How Pornography & Drugs Changes Your Brain

While some have avoided using the term "Addiction" in the context of natural compulsions such as uncontrolled sexuality, overeating, or gambling, let us consider current scientific evidence regarding the brain and addiction.

Pertinent to our subject, it happens that both of these brain drugs are very important in human sexuality-and in pornography and sexual addiction.

What about pornography and sexual addiction? Dr. Eric Nestler, head of neuroscience research at Mount Cedar Sinai in New York and one of the most respected addiction scientists in the world, published a paper in the journal Nature Neuroscience in 2005 titled "Is there a common pathway for addiction?" In this paper he said that the dopamine reward systems mediate not only drug addiction, but also "Natural addictions such as pathological overeating, pathological gambling, and sexual addictions."

Pornography addiction is frantic learning, and perhaps this is why many who have struggled with multiple addictions report that it was the hardest for them to overcome.

Dr. Doidge notes,"Pornographers promise healthy pleasure and a release from sexual tension, but what they often deliver is addiction, and an eventual decrease in pleasure. Paradoxically, the male patients I worked with often craved pornography but didn't like it." In the book Pornified, Pamela Paul gives numerous examples of this, and describes one person who decided to limit his pornography use, not from a moralist or guilt-based perspective, but out of a desire to again experience pleasure in actual physical relationships with women.

Since pornography can be an addiction, these "Just say no" types of approaches are likely to only create more frustration and self-defeating ideation ... the intervention and treatment modality must recognize the problem as a full addiction, and treat it with the same consideration given to alcohol or chemical substances.

First, the individual must be personally motivated to be free of his addiction and possess a willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve success.... You can never force a person to get well if he doesn't want to.... Second, it is necessary to create a safe environment, which drastically reduces access to porn and other sexual triggers.... Third, he should affiliate with a twelve-step support group.... Fourth, the individual needs to select a counselor/therapist who has had special training and success in treating sexual addictions.

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