daily reminder that ‘porn addiction’ is a myth perpetuated by far right evangelical groups.
As long as your porn consumption is not interfering with your work or social life, it’s considered normal.
Actual psychology research shows that people who identify as ‘porn addicts’ don’t actually consume more porn than average. What do they have in common? They were raised to view sex as shameful.
The only missing link in this article is that it’s based on self-reporting. How is self-reporting linked to diagnosis? Are doctors diagnosing patients based on self-reporting alone? How hard is it to ask how porn is ruining someone’s life?
Hey Im a psychology major, “porn addiction” is actually not a diagnosis that doctors give. It’s not included in the DSM-5 at all!
This is largely because peer reviewed science on the subject doesn’t support that it’s a real mental illness on its own. Sadly all the top google results though, are evangelical organizations posing as “scientific” to spread the idea that porn addiction is a real problem… they’re just anti-sex. Which is why its so important to combat their VERY well funded misinformation campaigns.
OP is getting so muck hate for this post that in no way says the children should be given access to porn by people that keep accusing them of wanting to give children access to porn
Despite hanging out with fellow perverts every day, I have only met one single “porn addict” in my entire life.
Said person was simply depressed and clinging to anything that could make them feel good. If not masturbation, it would have been anything else that could accomplish that.
Yep! Clinincally, compulsive porn consumption IS a thing and its generally considered a symptom of depression. (though it can happen with other mental illness too, like OCD)
Treatment focuses on relieving said depression, because experience has shown that calling depressed people “porn addicts” and putting them into anti porn treatment programs christian conversion therapies makes both problems MUCH WORSE
“porn addiction” isnt a diagnosis or a symptom recognized by doctors.
“compulsive porn consumption” is not a diagnosis, but it is a symptom!
hope that makes sense
Masturbation releases dopamine which can push back against the brain chemistry of depression. Not as well as actual medication, but sometimes you have to make do with the tools you have available.
Definitely true! If i had to guess, I’d say that most depressed people who masturbate for relief are still not doing so in a maladaptive way.
Behavior is only considered compulsive when the compulsion overrides or prevents daily life. Such as, regularly turning down opportunities to connect with friends and family in favor of masturbation…as well as missing school or work.
As you can imagine this symptom isn’t actually all that common. Definitely not as common as “porn addict” advocates would have people believe.
Masturbation in moderation can actually be a really healthy outlet for most people, especially when faced with alternatives such as self harm or substance abuse.
Theres honestly a lot of bad propaganda about abuse in the porn industry too. Ever since covid, most porn stars switched to direct to consumer platforms like fansly or onlyfans. That means most porn is now directed and controlled directly by the women and queer people who perform in it.
Even with studios? I’ve worked with studios and have always been treated with professionalism, this is the most common experience my peers report.
But “sex worker has fun on set with respectful studio” doesn’t make money as a documentary…so people who don’t work in the industry only hear the very worst. Abuse happens in every industry, the spotlight it gets in sex work is….disproportionate. In my opinion, due to people’s distain for the existence of sex workers and porn in general.
Criticism of abusive people and studios in this industry IS important…so why do critics never name specific problem studios? They want porn banned, not made safer.
