17 things about PornWhat are the effects of porn use?Here are seventeen key things from the book&nbs
17 things about PornWhat are the effects of porn use?Here are seventeen key things from the book “Your brain on porn” by Gary Wilson: 1. We are what we repeatedly do (Aristotle)Neuroplasticity is how the brain changes with activity and if you are watching porn, it is changing in a very specific way. The porn users’ brain maps for new and is rewarding you for what it sees as highly valuable. Orgasming is nature’s natural reinforcer and in the brain, nerve cells that fire together wire together.Aristotle, the original philosopher/wanker.2. Relationship dissatisfactionWith the brain mapping for new, sadly long term relationships seem less appealing. Humans are in the 3–5% of mammals who can form long term bonds but can be externally lead by novelty. After giving up porn, respective mates who will make better long-term partners seem more attractive.I’m sorry but if we can’t do a Wordle together it’s a no.3. Photos > videosVideos replace the imagination in a way that at still images don’t. As far as the brain is concerned, it can’t tell videos are not real life. Your brain is tricked into thinking you are impregnating multiple females and sacrifices later well-being for what it equates to a survival situation.I am the most impressive sex machine the world has ever seen, move over Genghis Khan, I will live on for eternity — brain on porn.4. Supernormal StimulusExaggerated versions of natural stimulus are falsely perceived as valuable and diverts the viewer from pursuing normal mating behaviour. This type of stimulus is called supernormal stimulus. A celebrated example of this is the male jewel beetle who ignores real mates in favour of a dimpled brown bottom of a beer bottle (to a beetle, a beer bottle looks like the biggest and sexiest female in the world).To be fair, dem bottles be thicc.5. Dopamine is where the action isThis very natural neurochemical is responsible for rewarding you for seeking things such as food, sex, love and friendship. It spurs you on to do all the things critical to your survival. Fishing is a great example of a dopamine driven activity that drives and excites you to search for the natural reward of food.You mean I can’t find love watching porn? but there are so many hot singles in my area.6. We search more then we are satisfiedWe are continuously hit with dopamine spikes when we are searching for that perfect porn video. When we finally finish the search the amount of opioid released is small in comparison. Porn users enjoy porn the same amount as non-porn users but just start to crave it more.The perfect video DOES exist, I just can’t remember where I saw it. It was on Xhamster, no Pornhub, hang on give 2 hours.7. We all have a triggerOne user reported that the click of the front door when his parents left the house was his trigger to start watching porn. Like Pavlov’s dogs starting to salivate when they heard a whistle, every porn users has a trigger. For some it is just their phone or for others the icon from their favourite website.“Honey, I’m just going to the shops, do you want anything?”“No thanks.” CLICK.8. A little is a lotWatching porn at less frequent intervals does not necessarily help. Porn users’ who indulge once a fortnight report similar levels of symptoms as more frequent users. These results were discovered by a survey that recorded higher then expected results from religious (faith) users’ of porn, whose guilt kept them from using it more frequently.I also use porn religiously.9. The limit does not existUnlike junk food there is no physical limit to how much porn you can watch. Your brain has natural ways of lowering your reaction to the same porn and without the novelty you would loose interest. Unfortunately the porn website’s developers can always go to a new level, when it is brain vs brain, the brain getting paid will always win (the website creators brain vs your brain).There is a physical limit for junk food?10. What late stage porn addiction looks likeMultiple tabs of videos, compilation videos, straight porn for gay people and gay porn for straight people. The brain thinks it has seen it all and the only way it can get more of a hit is to be shocked with a new genre. Feeling guilt, anxiety, and shame are other ways to escalate things brain chemistry wise.One must never look at thy browser history in thy cold light of day — Aristotle11. Lack of eye contact can be a symptomPorn rewrites and hijacks the “brain real estate” needed for social interactions. Human beings are tribal animals and need each other to help regulate mood. One symptom that some porn users’ reported was a reluctance to make eye contact with others, a key for communication and connection with community.…but real life people look back at me.12. Porn is the new junk food which was the new smokingSociety has been here before and will be again. Here is the cycle:Step 1. Exciting but bad long term behaviour is introducedStep 2. People get hookedStep 3. Precise scientific backed research takes decades to finishStep 4. Hooked people start to be educatedStep 5. Behaviour eliminating commencesRinse and repeat. Smoking, fast food, porn, ellen.13. Edging is it’s own thingSome people don’t get addicted to porn but to edging. The practice of going right up to the edge and then stepping back and restarting, is different to regular masturbation. Edging is when your dopamine is at a high and this is also when you are likely to develop fetishes.I watch a lot of porn and don’t have any fetishes. (that was the joke)14. Addiction is not about drugs, its about brainsThe four fundamental brain changes that occur in all types of addicts are:1. Sensation — An unconscious super memory of pleasure2. Desensitisation — numbed response to that pleasure3. Dysfunctional prefrontal circuitry — weakened will power + hyper reactivity to addiction cues4. Malfunctioning stress system — amplified cravings + magnified withdrawIn other words:1. Hey I know what you need2. I can’t get no satisfaction3. Bad idea but I can’t stop you4. I need something now to take the edge off15. There is an escape routeDid you know that Pavlov also untrained his dogs. The method he used is called “Exposure response prevention therapy”. There are ways to undo the behaviour that pornography has reinforced.Sweet what’s the silver bullet? Shit, is it going to be like exercise, socialising and focusing on long term stuff?Yes.16. “115 days later I was free”If you can’t remember the last time you went a week without porn, let a alone a month, no good news for you. To really see the effects of your porn use, you will need to go a bit longer to compare results. The good news is it is only a matter of time before you reset your neural pathways and break free.“Rebooting” in other words. You know, like a computer. CLICK17. There will be a flat lineAfter giving up porn your brain goes without the supernormal stimulus. This can cause some to be a little unresponsive downstairs while the brains resets. A supportive partner can be vital in aiding a recovering porn user to help them get back to more natural ways of orgasming.Sweet, all I need is one of those.By James Greene (Medium). Image credit: ra2 studio – Fotolia.com. -- source link
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