Why is Porn So Addictive?

This article will focus on why is porn so addictive and the real reason behind this condition. Sex addiction and porn addiction have been around for at least a generation but I'm often asked can porn really be addictive.

Some people say only drugs can be addictive porn isn't a drug right. You don't inhale it you don't inject it, therefore, porn can't be addictive.

The first thing we need to do is defining the term, what do we mean by addiction, well the American Society of addiction medicine says that addiction is a chronic disease of the brain you see the brain contains and creates millions of neural circuits that are for memory and rewarding behaviours.

Porn and the Real Reason You're Addicted

And addictions are basically dysfunctions in the circuits of the body. Here a person is pathologically pursuing neurological rewards.

Recently the same society expanded and clarified the definition of addiction to include not just substance addictions that which we inhale and inject and so forth but also behavioural addictions.

Because certain behaviours can impact our Neural circuit just like substances can. Dr Donald el Hilton who is a neurosurgeon said that this idea that porn can't be addictive is hopelessly out of touch with what we now know through modern neuroscience.

Here's the gist of the evidence, first let's say you hook someone up to a brain scanner who's verifiably addicted to cocaine the brain scan will show a loss of volume in the brain especially in the frontal lobes of the brain.

You see the same thing for someone who's addicted to saying, meth when you have shrinkage in this area of the brain people experience uncontrollable cravings when their impulses kick in.

This area of the brain that's meant to throw on the brakes and control the impulses. The person's body begins gearing up and they experience that gotta have it feeling.

Interestingly a few recent studies now show the same phenomenon in the brain when it comes to someone who's addicted to sex or who's a porn addict. Furthermore over the last several years
they've been dozens of studies showing how the overuse of the internet is for adult websites.

In particular, this can lead to addictive behaviour whether it be centred around gaming or gambling or porn these are all behavioural addictions. The behaviour has become so hardwired in the brain, and yet the person has similar sensations as someone addicted to an external drug so both drugs like meth or alcohol and behaviours like porn are tapping the same neurocircuits.

Here's the good news, we have evidence that shows that the brain can heal itself so that even if you've been addicted to porn or are heavily addicted to it, take courage it's possible for you to renew your mind and make great changes.