How Porn Really Affects Your Sex Life | Men's Health

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SEX & WOMEN | PORN

The Truth About How Porn Affects Your Sex Life

BY JUSTIN LEHMILLER July 11, 2016

SHUTTERSTOCK

Theres a war on porn taking place right now.

A growing chorus is claiming that porn is addictive, that it promotes misogyny

and sexual violence, that it leads to riskier sex, and that it's creating an epidemic
of erectile dysfunction and destroying relationships.

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How Porn Really Affects Your Sex Life | Men's Health

These are just some of the many reasons the state of Utah recently went so far as
to formally declare porn to be a public health crisis.

Is porn really such a destructive force, though?

Its difficult to come to that conclusion when you actually look at what the
research says.

Here are five scientific facts that challenge the notion that porn is responsible
for so many problems.

Porn is not addictive.

Neuroscience research has revealed that what goes on inside the brains of so-
called porn addicts is not at all what you would expect from people who truly

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How Porn Really Affects Your Sex Life | Men's Health

have an addiction.

Of course, some people do indeed have problems regulating porn usetheres

no disputing that. Its just that their problem doesnt seem to be addictive
like, say, drugs or alcoholin nature.

Related: How to Find Online Porn Safely

Porn use is related to lessnot moremisogyny and

sexual violence.
A recent Canadian study using a large, nationally representative dataset found
that people who watched adult films in the last year were stronger supporters of
gender equality than those who hadnt watched any such films.

In addition, other research has found that, rather than being linked to increased
rates of rape and sexual assault, porn use is related to less sexual violence.

People who watch more porn dont necessarily have

riskier sex.
Thats right: Recent research from Germany has found that heavy porn users are
no more likely to forgo using condoms than those who use porn infrequently or
not at all.

Related: The 10 Best Condoms For Pleasure

Porn users dont necessarily have more sexual partners, either.

However, porn use is linked to how adventurous you are in bed: Porn watchers
say theyre more likely to try new things between the sheets, according to the
same study.

Related: 5 Signs You Bore Her In Bed

Porn users do not inevitably develop penis problems.

Two recent studies (see here and here) have challenged the concept of porn-
induced erectile dysfunction.

Related:TheMens HealthGuide to Erectile Dysfunction: Learn What Causes

It and How to Fix It For Good

The research suggests that men who watch the most porn dont seem to be any

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How Porn Really Affects Your Sex Life | Men's Health

more likely to have erectile difficulties than men who watch less porn. Men also
dont seem to become desensitized to sexual stimuli after watching a lot of
porn.

Porn can actually be good for your relationship.

Recent research has found that couples who watch porn together are more
sexually satisfied than those who dont watch XXX videos.

Why? Its probably because porn is an easy way to inject novelty and excitement
into your sex life.

But this doesnt mean porn is completely harmless for

everyone.
Theres one caveat you should be aware of: This summary of the research is not
meant to suggest that porn never causes any problems.

Certain types of people who watch certain types of porn may very well
experience negative effects.

For example, one study suggests that men who are low in the personality trait of
agreeablenessthat is, guys who have less care and concern for othersand
who watch really hardcore stuff risk developing more sexist attitudes as a result.

Another study found that college students who morally disapprove of porn are
more likely to feel distressed and upset about their own porn use.

In other words, although porn is not linked to negative outcomes overall, there
are certain subsets of people for whom it may be problematicand more
research is needed in order to help clarify for whom and under what
circumstances porn is linked to harm.

Justin Lehmiller, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of social psychology at Ball

State University. A version of this article originally appeared on his blog, Sex
& Psychology.

Tags: PORN, RISKY SEX, ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

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