Does porn cause anxiety

Anything that excites you and gives you up and downs will cause anxiety, a lot like how caffeine addiction causes anxiety for a lot of people.
Porn makes a lot of people shy, because they know they've been doing shameful things in the dark. It shatters their self image. So yes that causes anxiety.

 

short answer : yes

 

Hey

this was sent to me and is very helpful to explain what it does to you, it explains anxiety very clearly. It’s astonishing because I thought i had all sorts of mental disorders but actually every symptom was listed under PMO addiction

https://oceanrecoverycentre.com/2016/07/the-ultimate-guide-to-overcoming-internet-porn-addiction/

and don’t worry there’s a section at the end to explain how to get better, the first bit was a bit scary at first as it describes the damage in sime detail

 

On the contrary, orgasm actually calms you down first, because it releases dopamine, oxytocin and vasopressin. People wouldn't be doing it, if it was not pleasant.

Dopamine = Dopamine is the chemical that mediates pleasure in the brain. It is released during pleasurable situations and stimulates one to seek out the pleasurable activity or occupation. This means food, sex, and several drugs of abuse are also stimulants of dopamine release in the brain in areas such as the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex.
Oxytocin = a multifunctional analgesic with analgesic, anxiolytic, antidepressant and other central nervous system effects
Vasopressin = a specific non-opioid pain inhibitor that increases pain thresholds

We used compulsive PMO as a "self medicating tool" to numb our feelings of discomfort/anxiety/depression/pain. If you're suffering from anxiety or/and clinical depression (=low on dopamine-high on adrenaline/cortisol), orgasm actually makes you feel more alive and calms you down because of above mentioned properties of the chemicals released during O. The problem is that it's effects fade out pretty quickly and you want more of the "good stuff" to make you feel better again. Unfortunately, continous repetition of any "highly dopamine rewarding activity or substance" leads to forming a habit first and later progresses to addiction (deep learned behaviour - behaviour that is no longer regulated by prefrontal cortex (executive function) but by midbrains, that's why it becomes automated). Now here comes the double trouble. Once you get addicted your brain downregulates D2 receptors to protect itself from accepting too much dopamine. Once addicted person tries to stop, he/she gets hit twice. His or hers dopamine levels were too low to begin with (because of preexisting depression/anxiety), now he/she stops overflooding brain with dopamine (because of abstention) and on top of that his/hers brain has less available receptors to accept D2 (receptors downregulation because of addiction). It's a perfect storm. That's why addicts in withdrawal experience skyrocketing anxiety, panic attacks, depression and later anhedonia.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4276444/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6494025
https://www.news-medical.net/health/Dopamine-Functions.aspx

 

wow, this is great information.

Thank you @thelightfantastic & @Fenix Rising

 

Yes, absolutely. It happens in all addictions, dysfunctional stress response, hence, anxiety. It is also a typical withdrawal symptom, along with insomnia. It catches some in a vicious cycle of cyberporn->anxiety->cyberporn. Check these articles.

Withdrawals in porn

https://www.yourbrainonporn.com/rel...-reporting-withdrawal-symptoms-in-porn-users/

Dysfunctional stress system in addiction (no matter what)

https://www.yourbrainonporn.com/rel...-dark-side-of-compulsivity-in-addiction-2009/