Pornography and the Brain

It is impossible to pick up a newspaper or magazine, watch television or log onto the internet without being exposed to highly sexual entertainment and/or advertisements. Images used in marketing today would have been considered pornographic by the average person just a generation ago. The pornography industry which includes internet sites, videos, strip clubs, cable TV and magazines generates approximately $13 billion dollars in annual revenue in the United States. World-wide pornography revenue estimates exceed $90 billion dollars per year. Every second 28,258 internet users are viewing pornography. This is not just a problem for men either; one out of every three visitors to internet pornography sites is a woman. Seventy percent of female internet users report that they keep their online activities a secret, while 17% report struggling with a sexual addiction. Perhaps the most troubling part of this is how vulnerable home internet access has made our children. The average age of first internet pornography exposure is 11, and 80% of 15-17 year olds report having had multiple exposures to hardcore pornography. This societal preoccupation with sex has also had a detrimental effect on our marriages and families.

I want to direct you to an exciting new book on the subject, Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain by Wheaton neuroscientist Dr. William Struthers. From the product description – “In this book neuroscientist and researcher William Struthers explains how pornography affects the male brain and what we can do about it. Because we are embodied beings, viewing pornography changes how the brain works, how we form memories and make attachments. By better understanding the biological realities of our sexual development, we can cultivate healthier sexual perspectives and interpersonal relationships. Struthers exposes false assumptions and casts a vision for a redeemed masculinity, showing how our sexual longings can actually propel us toward sanctification and holiness in our bodies. With insights for both married and single men alike, this book offers hope for freedom from pornography.”