The previous article in this series established that pornography addiction is not an official diagnosis in the mental health field. In the absence of an official diagnosis, some mental health researchers and professionals have attempted to apply other models of addiction to pornography viewing. One common model is the substance dependence model of addiction, which is based on substance dependence research. This article explores if this model is suitable for explaining the potential effects of viewing pornography.
In the substance dependence model, addiction develops from the consumption of substances.These, through physiological interactions, change the state of the body (including the brain). The initial change might be accompanied by pleasurable rewards or a reduction of negative states such as stress (Williams, 2022). Over time and with continued exposure, the body adapts to the changes caused by the substance and achieves a new default state which incorporates the substance into its functioning. This is called dependence. Additionally, the new default state is less affected by continued exposure to the substance, which means that larger quantities of the same substance will be required to move the body from its new default state. This is called tolerance. Finally, since the substance is now incorporated into normal functioning of the body, removal of the substance can have negative effects on the body. This is called withdrawal, and its negative effects are known as withdrawal symptoms.
Physiological dependence on pornography is not possible because it is not a substance (Binnie & Reavey, 2020). Furthermore, experimental studies of sex and pornography viewing do not show the neurological and psychological symptoms of substance addictions (Williams, 2022). Finally, in studies of neural patterns related to pornography viewing, those patterns were found to be similar to the ones present in individuals who enjoy sports and other non-pathological activities such as skydiving or eating their favorite chocolate (Williams, 2022). Therefore, pornography viewing is more comparable to commonplace activities than it is to substance-based addictions.
Several studies have shown that people who believe that they are addicted to pornography sometimes have lower levels of wellbeing and may suffer from anxiety, depression, loneliness, and stress (Bradley et al., 2016). Note, however, that the research does not state that pornography viewing causes anxiety, depression, loneliness, and stress. It only establishes a correlation between those negative emotional states and pornography viewing. This means that the cause could be pornography viewing, or it could be that people experiencing anxiety, depression, loneliness, and stress turn to pornography viewing to feel better.
This leap from a behaviour (viewing pornography) to its purported effects (addiction/dependence, mood disorders) is often based on media effects research. Media effects theory claims that exposure to visual or auditory stimuli directly influences the consumer’s cognitions (Healy-Cullen et al., 2024). For example, violent video games were once claimed to lead to violent behaviour. And if we expand consideration to lesser discussed forms of pornography such as written material, we find similar criticisms being leveled against erotic literature such as romance novels and fan fiction. Some researchers assert that the depiction of sexual desire and the experiences in romance novels do not reflect real life. Furthermore, they state that these can contribute to unrealistic expectations, disappointment, and frustration in real-world relationships (Iqbal, 2014).
Other researchers argue that such outcomes are not guaranteed. Additionally, many of these explanations have been abandoned by some in the scientific community for being overly simplistic (Healy-Cullen et al., 2024). Commenting on the assertion that romance novels are not realistic, one writer retorts that women (the primary consumers of romantic literature) can tell fiction from reality. Similarly, while gaming addiction is now an official diagnosis, few members of the scientific community still claim that the content of the games directly influences the players’ actions in the real world. Yet similar claims are made about pornography, such as that viewing pornography promotes attitudes that degrade women or promote unrealistic sexual expectations. Some researchers assert that such claims are grounded not in scientific research but in moral values (Healy-Cullen et al., 2024), which vary from person to person. Therefore if the criteria for establishing negative effects is entirely subjective, it would be difficult to establish diagnostic criteria that are objectively applicable to all people who seek treatment.
Further on the topic of the role of moral values, interestingly, research has shown a link between religiousness and negative psychological effects from pornography viewing. Individuals who are religious are more likely to have strong moral objections to consuming pornography and are more likely to view themselves as addicted (Bradley et al., 2016). However, the same research has consistently shown that the negative effects of pornography viewing in religious individuals are not attributable to pornography itself. Instead, their distress is due to the disconnect between their values and their actions, and the self-judgement that ensues. A subsequent article in this series will offer suggestions to help with this moral incongruence.
So far, this series has established that pornography addiction does not exist as an official diagnosis. Yet some men report negative effects from pornography viewing. Additionally, it has been shown that the traditional substance dependence model of addiction does not accurately describe the process by which negative outcomes result from pornography viewing. Rather than stemming from the influence of pornography, it is most likely the subjective beliefs of the individual that cause negative effects. The next article in this series will explore why men find it difficult to stop viewing porn, even though it is not addictive in the same way that substances are.
