# Watching Pornography Alters Brain Activity Similar To Drug Addicts, Alcoholics



## nocturnalman (Nov 15, 2017)

Maybe people who are suffering from DP/DR should abstain from watching pornography to allow the brain to heal.

"A 2014 Cambridge University study published in the journal PLOS ONE found the ventral striatum - a brain structure that plays a role in the brain's reward center, aka its pleasure pathways - lit up when an alcoholic saw a photo of a drink. In porn addicts, the study found similar brain activity, but although they wanted porn more, they didn't enjoy it more."

"The pornographic brain not only mirrors the activity in addicts, it also changes size in a similar way. In the same German study, researchers found that gray matter volume in the right caudate of the striatum was smaller among frequent porn viewers. Men who watched more porn also showed less activity in another area of the striatum, known as the left putamen, which lit up when exposed to sexual stimuli."

http://www.medicaldaily.com/watching-adult-films-alters-brain-activity-similar-drug-addicts-alcoholics-347224

"Until recently, scientists believed our brains were fixed, their circuits formed and finalised in childhood, or "hardwired". Now we know the brain is "neuroplastic", and not only can it change, but that it works by changing its structure in response to repeated mental experience."

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/26/brain-scans-porn-addicts-sexual-tastes

Neuroplasticity is a word we people on this forum should love :mrgreen:

"A German study suggests that watching porn may be linked to decreased volume and reduced activity in certain areas of the brain."

http://time.com/135853/porn-brain/


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## Broken (Jan 1, 2017)

I am still unsure of the definition for 'sex addict' though. Some of these people jack off 5 or 6 times a day! That's insane. I did that once as a teenager but never again lol. I watched a documentary where a guy had the film crew and interviewer with him, and absolutely HAD to pull over so he could masturbate in a public toilet.

I agree that it does have an effect but dont imagine there are a lot of sex addicts here. That said, if you're wanking over 2 times a week it may be an issue and be having a negative effect on reward systems in the brain that are affected in DPD. But I plucked that number out of thin air.. I mean ejaculating every day can't be good for anyone. I know I am trying to cut back on the porn, I feel better when I do. The issue is it is so normalised. In an age of hypernormalization it is difficult to judge what is 'normal' amd healthy as society is so fucking crazy


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## Hedgehog fuzz (Dec 12, 2016)

I am a sex addict. The damage from sex addiction, is the reason I am here with DP/DR. If you are not deep into porn, then quit whilst you can. It's total garbage.


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## FirstAid (Nov 19, 2018)

Hedgehog fuzz said:


> I am a sex addict. The damage from sex addiction, is the reason I am here with DP/DR. If you are not deep into porn, then quit whilst you can. It's total garbage.


I have been watching porn and masturbating maybe since I was 13? Atleast once a day anyway.

For years I'd get my daily in, sometimes sit for like an hour or so watching different ones, or searching youtube to see If I could find a video.

Been in a depression for like 3 years, in april stopped being interested in everything, even abstained from pmo then relapsed in may to see if I could actually feel good again, didn't,tried nofap prior to this but relapsed, discovered dpdr in june and I have went from there,haven't fapped since, last month looked at a video but haven't followed through.

Been debating whether abstaining has fucked up my recovery tbh,like I have given my brain too much to handle and deprived it if dopamine, considering the state I am in.


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## Abe89 (Jul 31, 2018)

I was addicted to porn couple of years ago. I stopped it after listening to "Your Brain on Porn" podcast.

I understood that porn is addictive to those who are in a vulnerable state of mind, like depression or DP or even other physical or social problems.

I actually experienced some withdrawal symptoms after stopping. My withdrawal symptoms were my head feeling very numb and decreased interest in activities. I had a strong desire to watch porn in order for my head numbness to go way. It's important to note that I wasn't actually interested in watching sex but I only wanted the head numbness to go way. After a couple of weeks the symptoms slowly faded away.

People who are vulnerable to porn would know that they are vulnerable and they are using porn as a relief.

But the thing to understand is porn doesn't solve the original problem and it in the long term creates more problems.

Since then I learned to find brain stimulation in other means such as good food, video games, audio books and programming.

Reference:

* The great porn experiment | Gary Wilson | TEDxGlasgow

* Pornography Isn't Your Problem | Jason Mahr | TEDxCincinnati


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