and women.
Suggested hardcore pornography viewing as a significant exacerbating factor for the relationship between hostile sexism and “she asked for it” rape myths across genders.
Summary: Men who are sexist are more likely to believe rape myths like “she was asking for it,” compared to men who are not sexist but view pornography. AKA, watching pornography does not make men more likely to believe in rape myths; being sexist does.
Read the study:
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-25331-001
One case of rape is too many.
We still have a lot to do to combat sexual crime.
Research shows little to no correlation between people who view porn and people who contribute to rape and aggression. Instead of blaming porn, let’s get deeper to the real causes.
a. Lack of sex education
b. Sexist beliefs
c. Systems that favor men over women in court
d. Believing rape myths (e.g. she was asking for it, what was she wearing?) https://risenow.us/impact/what-were-you-wearing/
e. Trivializing sexual violence
f. Policing sexuality
g. Lack of accountability/covering up abuse
h. Sexist power advantages in work environments, church environments, etc.
i. Cultures that believe men over women.
Another interesting study:
More egalitarian views towards women in porn users: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00224499.2015.1023427
Pornography is addictive and leads to Sex Addiction.
Research suggests that addiction models may not be effective for treating problematic pornography use, whereas mindfulness based programs have shown a lot of success.
Pornography addiction is not a classified disorder in the DSM-5 or the ICD-11
Thousands of professionals from the most prestigious body of psychiatrists in the world reviewed decades of data, opinions, and clinical charts and came to this conclusion:
“There is insufficient peer-reviewed evidence to establish the diagnostic criteria and course descriptions needed” to include sex addiction or porn addiction as actual disorders.
This does NOT mean that you are making your experience up. This does not mean there is not pain and even compulsions around your porn use.
What this does mean:
a. There is little to no evidence that addiction models for quitting pornography work in the long term, whereas the mindfulness-based models shows a lot of efficacy (as seen in above sections of this page)
b. It’s not your fault you haven’t been able to quit, it’s like you’ve been fixing the microwave with the manual for the fridge.
c. There is a lot of hope
d. Your experiences, your hopelessness and feelings of out of control are very real.
Our Approach:
Labels are powerful.
Use the labels that help you the most.
If the addiction label helps you, use it.
If it doesn't, drop it.
Additional Studies to Read on this Topic:
Addiction and Mindfulness; Pornography Addiction and Mindfulness-Based Therapy ACT: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10720162.2019.1576560
Self-reported addiction to pornography in a nationally representative sample: The roles of use habits, religiousness, and moral incongruence: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30632378/
Addictions: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-23706-006
Watching adult porn leads to watching child porn.
Again - we do not use the term "Child P*rn", we use SEM, Sexual Exploitation Material. SEM is wrong and we hard line. We do not condone illegal material such as SEM. If you have come across SEM, please report to the United States Justice Division (For US residents) or your local Criminal Division.
There is no evidence to back up ted talk claims of legal porn use turning into SEM.
It's like sex - someone who really enjoys adult sex and has a lot of adult sex does not turn into a pedophile.
Porn destroys enjoyable, intimate relationships.
For some, there is genuine pain around pornography in their relationship.
And, research doesn't show a consistent correlation between pornography use and problematic relationships
It's easy to blame porn, but we need to see what's under the surface.
Is there lying, hiding, emotional disconnection, a lack of effort put into the sexual relationship, etc?
What is happening underneath the porn use is what is affecting the relationship.
Biased studies declares porn use as a threat to marriage without comparing marriages in which porn is and isn’t used.
The reality is that there are people who view porn individually and still have an intimate, close, honest, relationship.
The porn is much more neutral, it’s not that powerful - the relationship dynamics underlying the porn use is what’s going to cause issues.
Staley and N. Prause, “Erotica Viewing Effects on Intimate Relationships and Self/Partner Evaluations”, Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2013, 42(4), 615-624. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s10508-012-0034-4 Medline23224749
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/how-porn-affects-relationships
Porn is mostly violent and misogynistic
Let's be clear: harming and hurting women or other people? Wrong. Non-consensual sexual activity? Wrong. Hard line.
And the reality is that it is mostly non-violent.
Porn can show female passion and specific fantasies and sexual acts that some people find icky and unacceptable (BDSM, Oral sex, anal sex, threesomes, etc), They might even call these acts violent and misogynistic.
“Most porn is violent” is not really about violence, and more about opinions on sexuality and what someone should like or do in regards to sexuality.
Just because one person would never do this or isn’t turned on by this or even finds it icky and demeaning, does not mean it is objectively demeaning to all women.
But it is not mostly violent.
Some anti-porn activists make it sound like it’s everywhere and that most people watch it. This isn't true.
It exists, but is the minority.
Please ethically source your pornography, use paid sites that have systems in place to ensure only ethical (consensual) porn is shared.
Learn more about "Violent porn coding":
Examples in “His Porn, Her Pain” by Dr. Marty Klein, PHD Page 189
In this book, we learn that there are certain things that some claim as “violent porn” when it may be something that is against their personal preferences or distasteful in their eyes. They use the term “violent porn” although these acts may not be inherently violent and are consensual.
Porn is all about men and men’s pleasure.
Pornography content regularly depicts women experiencing pleasure.
Additionally, women watch porn almost as much as men do. If all porn was only for men and their pleasure, the data would show that women would not be interested in viewing pornography.
(Esplin et al., 2022) Pornography; Treatment, Stats, LDS.
The purpose of this study is to gather basic descriptive norms for pornography use in the state of Utah.
79% reported viewing pornography in their lifetime (85% of men, 75% of women).
The most common frequency of pornography viewing was weekly or monthly among men, and monthly or every 6 months among women, which is comparable to national averages.
We demonstrate a relationship between higher levels of pornography use and higher perceived levels of pornography use as a problem or “addiction” and depression scores.
Our results can provide a spectrum of pornography use, aiding a pornography user in treatment to be able to compare his or her use to this norm.
Even those high in religiosity continue to use pornography.
Studies estimate that 3%-5% of the population experiences their pornography use as problematic; those who hold these perceptions are more likely to be religious.
Among the group of high above average pornography users (99th percentile), the majority were men who viewed pornography multiple times a week or daily for about 6 – 15 minutes at a time. Interestingly, the high above average pornography users were exposed to pornography at a younger age than the more normative users.
Despite coming from a very religious state, religion was less important to the group of high users. Typically, those who perceive their pornography use as problematic are higher in religiosity.
There is an important difference between high levels of pornography use and perception of problematic pornography use: (i) high levels of pornography use is rooted in physical behaviors, and (ii) problematic pornography use is rooted in how one perceives his or her use.
Thus, moral incongruence is likely to be a better predictor of perceived problematic use than frequency of use (e.g., Grubbs & Perry, 2019)
Our Summary: This study uses a representative sample from the state of Utah that matches census data, meaning the results can be generalized. This study shows that approximately 56% of males viewed pornography at least once a month or more frequently, and 26% of females viewed pornography at least once a month or more frequently. Additionally, 25% of males reported never having viewed pornography in the past year, and 56% of females reported never viewing pornography in the past year. Those who used pornography the most frequently were exposed to pornography at a younger age than others. Finally, in this sample, the people in the highest frequency of porn use group were less religious than those in less frequent porn groups. This shows that the moral incongruence theory (perceiving you have a pornography problem) is more important than how frequently you view pornography.
Read the study:
https://academic.oup.com/jsm/article-abstract/19/5/823/6961280?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Porn causes erection problems, erectile dysfunction, especially in young men.
(Grubbs & Gola, 2018)"Despite evidence to the contrary, a number of advocacy and self-help groups persist in claiming that internet pornography use is driving an epidemic of erectile dysfunction (ED)."
"The present work sought to explore whether mere pornography use itself and self-reported problematic use of pornography are related to ED, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally."
"We conclude that There is little or no evidence of an association between mere pornography use and ED, consistent evidence of an association between self-reported problematic use and ED cross-sectionally, and no evidence of causal links between any pornography variables and ED."
Our Summary: Pornography use alone is not related to erectile dysfunction, even over time. However, self-reported problematic pornography use IS related to erectile dysfunction. In other words, only those who perceive they have a problem with pornography experience erectile dysfunction, and those who view porn but do not believe it is a problem do NOT experience erectile dysfunction.
Read the study:
https://academic.oup.com/jsm/article-abstract/16/1/111/6980412?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Fascinating, isn't it?
Erection problems are caused by other factors and there is little to no evidence that it is caused by porn use alone.
Sexual distress
Sexual shame
Hormonal imbalances
Age
Physical health concerns
Depression, anxiety, stress
Relationship problems
Porn use affects everyone the same way.
Viewing porn actually can have differing effects on the brain depending on other cognitive conditions such as mental illness. We have some research done on how porn effects those with depression and anxiety, PTSD, and religious OCD. Ultimately, we acknowledge that each case is unique and customize coaching on a case-by case basis.
Here are some studies that keep us trauma informed:
Depression/ Anxiety:
a. (Sniewski et al., 2018) Pornography; Treatment; Reasons.
Self-Perceived Problematic Porn Use (SPPPU) refers to an individual who self-identifies as addicted to porn because they feel they are unable to regulate their porn consumption, and that use interferes with everyday life.
Research suggests that individuals who are very vulnerable to the particular stimulus produced by pornography includes those with underlying comorbidities such as depression or anxiety disorders (Wood, 2011), impulsivity (Grant & Chamberlain, 2015), compulsivity (Wetterneck, Burgess, Short, Smith, & Cervantes, 2012), or those displaying deficient self-regulation (Sirianni & Vishwanath, 2016), high levels of neuroticism (Egan & Parmar, 2013), or high levels of narcissism (Kasper, Short, & Milam, 2015).
b. ACT's efficacy could be because its approach is fundamentally rooted in mindfulness.
Reid and colleagues have already found that mindfulness may be a critical component of successful therapy among individuals seeking help for hypersexual behavior (Reid, Bramen, Anderson, & Cohen, 2014), which could mean that the same strategies can be useful and effective for SPPPU.
c. Mindfulness is the state attained when focusing one's awareness and attention on the present moment (Chisholm & Gall, 2015), whilst acknowledging and accepting all of the thoughts, emotions, and body sensations that may be occurring (Kuvaas et al., 2014).
d. In the realm of compulsive behaviors like problematic pornography use, mindfulness is an important concept as a result of the strong link between body sensation (emotional) regulation and addictive/compulsive consumption (Bowen, Witkiewitz, Dillworth, & Marlatt, 2007).
Emotional instability (Kuvaas et al., 2014) and impulse control difficulties (Dvorak et al., 2014) are positively correlated with compulsive behaviors and consumptions.
Enhancement of body sensation and emotional regulations skills has been shown to be important in the treatment of addictive behaviors (Berking et al., 2011).
e. CBT, conjoint therapy, and ACT have shown promising results, which is likely related to the mindfulness and acceptance-based frameworks of these approaches.
Nonetheless, this emerging research has shown that more questions are left unanswered. Mainly, whether reducing pornography or increasing pornography acceptance should be the primary treatment objective.
f. Three of the reviewed studies (Crosby & Twohig, 2016; Orzack et al., 2006; Twohig & Crosby, 2010) revealed that helping people perceive their otherwise non-pathological and/or normal pornography use differently resulted in positive out-comes for the participants.
g. Our Summary: Self-perceived problematic pornography use happens especially for individuals with underlying struggles like depression or anxiety, or those who struggle to self-regulate. This article searched through all research papers that were related to self-perceived problematic pornography use (i.e. a literature review). ACT and CBT were effective treatments across these papers, probably due to their focus on mindfulness and acceptance focus.
h. Mindfulness may be effective because it builds awareness of body sensations and emotional regulation tools. Research is still unclear about whether reducing porn viewing or increasing acceptance of porn viewing should be the goal for treatment.
Read the study:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460317303817?via%3Dihub
PTSD:
a. (Gerwitz-Meydan & Godbout, 2023) Treatment; Reasons.
b. Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a significant risk factor for sexual difficulties in adulthood.
The results indicated main effects of traumatic sexuality on survivors' sexual difficulties: Greater severity of dissociation during sex was linked with greater sexual dysfunction and higher compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD), and greater intrusiveness during sex and pleasing the other during sex were linked with higher CSBD. Experiencing higher sex-related guilt and/or shame and hypervigilance with regard to sex were associated with greater sexual dysfunction.
This study points to the potential contribution of traumatic sexuality symptoms to sexual difficulties among survivors of CSA and lends support to the idea of offering trauma-focused therapy when treating the sexual difficulties of CSA survivors.
c. Our Summary: Remember to keep sexual trauma in mind when helping those who are suffering. Unhealed sexual trauma could be at the root of their compulsive sexual behavior.
Read the study:
Religious OCD:
a. (Borgogna et al., 2020b) Pornography; Reasons.
b. Problematic pornography viewing is a considerable issue for religious men.
c. Results from 244 heterosexual men indicated scrupulosity as the only significant predictor and mediator of problematic pornography in the full model.
d. Further, pornography viewing frequency was inversely related to scrupulosity.
e. Our results compliment recent findings highlighting the importance of addressing religious scrupulosity in the treatment of problematic pornography viewing.
f. Our Summary: Religious OCD is usually present when religion and pornography viewing become an issue. Low amounts of pornography viewing are associated with high amounts of distress for men with scrupulosity (religious OCD).
Read the study:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10720162.2020.1751361
There is no reason to overcome a pornography habit.
Reasons you might choose to quit porn that are not based in shame or panic or biased research claims:
a. Use your time and energy to create instead of consume
b. You want to use more of your sexual energy to create a more fulfilling relationship, instead of using it to consume pornography.
c. You’re using porn as an escape, as a buffer from difficult things. Facing these things instead of escaping with porn will make your life better.
d. You want to feel more in control of your life
e. Work on your emotional health
f. Create a life that you are obsessed with. That you love. Distress around your porn use is getting in the way of that.
g. Quitting porn is a vehicle that can teach us learn life-changing skills such as mindfulness, emotional regulation, changing limiting beliefs, healing shame.
Porn is the best way to educate yourself on sex.
Methodologies of sex education is a personal decision. This being said, there are effective and ineffective ways to learn about any topic, not just sex. Seeking out accurate information will always be more effective than inaccurate information.
Pornography is fiction at the end of the day. The people acting in porn are normally professionals playing a role. We don’t learn anything about these actual people by watching porn. Watching porn to learn about sex can be like watching The Fast and The Furious to learn how to drive.
We encourage you to find more objective sources of information about sex that are produced with the intent of sole education.
I need to watch porn as an outlet.
(Levin et al., 2019)
Results indicated that several motivations for viewing were correlated with viewing frequency and self-reported negative consequences from viewing, but viewing for emotional avoidance was the strongest and most consistent predictor.
Overall, these results suggest that experiential avoidance may account for frequent viewing and its negative consequences.
Our Summary: Emotional avoidance (i.e., experiential avoidance) is a very common reason for pornography viewing, and for any negative consequences from pornography viewing.
Read the study:
(Efrati, 2018)
The rebound effect of thought suppression refers to attempts to suppress thoughts that result in an increase of those thoughts.
The aim of this three-study research was to investigate the suppression of thoughts and its possible importance in the cognitive model of predicted compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) among Israeli Jewish religious and secular adolescents.
Increased preoccupation with sexual behavior, a hallmark of adolescence, is further intensified by suppressing these thoughts, thus becoming an essential part of the development of CSB.
More specifically, suppressing such sexual thoughts and the inability to control them increase sexual fantasies and preoccupation with sexual behaviors, thus increasing the negative emotions of shame and guilt, which are an outcome of one’s inability to control such thoughts.
The analyses indicated that religious adolescents are higher in CSB than secular ones, and that sexual suppression and CSB mediate the link between religiosity and well-being.
Our Summary: Trying to fight off sexual thoughts can often work against you and increase them. This is why acceptance and commitment-type therapy (which includes acceptance, mindfulness, and non-judgement) may be more effective to help people choose behaviors aligned with their values.
Read the study:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2018.1461796
Since compulsive consumption of pornography is a product of escaping uncomfortable emotions, watching porn may help relieve stress in the short term but will actually perpetuate stress and other uncomfortable feelings in the long term. We recommend sitting with the feeling rather than acting on the urge to escape in way of progress towards a life you feel more control of.
Porn is the best way for me to relieve stress.
(Levin et al., 2019)
Results indicated that several motivations for viewing were correlated with viewing frequency and self-reported negative consequences from viewing, but viewing for emotional avoidance was the strongest and most consistent predictor.
Overall, these results suggest that experiential avoidance may account for frequent viewing and its negative consequences.
Our Summary: Emotional avoidance (i.e., experiential avoidance) is a very common reason for pornography viewing, and for any negative consequences from pornography viewing.
Read the study:
(Efrati, 2018)
The rebound effect of thought suppression refers to attempts to suppress thoughts that result in an increase of those thoughts.
The aim of this three-study research was to investigate the suppression of thoughts and its possible importance in the cognitive model of predicted compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) among Israeli Jewish religious and secular adolescents.
Increased preoccupation with sexual behavior, a hallmark of adolescence, is further intensified by suppressing these thoughts, thus becoming an essential part of the development of CSB.
More specifically, suppressing such sexual thoughts and the inability to control them increase sexual fantasies and preoccupation with sexual behaviors, thus increasing the negative emotions of shame and guilt, which are an outcome of one’s inability to control such thoughts.
The analyses indicated that religious adolescents are higher in CSB than secular ones, and that sexual suppression and CSB mediate the link between religiosity and well-being.
Our Summary: Trying to fight off sexual thoughts can often work against you and increase them. This is why acceptance and commitment-type therapy (which includes acceptance, mindfulness, and non-judgement) may be more effective to help people choose behaviors aligned with their values.
Read the study:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2018.1461796
Since compulsive consumption of pornography is a product of escaping uncomfortable emotions, watching porn may help relieve stress in the short term but will actually perpetuate stress and other uncomfortable feelings in the long term. We recommend sitting with the feeling rather than acting on the urge to escape in way of progress towards a life you feel more control of.
All porn is consensual.
Consent is ultimately up to the individuals in porn and can’t be measured by most studies. The short answer is that you honestly can never know for sure if what you are viewing is consensual or not. What we do know is that the majority of actors producing porn are consenting adults. We also know that there are some unfortunate cases of non-consensual material that is made and shared even on platforms that claim to have strict rules about consent.
Many pornography producers put systems in place to ensure only ethical porn is shared publicly but even those systems can make fail at times.
We encourage people to practice ethical porn use which includes paying for content and doing your own due diligence to research consensual porn. If you come across non-consensual material, we strongly encourage you to report this material to https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-ceos/report-violations (For US residents) or your local Criminal Division.
Porn is the best way to create sexual satisfaction within my relationship.
There are so many ways to increase your sexual satisfaction in your relationship if that is something you are looking for. Porn is really helpful for some people. For others, it can be a very damaging thing and would be best avoided. We recommend having an abundance of communication and honest with your partner around this subject.
(Leonhardt et al., 2019)
The sexual scripts learned from pornography increase a person’s short-term sexual quality, but do not increase long-term sexual quality in couples.
Long term sexual quality is going to come from emotional connection, communication, playfulness, willingness to explore and learn with each other, and sense of safety.
Again, sexual satisfaction is about what’s under the surface and can't be measured by pornography use alone.
View our Link Library to Read More Studies:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Problematic Internet Pornography Use: A Randomized Trial: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27157029/
Hands-off: Feasibility and preliminary results of a two-armed randomized controlled trial of a web-based self-help tool to reduce problematic pornography use: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34727088/
Development and implications of pornography use: a narrative review: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14681994.2019.1635250
Problematic pornography use: narrative review and a preliminary model: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14681994.2019.1694142
A Closer Examination of the Relationship between Religiosity and Problematic Pornography Viewing in Heterosexual Men: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10720162.2020.1751361
Masculinity and problematic pornography viewing: The moderating role of self-esteem.: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-25331-001
Is Women’s Problematic Pornography Viewing Related to Body Image or Relationship Satisfaction?: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10720162.2018.1532360
The relative health benefits of different sexual activities: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20088868/
Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Problematic Pornography Use: The Mediating Role of Loneliness: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19317611.2023.2224807
Exploring the Etiological Pathways of Problematic Pornography Use in NoFap/PornFree Rebooting Communities: A Critical Narrative Analysis of Internet Forum Data: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34143364/
An Organizational Framework for Sexual Media's Influence on Short-Term Versus Long-Term Sexual Quality: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30014336/
Sexual Desire and Subjective Distress among Pornography Consumers: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0092623X.2020.1822483
God, I Can’t Stop Thinking About Sex! The Rebound Effect in Unsuccessful Suppression of Sexual Thoughts Among Religious Adolescents: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2018.1461796
What is Normal Pornography Use in a Highly Religious Area? Exploring Patterns of Pornography Use in Utah: https://academic.oup.com/jsm/article-abstract/19/5/823/6961280?redirectedFrom=fulltext
A Seemingly Paradoxical Relationship Between Masturbation Frequency and Sexual Satisfaction: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-022-02305-8
Addiction and Mindfulness; Pornography Addiction and Mindfulness-Based Therapy ACT: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10720162.2019.1576560
Women’s Lived Experiences with Self-Identified Problematic Pornography Use: A Qualitative Study: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26929953.2023.2227170
Between pleasure, guilt, and dissociation: How trauma unfolds in the sexuality of childhood sexual abuse survivors: https://cris.haifa.ac.il/en/publications/between-pleasure-guilt-and-dissociation-how-trauma-unfolds-in-the
Addressing Problematic Pornography Use in Adolescent/Young Adult Males: A Literature Review and Recommendations for Family Therapists: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01926187.2020.1848481
Is Pornography Use Related to Erectile Functioning? Results From Cross-Sectional and Latent Growth Curve Analyses: https://academic.oup.com/jsm/article-abstract/16/1/111/6980412?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Self-reported addiction to pornography in a nationally representative sample: The roles of use habits, religiousness, and moral incongruence: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30632378/
A Randomized Controlled Study of Group-Administered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Hypersexual Disorder in Men: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1743609519304308?via%3Dihub
Examining the Problematic Pornography Use Model: A Quantitative Exploration of Dysregulated Pornography Use: https://academic.oup.com/jsm/article-abstract/19/1/132/6961198?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false
Masturbation Prevalence, Frequency, Reasons, and Associations with Partnered Sex in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from a U.S. Nationally Representative Survey: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-022-02505-2
Why Men Masturbate: Reasons and Correlates in Men with and without Sexual Dysfunction: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0092623X.2023.2204088
Reasons for Moral-Based Opposition to Pornography in a U.S. Nationally Representative Sample: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0092623X.2023.2186992
Addictions: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-23706-006
Testing the Effectiveness of Cognitive Analytic Therapy for Hypersexuality Disorder: An Intensive Time-Series Evaluation: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0092623X.2016.1208129
The Impact of Parenting Style on Attitudes toward Masturbation: A Latent Profile Analysis: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00221325.2021.1948386
The Development and Validation of the Pornography Use in Romantic Relationships Scale: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-023-02534-5
The Role of Experiential Avoidance in Problematic Pornography Viewing: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40732-018-0302-3
Historical development of new masturbation attitudes in Mormon culture: Silence, secular conformity, counterrevolution, and emerging reform.: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2005-15277-004
How Much Pornography Use Do Americans Think Is “Average” for a Man and Woman? Findings from a National Survey: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2023.2229317
Understanding the Processes and Outcomes of the LDS Addiction Recovery Program's Pornography Addiction Support Groups: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/8593/?utm_source=scholarsarchive.byu.edu%2Fetd%2F8593&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages
The assessment and treatment of adult heterosexual men with self-perceived problematic pornography use: A review: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460317303817?via%3Dihub
Abstinence or Acceptance? A Case Series of Men’s Experiences With an Intervention Addressing Self-Perceived Problematic Pornography Use: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10720162.2019.1645058
A Two-Wave Assessment of the Structure and Stability of Self-Reported Problematic Pornography Use Among Male Croatian Adolescents: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19317611.2020.1765940
Partner Knowledge of Solitary Pornography Use: Daily and Longitudinal Associations with Relationship Quality: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2023.2219254
Pornography and Sexual Dissatisfaction: The Role of Pornographic Arousal, Upward Pornographic Comparisons, and Preference for Pornographic Masturbation : https://academic.oup.com/hcr/article-abstract/47/2/192/6214470
Pornography and Sociosexual Attitudes and Behaviors in a Nationally Representative Survey: Potential Pandemic and Method Effects: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2023.2216199
Pornography Use and Mental Health Problems in the Chinese Population: Examining the Pornography Problems Due to Moral Incongruence Model: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2023.2201255
Abstinence from Masturbation and Hypersexuality: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-019-01623-8
Couples Satisfaction Index: https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Ft01850-000
Self-reported addiction to pornography in a nationally representative sample: The roles of use habits, religiousness, and moral incongruence: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30632378/
Psychometric development of the Problematic Pornography Use Scale: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030646031400029X?via%3Dihub
Mini Depression Anxiety Stress Scale: https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Ft90142-000
The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale: Further Examination of Dimensionality, Reliability, and Concurrent Validity Estimates: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00223891.2015.1095761
Problematic Pornography Use Scale: https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Ft32415-000
Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7: https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Ft02591-000
Our Mission
Home
Work With Us
Research
Learn More
Results
Podcast
Ecclesiastical Training
Terms And Conditions
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Disclaimer
© 2024 Center for Overcoming Pornography
SITE CREDIT | RP STUDIO