There’s tons of research on the effects porn has on relationships both good and bad. The most recent study reported from Psychology Today argues that when porn is pervasive or becomes primary in a person’s life, it could produce major problems.
Pornography is largely filled with sexism, hostility and objectification. In our current day and age, pornography can be a problem because it’s so easy to access no matter your age and world view. It can also become addictive and undermine your relationships and your ability to be intimate with others. Here are 3 ways watching porn leads to relationship troubles.
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Sexual Satisfaction
According to a study, the more that someone watches porn, the more that they’re sexually unsatisfied. This study surveyed over 1,500 young adults, and concluded that, no matter the outside factors and gender, even infrequent use of porn leads to sexual dissatisfaction. Consuming as much porn also creates false expectations for everyone involved, making them think that real sex works just as it does in porn.
Loneliness
According to studies, loneliness makes people turn to porn, and porn makes people more lonely, creating a two way relationship in which, no matter the order, each factor influences the other. A research that surveyed over 1,247 participants found that porn use was significantly related to loneliness, that single men watched more porn than any other group, and that loneliness could lead to porn addiction. These people who feel lonely turn to porn, which offers momentary relief but that later reinforces their feelings of being alone.
Relationship Stability
Another study conducted over 2,000 married individuals from 2006 to 2014 showed results that suggest that porn is capable of causing divorces. People who started watching porn after they got married had an 11 percent chance of divorce compared to the 6 percent chance of non viewers of porn. These divorce rates were much higher for younger people, where half of the 20 year olds ended up getting a divorce.
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Of course, all of this information is correlational. You can’t say with certainty that watching porn means you’ll face all of these problems, but the studies prove that there’s some form of relationship between porn and stress, even if they can’t pinpoint the cause. Now, more importantly than ever, it’s important to discuss your issues openly, especially when it comes to intimacy and relationships.
