Before porn, we were probably much happier, more confident, and socialized more. But later when we became fixated on porn, we began to experience problems in our lives. After all, our brains are like plastic—repeated stimulus, such as watching porn, affects the neurochemical balance in our brains. Here are 6 things porn does to the brain.
- Depression
As we give in to the lure of porn, we may become depressed. It can leave us feeling tired, sad, irritable, unable to sleep, worthless, hopeless, and many more symptoms. Our amygdala is the part of our brain that helps deliver emotional responses like fear and pleasure. When the amygdala has constant exposure to cortisol, like while watching porn, it can become enlarged and more hyperactive. But we can deal with the detrimental effects of depression by seeing a doctor and a licensed Christian counselor. - Anxiety
Likewise, as our use of porn increases, so does our anxiety. The areas of the brain that influence symptoms of anxiety include the amygdala and the hippocampus. Symptoms of anxiety include nervousness, restlessness, racing thoughts, sleep problems, and more. We may be anxious about getting caught viewing porn; or, we might have performance anxiety when we do attempt to have sex. We can face our anxiety by abstaining from porn, taking deep breaths, focusing on the present, and meditating on God’s Word. - Shame
On the outside, we wear a mask that depicts we have it all together. But on the inside, we are carrying around shame everywhere we go because we’re keeping our struggle with porn a secret. Neuroscience research indicates that the tiny area of the brain that dictates shame is the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex. We need to be completely honest with those we’ve hurt—like our wives. This is foundational for building trust—and it is also foundational for us to take off our masks and be real about our sex addiction. - Anger
Watching porn may cause us to keep our emotions—such as anger and rage—stuffed down. Anger is a response to threats or stressors in our environment. It starts with the amygdala stimulating the hypothalamus; parts of the prefrontal cortex may also play a role in anger. What’s the best way to deal with anger? Express it by journaling, exercising, talking, and screaming (when we’re alone) might help. - Social Isolation
All the depression, anxiety, shame, and anger we experience from porn can lead us to isolate ourselves from others. It’s no wonder that neurological studies have found a link between reduced brain volumes in the prefrontal cortex and people who are lonely. That is why it’s so important we connect daily with others. Sustained Victory phone coaching is a great way to stay connected. - Sexual Dysfunction
One of the most surprising effects that porn has on the brain is that it may lead to sexual dysfunction. In 2014, Harvard researcher, Abraham Morgentaler, discovered that young men are struggling with porn-induced sexual dysfunction. Watching thousands of sexually explicit materials on the screen leaves us wanting another hit of dopamine—as a result, real-life sex in marriage can be nearly impossible.
Here’s the good news: We can interrupt the old neural pathways, replacing porn and lust-filled images with real intimacy with God, our wives, and others. The Apostle Paul said it best: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2).
Find out more by reading Wired for Intimacy, which was written by neuroscientist and researcher, Dr. William Struthers.