What Does Pornography Have to Do with Brain Size?

German researchers have recently discovered that watching pornography is associated with a reduction in the brain's gray matter and a weakening of certain brain connections.

One of the hypotheses jointly proposed by the Max Planck Institute for Human Evolution and the Charité School of Psychiatry in Germany points to damage to the brain's gray matter as a result of watching pornography; because the brains of men who watch more porn are completely different from normal brains.

In this study, MRI scans of the brains of men aged 21 to 45 who reported watching an average of more than four hours of porn per week were examined; the result was that the brains of those more exposed to pornography were smaller in areas that control "motivation" and the reward system.

None of the individuals participating in this study reported an addiction to pornography or sex addiction.

The reward system is the special messaging system in the brains of all mammals that informs the body when its needs have been met.

In this way, after satisfying hunger, fulfilling sexual desire, listening to music, and many other needs, the brain creates a feeling of pleasure in the individual by secreting a hormone.

Dr. Simone Kühn, the director of this research group, says: "The results of this study could indicate that regular consumption of pornography makes the brain's reward system lazy."

According to these researchers, the brains of these individuals, when watching stimulating sexual scenes, issued fewer reward signals than an occasional viewer of these films; meaning that daily consumers of pornography derived less pleasure from watching these scenes than a normal viewer.

Simone Kühn said: "Therefore, we assume that people who watch a lot of porn need much stronger sexual stimuli to achieve normal pleasure."

This could be the reason for dissatisfaction with sexual life in many couples who seek out pornography.

This is while in some clinics treating sexual problems, pornography is recommended as an enhancer of sexual life; but recent research shows that excessive viewing of pornography could potentially endanger couples' sexual lives.

Simone Kühn explains: "Another recent study showed that teenage boys who deal with erotic material daily show more interest in illegal types of pornography and in applying it in their daily lives. Some researchers have also concluded that daily consumption of pornography increases the desire to act out what is seen."

"This desire for automatic repetition is exactly similar to the mechanism of drug addiction. That is, because drug use, after a while, reduces the brain's efficiency in creating a sense of pleasure, the individual becomes addicted to more stimulation in order to keep the brain's reward system as active as before."

It had previously been proven that watching a lot of pornography is related to a decrease in the connection between the frontal part of the brain and the reward system; the connections between these two brain regions play a role in creating motivation and control pleasure-seeking.

Thus, two conclusions can be drawn from this research: either watching pornography causes brain deterioration, or people with a smaller part of their cerebral cortex have a need to watch pornography.

If the second conclusion is correct, it could be predicted which men are more interested in watching erotic scenes.

In other words, perhaps the smaller brain volume of pornography viewers is actually the cause of these individuals' interest in watching erotic scenes, not the product of it; meaning it can be concluded that people with a smaller part of their brain actually need more and stronger external stimuli to achieve normal pleasure, and for this reason, they turn to watching pornography.

Global consumption of pornography has increased dramatically due to easier and more discreet access to these products on the internet.

In Iran, too, with the rise in exchanging these films via mobile phones, the trade in pornographic films has become a lucrative illegal profession.

Dr. Simone Kühn believes that, given statistics showing that 50% of internet users regularly watch porn, research in this area is of particular importance.

"This research shows that regular viewers of pornography do not have a natural response to sexual stimuli, or that their capacity to respond to stimuli has diminished, which in fact leads to sexual apathy and poor sexual relationships."

Another study published in the journal of the American Psychiatric Association points to the relationship between increased pornography viewing and depression and turning to alcohol.

The researchers of this study also noticed a similar difference in brain size; especially in regions that control addiction to substances like cocaine and alcohol.

In this study, too, heavy pornography viewing was linked to drug and alcohol addiction.

Methods for Overcoming Addiction to Pornography and Sexual Images

1- Recognize that pornography, due to its hormonal effects, is more addictive than other bad habits, and consequently, you can only quit it when you genuinely want to.

2- Identify the sources from which you obtain pornography. Is it the internet? Or a film collection? Pay attention to step 4.

3- Create distance between yourself and those sources, for example: place your computer in a public room in the house, not in your personal bedroom. You can also block these websites in your computer's Windows operating system so you can no longer access them.

4- Get rid of the sources you have on hand. Scribble over DVDs with a marker so they are no longer usable, then throw them away. Tear up and discard any pornographic pictures and magazines you have. Delete all pornographic files you have on your computer.

5- Identify the situations that stimulate you the most and distance yourself from these situations. If a particular song or video game creates this stimulation, set it aside for a while. You might have to refrain from socializing with attractive girls or boys for some time. Of course, after your addiction is gone, you can return to a normal state.

6- Start a new habit to replace the pornography habit.

7- Tracking your progress can also help. For every day you go without pornography, put a check mark on your calendar. Try to create a long streak of these check marks.

8- Find a boyfriend/girlfriend. You probably became addicted to pornography because you wished you had a romantic partner in real life. Perhaps you are so shy that you cannot talk to the girl or boy you like in the real world.

9- After a long period has passed—for example, six months, a year– reward yourself.

10- Create positive internet activities for yourself. Join a forum on a specific topic. Or use online games when you feel idle and bored.

11- If for any reason you turn to pornography again, do not punish yourself for being unable to control yourself, because this will only lower your self-esteem and cause you to turn to pornography even more than before. For a few days, forbid yourself from using pornographic films, images, networks, and sites.

12- Stay away from friends who encourage you to do these things.

13- Limit your computer use. Perhaps if the computer is not in front of you, you won't think about these things. Try not to sit at the computer at night.

Tips

· Understand that pornography addiction is not merely a pleasure to be avoided; look at it as an addiction that can never be cured.

· Talk to people you trust about this and ask them to hold you accountable. The majority of people are addicted to pornography but are too embarrassed to speak about it.

· Pornography can make you shyer and more depressed around the opposite sex.

· If possible, avoid being alone at night.

· Identify the situations in which these incidents occur for you. Do you turn to pornography when you are bored, or when you are angry? Or when your heart is broken? Are you tired or feeling lonely?

· If you think your parents have become suspicious of you, talk to them privately and explain your problem and the plan you have to quit.

· If possible, download a program that filters all pornographic sites.

· This problem is not unique to you, so don't be upset. Of course, this is not an excuse to watch such films and images.

· If listening to music makes you feel like turning to pornography, be careful about the singers whose songs you listen to.

· If you have decided to confront this habit of yours, it is enough to say a firm "no" to yourself and immediately engage in another activity.

· If such thoughts enter your mind upon seeing a girl or boy, try to immediately occupy your mind with something else.

Warnings

· When you are quitting pornography, never force anyone to have sex with you, as this will only make the problem worse.

· Never allow yourself to feel guilty about being aroused to turn to pornography. All people are tempted.

· Watching pornography is prohibited and illegal for individuals. So, be law-abiding.

· If you feel hormonally aroused, do not justify your actions because of it.

· Do not hate yourself for it. It may seem strange, but most people watch pornography. Remember, you are not a criminal; you are a victim.

· Avoid visiting sites that do not contain pornography but have links to pornographic sites.