When it comes to sex, the body releases dopamine into the region of brain which is responsible for emotion and learning. It also releases norepinephrine, which increases alertness and focus. Oxytocin and vasopressin are also released, these hormones allow the brain to remember where the sexual pleasure came from. Sex also releases endorphins and serotonin which create a sense of pleasure and relaxation respectively. You can see how helpful these chemical processes can be in establishing a healthy loving relationship with your partner, but when the brain is trained to seek out these highs from porn on a screen, then this kind of behavior can have drastic effects on human relationships. In fact, at least one study shows that divorce and separation rates double for men and more than double for women when they start using porn.
A study published in 2015 in Behavioral Sciences, an international peer-reviewed journal of psychology, builds on several studies proving the addictive neurological effects of internet gaming and concludes that “Internet Pornography Addiction fits into the addiction framework and shares similar basic mechanisms with substance addiction.” This means that the cravings for porn are similar to the cravings for substances like alcohol or drugs and other addictive behaviors like internet gaming. In other words, the more you are exposed to porn, the stronger the urge to consume porn becomes, and the more dependent on it you become.
Researchers have learned that our bodies produce and release various chemicals and hormones to motivate us to do different things. For instance, the stomach and the brain release ghrelin to stimulate the appetite and motivate us to eat. This is a necessary process of biological life: we wouldn’t eat if we were never hungry. And after eating, the brain releases endorphins as a type of reward. This makes sense too, we wouldn’t eat if we didn’t enjoy it. Scientists researching addiction have discovered that certain substances release these hormones and chemicals at such a high rate that it prompts the user to continuously seek it out. The key thing to understand about the neuroscience of addiction is that it isn’t simply that certain substances that are addictive, but that “various behaviors, which are repeatedly reinforcing the reward, motivation and memory circuitry are all part of the disease of addiction.” This statement is supported by a considerable amount of neuroscientific research (see here, here, and here). In simple terms, the chemicals released by certain behaviors affect the circuitry of the brain to seek out these highs. This is why the American Society of Addiction Medicine adjusted the definition of addiction in 2011 to include behavior as well as substance. In 2013, prompted by these discoveries, the American Psychiatric Association recommended further study into the addictive consequences of Internet Gaming.
Over the past 60 to 70 years society’s attitudes towards pornography have shifted dramatically from being considered taboo and perverted to forming part of every day conversations and habits. Today people often talk about pornography use as a normal part of every day life and any attempt to criticize pornography use is dismissed as a remnant of the puritanical ways of yesteryear. Interestingly, however, the latest scientific research suggests reasons other than morality to reconsider pornography use.
But there is good news. The brain has an amazing ability to learn and regenerate and several developments in the fields of psychotherapy and psychiatry, such as various methods of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, have helped people begin to rewire their brains and overcome their addictions.
