The Statistical Effect of Pornography on the Brain, Physical and Mental Health, Relationships and Churches. Plus the Benefits of Living Porn Free!
Chasing the Dopamine High
Sex is the highest natural reward of dopamine the brain gives. On the chart, there are three man-made stimulants estimated to produce more dopamine than sex: meth, cocaine and porn. Drugs like cocaine release unnatural amounts of dopamine into the body. So does meth. So does pornography. Dopamine ensures that the brain will remember and later crave the activities that led to the high. The bottom line is that drugs like cocaine, meth, and porn are all rooted in chasing a high that dopamine won’t let them forget. Chasing dopamine can be so consuming that people risk it all: their job, marriage, ministry, and integrity.
Impact on Church Participation
Another harmful consequence of the shame that comes from a porn addiction is how it impacts a person’s religious service. Over a six year period, a study looked at impact of pornography on a person’s service and leadership in their place of worship. If someone did not watch porn, they had a 1 in 3 chance of serving in their congregation. But if they started watching pornography monthly their chances of serving shrunk to 1 in 10, and, if they were watching porn on a weekly basis, it went to 1 in 20. If they started watching daily, it went to almost zero. The more porn someone watches, the less they serve in their church.
Why Young Men Who Grew Up on Internet Porn are Becoming Advocates for Shutting it Off
The cover story of the April 2016 edition of Time Magazine was entitled: Why Young Men Who Grew Up on Internet Porn are Becoming Advocates for Shutting it Off. The article is about a group of twenty somethings that have porn induced erectile dysfunction. These men are saying that porn has ruined their ability to even have sex. This article went on to say that in 1992 only 5% of men under age 40 had Erectile Dysfunction (ED) but in 2014 the percentage jumped up to 33%. You may have thought that all those Viagra and Cialis commercials were for the old guys but apparently not. ED is a growing issue among teenagers. A Canadian sexologist study showed that of the 53.5% of teenagers who reported sexual problems, ED and loss of interest were the two biggest issues. Porn Induced Erectile Dysfunction can be cured after several months without porn.
Till Porn Do Us Part
Two separate studies showed that over half of the divorces in the U.S. were caused, in part, because of pornography. Think of that. Of the roughly one million divorces each year in the U.S. half are caused, in part, by porn. One of the best predictors of divorce for a person is the depth of their porn habit. This does not bode well for the future since the younger generations which have deeper addictions to porn than any before it.
Dr. Samual Perry, a sociology professor at the University of Oklahoma surveyed thousands of couples over a six-year period to determine the impact of porn on their marriages. What he found was staggering, when you think of the implications. When one of the spouses of a married couple starts watching porn, they are 2-3 times more likely to divorce in the next two years compared to the marriage that was porn free.
Benefits of Living Porn Free:
- More confidence. Without shame and the guilty conscience, you are more confident. Few things kill a person’s confidence like guilt.
- More sex and more satisfying sex. According to research and personal accounts, instead of increasing sexual enjoyment, porn often leads to less satisfying sex in the long run and, for many porn consumers, no sex at all.
- Closer relationships. When you are fully known and not hiding, you can be fully loved. Research shows that porn users report less love and trust in their relationships, and they are more prone to separation and divorce, and often see marriage as a “constraint.” From our National Survey of Christian Students, six out of ten admitted their porn use negatively impacted their relationships.
- You avoid Porn Induced Erectile Dysfunction.
- It makes for a stronger marriage or future marriage (if you’re single)
- You will view people as people instead of sex objects.
- Happier and less depression. When people watch porn, their brains have elevated levels of the pleasure chemical dopamine. This means that it takes more dopamine than usual to feel normal. The results are that the simple pleasures of life are not as enjoyable as they used to be.
- Quitting porn improves your leadership. For someone to quit porn, they must grow in their emotional awareness. This is essential for identifying and then addressing emotional triggers.
Source: Freedom Fight www.thefreedomfight.org
To find out about PKNZ’s Set Free Initiative, plus leading and participating in Freedom Fight men’s groups, see www.promisekeepers.nz/set-free
