On 21 October 2015, Playboy Magazine decided to drop full frontal female nudity because of two main reasons: The icebergs of available free pornography at the click of a button, and because porn has been getting in the way of true intimacy. So if a company that was raking in a handsome profit mainly by portraying such nudity, opted against pornography, shouldn't we at least reconsider the side-effects pornography has on our mind, our body and our behaviour?

 

Porn affects the brain

Humans have survival instincts that are hardwired into our system like eating, drinking and sexual drive, all of which release a large amount of dopamine.

Dopamine is the "happy" chemical in our body. It is the reward-motivated sensor which makes everything in life more enjoyable. Hence we are enticed to any activity which releases dopamine. This is why high-calorie food, drugs, and pornography release an excess amount of dopamine.

Binghamton University scholar Jack Fischer claims that "porn uses the same neural reward pathways as traditional drugs like cocaine". So when people look at sexual imagery, dopamine overflows through these brain regions, causing an intense feeling of pleasure.

Now if that pleasure gets triggered over and over, much like drugs, a larger 'hit' is needed to feel that same pleasure. The effect of this excess release of dopamine is the numb pleasure response, in which every day activities like playing football or having a good laugh, won't give you nearly as much gratification, since we have become less sensitive to dopamine, the happy drug.

In turn, this causes every day activities to be devoid of excitement since they will never replicate the same dopamine release that pornography does. In some cases, this even leads people to depression.

Porn affects the body

During the last few years an array of pornography users have decided to quit watching porn. So why would any porn-loving guy give it up? Two words: Erectile Dysfunction. According to the Italian Society of Andragogy and Sexual Medicine "Internet porn is killing young men's sexual performance". This means that extensive viewing of pornography may give guys E.D. by the age of 30, if not earlier.

Remember dopamine? The happy chemical? Well, each time we see porn that is new or novel (like new women, new genres etc) our dopamine spirals up. Now during 'traditional' sexual intercourse, the man is with one woman. Due to a lack of 'novelty', by comparison, only a little dopamine is released, causing the man involved not to get aroused.

The problem here isn't 'below the belt' but rather due to physical changes in the brain. In turn this causes sexual enhancement drugs futile, since the problem isn't exactly the physical body but rather the brain. So according to Urology Professor Dr. Carlo Foresta if this problem isn't addressed immediately it may lead to disappointing consequences: "in the end it becomes impossible to get an erection"

 

Porn affects behaviour

Another reason why guys are quitting porn is because of the effect it has on behaviour. These effects are explained thoroughly in the 'Ted Talks' video entitled "The Demise of Guys" by psychologist and Professor Phil Zimbardo.

Since pornography alters neural pathways and the release of dopamine, this creates a domino effect on other responses. People watching porn are more likely to suffer from ADHD, social anxiety depression, performance anxiety, OCD and concentration problems.

A comment from a male user is emblematic of the problem with pornography: "I've been to psychologists and psychiatrists for the last 8 years. Have been diagnosed with depression, severe social anxiety, severe memory impairment, and a few others. Have tried Effexor, Ritalin, Xanax, and Paxil. Dropped out of two different colleges. Been fired twice. Used pot to calm my social anxiety."

This greatly contrasts with what he later said after he quit pornography: "My anxiety is non-existent. My memory and focus are sharper than they've ever been. I feel like a huge 'chick magnet' and my ED is gone too. I seriously think I had a rebirth, a second chance at life"

Comedian and actor Russell Brand says that porn effected his behaviour by comparing his own personal life with the conclusions reached by Psychology Professor Dr. Gary R. Brooks. These mainly include:

-          Voyeurism: The obsession with looking at women rather than interacting with women.

-          Objectification: An attitude in which you see women as objects rather than actual human beings.

-          Fear of Intimacy: Fear of intimacy and creating a deep bond with women, even if one may feel incredibly lonely.

Russell Brand has admitted that he has suffered from all of these problems and this was one of the main reasons why he expressed his desire to stop watching porn.

 

Celebrities who have spoken against pornography

Actor and former NFL player Terry Crews admitted that pornography was a horrible plague that "really, really messed up my life" and almost ruined his marriage. The actor had been wrestling with pornography ever since he was a teen as he wrote in his book 'Manhood', and was eventually forced to go to rehab to treat his addiction. After successfully quitting this habit, Terry Crews became an ambassador for "Fighting the New Drug" - An Anti-Pornography Campaign.

According to Russell Brand "pornography isn't a problem because it shows us too much, it's a problem because it shows us to little". Pornography is an issue because it shows us far too little of what sex really is like which includes courtship, an emotional connection and interaction amongst others. This caused our attitudes towards sex to become warped and perverted.

Considering that we have just started 2017, adding the reduction of pornography to our New Year Resolutions may not be a bad idea.