The average age of first exposure to pornography is just 13 years old.1 This shocking experience can cause repercussions that alter the brain and real-world relationships.2 A growing body of research reveals that pornography consumption hurts far more people than just the individual viewing pornography.
Rewiring Relationships
Pornography fundamentally alters how people experience intimacy. Studies have shown a correlation between pornography usage and sexual satisfaction. The more frequently someone views pornography, the less satisfaction they report with their actual intimate partner.3 In fact, among young men, erectile dysfunction is reported at disturbingly high and increasing rates and is associated with porn consumption.4
The disconnect extends beyond physical intimacy. Research demonstrates that pornography causes a breakdown in emotional involvement as well. Pornography trains viewers, particularly men, to prefer the immediate gratification of fantasy over the complexity and commitment required in real relationships.5 This artificial substitute for emotional connection bears lasting consequences, even causing people to become desensitized to violence.6
Normalizing Violence
It’s disheartening to see how an addiction can cause a lack of sensitivity to violence, but it’s the unfortunate truth. Studies have consistently shown that exposure to pornography conditions participants to trivialize rape and other forms of sexual violence.
This desensitization can lead to even more sexual objectification in society. Research specifically examining pornography use among men found that the addiction is significantly associated with the sexual objectification of women, reducing complex human beings to objects for gratification.7 Studies like this show us the findings are clear: pornography is degrading individuals, and in turn, our society.
The Addiction Cycle
As mentioned above, pornography use can easily become an addiction. As a person starts to regularly watch it, they may not be aware of how addicted they are becoming. Pornography is designed to stimulate the brain, flooding it with dopamine, a chemical signaling reward. The more someone watches it, the more unaware they become of their addiction.8
Studies reveal that exposure to pornography creates a predictable escalation pattern. Findings showed that as pornography use increased, an individual sought out more hardcore material.9 This progression reflects the brain’s tolerance development, similar to drugs, where stronger stimuli are required to achieve the same response.10
Mental Health Consequences
The effects of pornography extend deep into brain structure and function. Neurological studies using advanced brain imaging have documented that pornography consumption is correlated with reduced grey matter in brain regions responsible for cognitive function and decision-making.11 These structural changes can impair judgment, reduce impulse control, and affect overall cognitive performance.
The psychological toll is just as detrimental. Users often report increased anxiety, depression, and cognitive-affective distress. This creates a destructive cycle where pornography is used to cope with negative emotions, ultimately causing more emotional damage in the long-term.12
Young adults deserve protection from content designed to exploit the brain’s reward system. Our society deserves better than a culture that treats intimacy as a commodity. Review our resources on pornography for further reading.
1Pathmendra P, Raggatt M, Lim MS, Marino JL, Skinner SR. Exposure to Pornography and Adolescent Sexual Behavior: Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res. 2023 Feb 28;25:e43116. doi:10.2196/43116. PMID:36853749; PMCID:PMC10015350.
2Marshall, E. A., & Miller, H. A. (2024). Age and type of first exposure to pornography: It matters for girls and boys. Deviant Behavior, 45(3), 377–393.
3Ince, C., Fontenelle, L.F., Carter, A. et al. Clarifying and extending our understanding of problematic pornography use through descriptions of the lived experience. Sci Rep 13, 18193 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-45459-8..
4Jacobs, T., Geysemans, B., Van Hal, G., Glazemakers, I., Fog-Poulsen, K., Vermandel, A., De Wachter, S., & De Win, G. (2021). Associations Between Online Pornography Consumption and Sexual Dysfunction in Young Men: Multivariate Analysis Based on an International Web-Based Survey. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 7(10), e32542. https://doi.org/10.2196/32542..
5Mikorski, R., & Szymanski, D. M. (2017). Masculine norms, peer group, pornography, Facebook, and men’s sexual objectification of women. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 18(4), 257–267. doi:10.1037/men0000058.
6Koletić G. (2017). Longitudinal associations between the use of sexually explicit material and adolescents’ attitudes and behaviors: A narrative review of studies. Journal of Adolescence, 57, 119–133.
7Fight the New Drug. How Porn Can Affect the Brain like a Drug. Fight the New Drug, 2021.
8Ince C, Albertella L, Liu C, Tiego J, Fontenelle LF, Chamberlain SR, Yücel M, Rotaru K. Problematic pornography use and novel patterns of escalating use: A cross-sectional network analysis with two independent samples. Addict Behav. 2024 Sep;156:108048. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.108048. PMID:38761685; PMCID:PMC7616041.
9Shu Q, Tang S, Wu Z, Feng J, Lv W, Huang M, Xu F. (2025). The impact of internet pornography addiction on brain function: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 19:1477914.
10Privara M, Bob P. (2023). Pornography Consumption and Cognitive-Affective Distress. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 211(8), 641–646.
11Shu Q, Tang S, Wu Z, Feng J, Lv W, Huang M, Xu F. (2025). The impact of internet pornography addiction on brain function: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 19:1477914.
12Privara M, Bob P. (2023). Pornography Consumption and Cognitive-Affective Distress. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 211(8), 641-646.