There’s a lot of debate over whether women are actually more affected by viewing adult material than men. However, there is mounting evidence that female pornography viewers are, in fact, more addicted to this type of material. Some experts believe that women may be more vulnerable to addiction because they often seek out pornography for financial reasons. Additionally, it’s been shown that watching pornography can lead to feelings of vulnerability and self-esteem issues. So how do we help women who are addicted to viewing adult material like men?
A number of scientific studies and findings have revealed that porn can either be a compulsion or, in the worst scenarios, be very addictive. Unfortunately, the adverse impact of pornography is often ignored, covered with many misconceptions while many people perceive porn to be a “guy thing.” Considering porn as an addiction will allow you to understand some of your own behaviors and offer you coping skills. With the increasing spread of the internet, pornography has been made available for everybody. This has made it easier for modern kids to grow up being exposed to hardcore porn even before attaining the legal age.
The exposure to porn has become diverse and happens to incorporate persons who are also underage. By the age of 13, most people have already been exposed to porn, and the nationally representative survey undertaken in the US suggests that for 14-18 years old, 84.4% of males and 57% of the female population have consumed porn. In addition to this, research shows that girls as young as 9 years old are attracted to pornographic content. Although these studies indicate the high prevalence of porn consumption among children, the majority of them do not exhibit any associated negative effects on their sexual health.
It’s no secret that viewing pornography can profoundly affect brain development and function in both men and women. The way humans connect using visual stimuli in the form of images and moving pictures results in changes in the brain structure. Studies have also identified differences in brain activity when individuals viewed pornographic videos compared to those who were shown nonpornographic videos. It has been found that viewing sex-related materials causes the area of the frontal cortex to enlarge, which is responsible for regulating one’s emotions and focusing attention. On the contrary, some forms of pornography can elicit different effects. On the whole, though, viewing pornography leads to increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol and decreased levels of dopamine, both of which act as natural painkillers. This decrease in dopamine levels is thought to contribute to the addictive nature of watching porn. When faced with stressors, our body produces natural opioids called endorphins.
Despite the element of normalization of porn, women can also become addicted to the material. It has been reported that viewing porn regularly increases women’s desire for sexual satisfaction, especially during intercourse. Furthermore, it has been discovered that women prefer higher degrees of stimulation, and this increase in pleasure is caused by the release of oxytocin when they view sex scenes involving more than two partners. Also, excessive use of porn can lead to feelings of guilt and shame, making one prone to depression. Even though it was traditionally considered an issue that affects males, the number of females who admitted having problems with pornography has risen dramatically over the last decade. Some of the reasons this occurs include the advent of internet porn, which makes it easier for women to access sexually-oriented material, and social norms where women are expected to be submissive, demure, and passive.
Symptoms of porn addiction in women
Various symptoms can showcase porn addiction in women. This includes:
1) Feeling guilty after masturbating or engaging in sexual activities without the need for arousal. The statement implies that masturbation should be done only for arousal.
2) Increased frequency of masturbation due to lack of partner availability or difficulty finding someone interested in having sex with them. The person who does not experience sexual gratification from being intimate with another human being tends to resort to masturbation. However, regular masturbation is detrimental to health since it can cause physical harm like vaginal infections and infertility.
3) Feelings of inadequacy; thoughts of feeling fat, ugly, or unattractive. One may think that they do not measure up to what people expect from women. This idea then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. To cope, women will engage in unhealthy behaviors such as binge eating and alcohol consumption to mask negative feelings. The problem arises when these behaviors turn into addictions themselves.
4) Depression. A study showed that between 20-40% of women were suffering from depression at any given time. Pornography users are at high risk of developing significant depressive symptoms because the material they watch creates unrealistic expectations about relationships. They are often unable to achieve the level of attraction and intimacy they see in porn. This can result in feelings of loneliness and failure, which can eventually lead to depression.
5) Anxiety. Watching pornography can exacerbate existing anxiety issues. Because many women are afraid of rejection and embarrassment when talking to members of the opposite sex, they tend to stay away from interactions with men. Consequently, those who have developed relationship anxieties or other mental health conditions may find masturbation and porn less distracting and, therefore, spend more time on the activity.
6) Insomnia. Many of the websites featuring sexually explicit content are designed to keep the viewer awake as long as possible. Sleep-deprived people tend to crave food more than usual, thereby causing weight gain. These individuals then begin watching porn again, hoping to get some relief from insomnia. Unfortunately, this process just goes on and on.
7) Attention deficit disorder (ADD). There are no known direct links between ADD and pornography, but studies show that attentional focus on both stimulating and non-stimulating stimuli is poor among adults with ADHD. Also, many people with ADHD are prone to impulsivity and the inability to resist temptation. As one would assume, this tendency toward impulsivity could easily become an issue when it comes to devoting oneself to something as addictive as viewing pornographic material. However, it is important to note that the connection here is purely circumstantial because research has shown that excessive pornography use by itself does not make a user develop ADHD.
8) Memory distortion/amnesia. Some people start using pornography as a coping mechanism for dealing with traumatic memories. For example, when a woman was raped several years ago, she became addicted to online voyeurism and began seeking out sexual encounters through webcam chat rooms. She now feels ashamed of her actions and tries to hide herself behind layers of clothing. Overuse of pornography causes memory loss and distortions. Users lose track of their history and sometimes cannot recall events before becoming involved in the activity. This makes people feel even more isolated and vulnerable.
9) Stress reduction. Researchers found that internet porn users report significantly lower stress levels than those who do not view such materials. Women usually say that porn relieves them of having to face real-life difficulties. While this statement may be partially true, it also leads to another problem: feeling too good after engaging in a potentially destructive behavior like watching porn. When you’re happy, you tend to indulge yourself without thinking twice.
Treatment of porn addiction in Women
1) Stop using Pornography. The first step towards recovery involves completely cutting off all access to porn. If you already have tried doing away with the habit without success, your next move should be finding help from experienced professionals. To recover from porn addiction, you need to break free from its grip.
2) Find a Mentor or Accountability Partner. In order to effectively deal with any addiction, you must set up a system where friends, relatives, colleagues, or therapists monitor your progress and support you when necessary. You will be much better equipped to handle the temptations during recovery if someone else monitors your efforts. Most importantly, you will receive encouragement at every stage of your journey. Ideally, you should work with a mentor or accountability partner who can assist you if things get tough.
3) Do Not Just Turn Your Back On Your Problematic Behavior. Many women turn their backs on their problems, hoping they will simply disappear; unfortunately, this approach rarely works. By refusing to confront your issues head-on, you run the risk of getting trapped in a downward spiral. Instead, address each component of the problem separately and seek professional assistance if needed. Don’t expect to be successful by ignoring the symptoms: you need to treat the underlying cause!
4) Join Support Groups. This is especially helpful when recovering from compulsive disorders like binge eating, bulimia, drug abuse, gambling, etc. Finding others going through the same thing helps you realize that you aren’t alone. Online groups are available for most addictions, but you can meet other sufferers in person as well.
5) Get Professional Help. As mentioned above, many individuals choose to find treatment through a therapist. Therapy provides an opportunity for you to share your experiences with a trained therapist who has experience helping others like yourself. They can provide guidance and support while giving you strategies for staying on the right path.
6) Make Practical Changes to Reduce Rebound Effects. Once you cut down on your use of porn, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t try to improve the quality of your life. Start exercising regularly and eat healthily. Set realistic goals and reward yourself for meeting them. You’ll feel more energized and less inclined to look elsewhere when looking for fulfillment and satisfaction.
7) Accept Yourself for Who You Are. It takes a lot of courage to admit that you struggle with certain habits. However, being honest about these challenges can actually lead to positive changes. You might feel embarrassed about needing assistance, but this doesn’t make what you are dealing with any less serious. Even though your family won’t understand what you need, they can still offer unconditional love and support. You deserve compassion and understanding for making mistakes that were caused by the way you were raised.