Pornography 'Fuels Loneliness and Depression'
By Contributor
If you Google “porn addiction” you’ll be presented with a plethora of articles on the topic, and various suggestions for beating an addiction to pornography. Of course, some medical personnel — and the contentious DSM-5 — do not yet characterize compulsive porn-watching as an actual addiction, but others are less cautious. Here’s the result of a study done for a site that also offers advice on how to quit porn; your editor checked it out and found that the advice seemed sound, but can’t advise on its efficacy, as she has never regarded sex as a spectator sport.
A study of 2000 men over 50 in Canada has found that porn is being watched by a large number of older men, many in their 60s and 70s, who believe it is harming them.
The survey undertaken for Stop Procrastinating, the productivity research website, found that 47% of men over 60 had admitted to viewing porn in the last two months.
The survey also found that 29% of men in their 70s admitted to viewing porn in the last two months.
Of the men over 60 who admitted to watching porn, 76% of respondents believed they watched porn because of they were able to access it easily on the internet. If they had to buy it in a public place, such as a store, they wouldn’t do it.
Of those men who said they had used porn before they had access to the Internet, 82% said they had viewed porn more regularly since they had a computer and internet connection.
Almost all respondents said their use of porn had increased since they had access to the Internet.
Describing their porn use, respondents said:
24% called it an addiction.
40% called it a compulsion
36% said they were casual users
Respondents said they used porn because:
21% said they were lonely.
33% said it was like a drug and they felt compelled to do it.
42% said because they could.
42% said it was the only way they could have an orgasm.
35% said they couldn’t meet a woman
56% said they had tried to stop but they couldn’t.
The respondents, describing how using porn made them feel, said:
45% said it made them feel guilty.
58% said they believed it was wrong to do it.
34% they didn’t think it was a problem and enjoyed it.
58% were worried that they might get caught and it would damage a relationship.
36% said they were more likely to think about women in a sexual way.
Evidence from the respondents in the research was also used to help put together a guide to help beat porn addiction. The guide includes strategies that men from the survey found useful in giving up pornography. It can be accessed for no charge at Guide to beat porn addiction.
Tim Rollins, a research director at Stop Procrastinating, said: “Our survey shows that Internet pornography is now affecting every generation. Older men are either turning to pornography out of loneliness or because they have access to it through the Internet.
“But there is evidence that Internet pornography is fuelling loneliness and depression. Many older people are already at risk of isolation and many are choosing to view porn which evidence shows can make them less likely to seek company and live fulfilling lives.
“Stop Procrastinating guide to overcoming pornography and porn addiction is based on strategies that ex-users used successfully. There is evidence that porn can have damaging consequences on people’s lives. Yet evidence also shows that it can be beaten.”
