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10 Ways Porn Damages The Brain - Link Provided

Discussion in 'Porn Addiction' started by Deleted Account, Apr 13, 2020.

Have you felt like you become more stupid in connection with porn use?

  1. Yes

    93.7%
  2. No

    4.8%
  3. Not sure, I was told it was okay as long as I don't feel guilty; and how can this be proven?

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  4. Not sure, I was told it was okay and this is healthy for me

    1.6%
  5. Maybe

    3.2%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. Hello, I found an article that actually led me to join this forum in the first place (btw, the article called this site NoFab lol, I still found this forum nonetheless). Here it is: https://charlesstone.com/porn-damages-brain/

    Here is the article's text (p.s. it does have mention of Christianity, but I mainly wanted to show it for what some of the research in the article has shown how porn can affect the brain and body):



    10 Ways Pornography Damages your Brain
    By Charles Stone / 0 Comments / Body Care, Pastors, Spiritual Growth / December 16, 2018

    Pornography is deadly not only to marriages and to our walk with Christ, but to the brain as well. Consider what science is now telling us.

    Until recently the research on how porn impacts the body and brain have been correlative. That is, from a scientific perspective, studies did not show that porn use directly caused these problems (although common sense told us otherwise). The correlative evidence, however, is quite damning in itself. The problem has been that researchers have had trouble finding college students (the most often chosen group for guinea pigs in research) who have not used porn. And, even if they did, it’s questionable the ethics of introducing someone to porn.

    However, new research is now showing clear causal relationships of porn use to damage to the brain. In fact, the variable (use or non-use of porn) is now becoming more available as a large number (over 75,000) of former porn addicts have formed an on-line community called NoFab. Through surveys, they are posting how their lives have changed for the better after getting off porn. Also, a recent German study has shown a clear causal connection between even moderate porn use and damage to the brain.

    Here is what research now indicates that porn does to our brains and bodies.
    1. It becomes addictive. Overstimulation of the brain system that releases the pleasure neurotransmitter dopamine (which internet porn spurs in massive amounts) results in the buildup of the molecular switch protein called deltaFosB, an ingredient common in most addictions.
    2. It impairs memory and concentration.
    3. It numbs you to other pleasures of life and real sex in marriage (called desensitization). You develop a tolerance and need for greater and greater stimulation because real sex has become dull.
    4. Sensitization. Because your reward system has been hammered, you have an amped up attraction to porn that can tempt you to view it through even simple cues like seeing your computer monitor. Your brain goes into autopilot and your reward circuit says, “Do it now!”
    5. It diminishes impulse control and willpower. The fight between clear thinking and temptation is heightened and you have less willpower to say, “No!”
    6. It increases sensitivity to stress. Even minor stresses can lead to cravings and relapse because they activate powerful sensitized pathways.
    7. It literally shrinks your brain. Studies actually show that even moderate amounts of porn can shrink grey matter in areas associated with cognitive function related to our ability to focus. Porn users report pervasive brain fog.
    8. It causes depression and low energy because it interferes with normal dopamine production and signaling.
    9. You become more susceptible to risky behavior. Since porn addicts need a bigger and bigger hit they gravitate to more degrading kinds of porn and risky behavior to get that hit with diminished fears of experiencing negative consequences (i.e., getting caught).
    10. Erectile dysfunction. Porn users become less sensitive to real sex with their spouses and need more and more stimulation to get aroused. Ex-porn addicts report that porn created significant sexual problems, specifically ED.

    That’s the bad news.

    The good news, however, is that because the brain is plastic, porn users can break free from porn and change their brains back to a healthy view of sex and sexuality. With Christ’s power, men (and women) can find freedom from the devastating effects of porn.


    This was the end of the article, but what I found most fascinating was numbers 2, 4, and 7. It basically can make you more stupid. So, if you are someone who values your education and getting maybe a good college degree, then porn (like alcohol) is actually making you dumber. It is giving you a debased (lower quality) mind. Has anyone else noticed number 4 in their own life? This could be with your computer screen or even your smartphone screen am I right? I have felt pain literally in my eyes while in group settings as I start looking at the device that I feel guilty about using and seeing the black screen that was used not too long ago to give me images of sexual junk. Am I alone here? What about number 7 though, has anyone else ever felt a pervasive (i.e. perverted) brain fog to where your thoughts just start going away from everything going on around you into purely sexual thoughts even if your intention is not for that?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 14, 2020
  2. tyson12

    tyson12 New Fapstronaut

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    This is very interesting!
    i believe this links with point number 7 (brain fog) personally i find that if i just relapsed i get a stutter when i talk for a day or two after relapse then it will slowly fade away as my streak gets longer. crazy what porn addiction can do.
     
    iwillwinthese, Kligor and Arbiter007 like this.
  3. It's real. I notice after I relapse how I lose confidence when talking to girls. I also struggle to keep up mentally in intelligent conversations. After going awhile without PMO I see myself talking in a more confident (less shaky) voice as well as even feeling smarter in conversations.
     
  4. Kligor

    Kligor Fapstronaut

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    Great post buddy,in my experience this is all true.I remember when i was at high school i was always depressed,always tired/low energy,bad at conversation,weak willpower.Now things are totally different.
     
    Arbiter007 and tyson12 like this.
  5. Thanks for sharing this article! Now some things make sense to me. I never thought of connections between some of the mentioned facts and PMO!
    e.g.
    #3 It numbs you to other pleasures of life and real sex in marriage. I wrote a thread about this... --> Story of my life.
    #6 It increases sensitivity to stress. I'm very sensitive to stress!
    #7 Brain Fog. I often have the feeling of thick fog in my head and have difficulties to concentrate.

    May you all succeed!
     
    Dragonkmp67 and Arbiter007 like this.
  6. MrYang29

    MrYang29 Fapstronaut

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    And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32
     
    Gildas, :)-keepsmiling and Arbiter007 like this.
  7. You're most welcome! Yeah, I have had all 10 at some point or another.

    Your way of wording how #3 was a thread you wrote called "Story of my life" made me laugh, not making fun of you kind of way though. We can probably laugh together on all this stuff once we look back and it is completely out of our lives. ;)

    Yeah, you get it!

    Amen! :D
     
  8. Thanks for this post. When reading it, I thought to myself: every decision I normally make is reasoned, but porn use is not. A good goal for myself is to get to a point where I make all of my decisions consciously. If I make a clear, conscious decision to use porn, then by all means I should go use it. But using porn as a result of an impulsive or autopilot decision? This is not the way I should live my life.
     
  9. Well, I hope you would not make a clear conscious decision to use porn. And even if you did say yes to yourself on that I would still not really recommend that as a good reason to use it; because from all that we have seen it does a lot more negative things to yourself and I haven't actually seen good come out of it.

    Having a wife in your life though as a way to help manage these normal desires is a healthy and good thing!
     
    CaptainFranklin likes this.
  10. Yes makes sense. What I mean is that I do not think porn is good for me, and I want to live life without it. When I have used it in relapses or in the past it has not been a conscious decision. Given any amount of reflection, I would choose not to use it. So I should strive to make my decisions consciously. This would of course have the byproduct of eliminating porn use, but seems like a broader healthy goal.
     
    Arbiter007 likes this.
  11. That makes sense, I think I had a feeling this is what you were saying. That is awesome of you to want to make more clear choices for a healthier and better you!
     
    CaptainFranklin likes this.
  12. Secret atheist quote in religion. The truth will set you free.
     
  13. iwillwinthese

    iwillwinthese Fapstronaut

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    Did you had stutter from childhood or is it from PMO related stress?
     
  14. JAbbot1985

    JAbbot1985 New Fapstronaut

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    Porn has a bad influence on people, that's for sure.
     
    Arbiter007 likes this.
  15. crazyhorse11

    crazyhorse11 Fapstronaut

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  16. treborn

    treborn Fapstronaut

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    hey but wasn't porn a way of knowing oneself and one's fantasies? I thought it was a cure-all for health exactly and how society taught us! (IRONIC)
     

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