Can reading erotica improve your sex life?
Is indulging in erotic content good or bad for your sex life?
08 September, 2020
Photo by Jacob Lund on Shutterstock
- Erotica is defined as any type of art that is meant to cause sexual ideation or arousal. The main difference between erotica and pornography is that the former is seen as "art that has a sexual aspect."
- While there are many different misconceptions about the consumption of erotic or pornographic content, many studies on this topic prove it may not be as harmful as you think.
- Erotic literature can allow you to become more comfortable in your sexuality, communicate easier with your partner and may even impact your ability to orgasm.
<p>Erotica is defined as any type of art that is meant to cause sexual ideation or arousal. The main difference between erotica and pornography is that the former is seen as "art that has a sexual aspect", whereas the latter is seen as something that exists solely to create sexual excitement with not much else to offer. </p><p>The two most common forms of erotica include: </p><ul class="ee-ul"> <li>Written erotica (short stories, novellas, etc) </li><li>Audio erotica (audio content with sexual themes)</li></ul>
Common misconceptions about written erotica
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzc5MjU4Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNTk4OTA3MH0.UUHj7oImKfaRvteKGi0VdJKJmQyccFbKEGoPuM26eTE/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C103%2C0%2C1&height=700" id="1f256" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="72ddf915c4d9e920a0e27b4e7202cc16" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Concept of confused woman" />There are many myths and misconceptions about erotic content...what are the facts?
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<p><strong>MYTH: Women like erotica more than men.</strong></p><p>While it's a generalization that women prefer erotica and men prefer visual porn, this is not always the case. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00224499.2015.1131227" target="_blank">This 2016 study</a> examined the effects on both men and women who read BDSM themed erotica. The findings of this study proved that there was no difference in the extent to which the erotic stories aroused men and women. </p><p><strong>MYTH: Erotica (and pornography in general) are toxic to relationships. </strong></p><p>This is a widely spread myth about all things pornography. Some people are wary of erotic content because they assume it will hurt the intimacy and sexual desire felt in their relationship. However, according to <a href="https://www.regain.us/advice/intimacy/reading-erotic-literature-online-might-help-get-couples-in-the-mood/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Regain</a>, a popular couples counseling service, reading erotic literature can help get couples into the mood. </p><p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6155976/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">This 2018 study</a> suggests whether porn hurts your relationship depends on how your partner feels about you consuming pornographic/erotic content. </p><p>"For men who are more accepting of pornography, more pornography use is associated with more relationship satisfaction; however, for men who are less accepting of pornography, more pornography use is associated with less relationship satisfaction."</p><p><strong>MYTH: Erotica is vulgar and crude. </strong></p><p>There is a large stereotype about erotic content being vulgar and crude, however, this is not always the case. There are many different kinds of written erotica available - the stories can range from romantic and subtle to aggressive and outrageous. Not all erotica is created to stun and surprise - some erotica is created to help the reader explore parts of their sexuality they've never experienced before. </p><p><strong>MYTH: Enjoying erotica is bad. </strong></p><p>There are some studies that prove this to be quite false. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK67373/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">This 1998 study</a> examined the effects of bibliotherapy (reading therapy) on patients with orgasm disorders (sexual dysfunctions), and found that "the available evidence warrants the recommended use of self-help books for sexual dysfunction, but only after proper assessment."</p><p>While erotica may not quality as "self-help" to some, for others, reading and exploring sexuality through the written word is in fact a form of self-help. </p>How reading erotic literature can improve your sex life
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzc5MjY1My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NzQ1MjMwOH0.OfgPRry6Xk6qLJU6QFzuwY7Q2JaXx-goY4_N9xx7B6E/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C4%2C0%2C100&height=700" id="95419" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6a7fb0be3ebf9473b8c2dcdbcc2552ef" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="man and woman in bed reading erotica book together" />Reading erotica can be relaxing and boost your confidence, allowing you to communicate better with your partner about your sexual needs.
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<p><strong>Reading relaxes you. Relaxation makes sex easier and more enjoyable.</strong></p><p>Stress can impact your health in numerous ways, including lowering your sex drive. One of the best ways to relieve daily stress and overcome anxiety is to lose yourself in a good book. </p><p>According to the <a href="https://worldliteracyfoundation.org/reading-reduces-stress/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">World Literacy Foundation</a>, reading has been found to decrease blood pressure, lower your heart rate, and reduce stress. In fact, as little as 6 minutes of reading can slow down your heart rate and improve your overall health. </p><p>Reading erotica can rid society of stigmas around sexual satisfaction.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/life/how-reading-erotica-can-unlock-sex-drive/12127924" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ABC Life</a>, reading erotica may just be a key to unlocking your sex drive. Kate Cuthbert, a program manager at Writers Victoria, explained that, "erotica reflects our sexuality in a positive way, unlike in mainstream society where a lot of it can be repressed."</p><p><strong>Erotic literature can help you discover your sexuality and feel more comfortable. </strong></p><p>Not only does it relieve stress and anxiety (which can often be barriers to an active and enjoyable sex life), but it can also help you navigate your own sexuality and express yourself in a healthier way. </p><p>"Romance novels are as much about a woman falling in love with herself—in addition to the adventures, true love, and fantastic sex," says romance novelist <a href="http://www.mayarodale.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Maya Rodale</a>.</p><p><strong>Much erotic literature highlights consent and safe sex. </strong></p><p>While there are some erotic stories that don't discuss things like birth control, safewords, and consent, these themes are becoming more and more popular among up-and-coming erotica authors. </p><p>Erotica can be a safe place to express sexuality and explore curiosities and it can also promote communication and conversations between partners around safe, healthy, vibrant sex that all parties involved are happy with.</p><p>--</p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/jaimeebell_" target="_blank">Jaimee Bell</a> is the author of "All the Dirty Little Things," a six-story erotica collection now available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08F4JTQTZ?tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. <br></p><div class="rm-shortcode amazon-assets-widget" data-rm-shortcode-id="10e4237dec3682f5c8c24a0fb147a3fd" contenteditable="false">
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No, opposites do not attract
The problem is that what's true of magnets is not at all true of romance.
30 August, 2020
Brent Lewin/Getty Images
Everyone seems to agree that opposites attract.
<p> Young and old people, happy and distressed couples, single folks and married partners – all apparently buy the classic adage about love. <a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Opposites_attack.html" target="_blank">Relationship experts</a> <a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/I_Love_You_But_why_are_We_So_Different.html" target="_blank">have written</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/opposites-attract-renee-baron/1103372924">books</a> based on this assumption. It's even been internalized by people who are on the hunt for a partner, with 86 percent of those looking for love saying they're <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/147470490800600406" target="_blank">seeking someone with opposite traits</a>.</p><p>The problem is that what's true of magnets is not at all true of romance. As I explain in my book, “<a href="http://www.wiley.com/buy/978-1-118-52128-1" target="_blank">Great Myths of Intimate Relationships: Dating, Sex, and Marriage</a>," people tend to be attracted to those who are similar – not opposite – to themselves.</p>
<h2>I love how you're just like me</h2><p>Whether people <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.72.3.592" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">really find opposites more attractive</a> has been the subject of many scientific studies. Researchers have investigated what combination makes for better romantic partners – those who are similar, different, or opposite? Scientists call these three possibilities the homogamy hypothesis, the heterogamy hypothesis and the complementarity hypothesis, respectively.</p><p>The clear winner is homogamy. Since the 1950s, social scientists have conducted over 240 studies to determine whether similarity in terms of <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0045531" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">attitudes</a>, <a href="http://doi.org/10.1177/0146167291174010" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">personality traits</a>, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.53.6.1052" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">outside interests</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1031(81)90009-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">values</a> and <a href="http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.1976.tb02485.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">other characteristics</a> leads to attraction. In 2013, psychologists Matthew Montoya and Robert Horton examined the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407512452989" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">combined results of these studies</a> in what's called a meta-analysis. They found an irrefutable association between being similar to and being interested in the other person.</p><p>In other words, there is clear and convincing evidence that birds of a feather flock together. For human beings, the attractiveness of similarity is so strong that it is found <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2009.01217.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">across cultures</a>.</p><p>Because similarity is associated with attraction, it makes sense that individuals in committed relationships tend to be alike in many ways. Sometimes this is called <a href="http://doi.org/10.1177/0192513x12459020" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">assortative mating</a>, although this term is more often used to describe the ways in which people with similar levels of educational attainment, financial means and <a href="http://doi.org/10.2307/2786870" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">physical appearance</a> tend to pair up.</p><p>None of this necessarily means that opposites don't attract. Both the homogamy hypothesis and the complementarity hypothesis could be true. So is there scientific support that opposites might attract at least some of the time?</p>
<h2>Filling in my weak spots with your strengths</h2><p>Love stories often include people finding partners who seem to have traits that they lack, like a good girl falling for a bad boy. In this way, they appear to complement one another. For example, one spouse might be outgoing and funny while the other is shy and serious. It's easy to see how both partners could view the other as ideal – one partner's strengths balancing out the other partner's weaknesses. In fact, one could imagine the friends and relatives of a shy person trying to set them up with an outgoing person to draw the shy one out. The question is whether people actually seek out complementary partners or if that just happens in the movies.</p><p>As it turns out, it's pure fiction. There is essentially no research evidence that differences in personality, interests, education, politics, upbringing, religion or other traits lead to greater attraction.</p><p>For example, in one study researchers found that college students preferred descriptions of mates whose written bios were <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.85.4.709" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">similar to themselves or their ideal self</a> over those described as complementing themselves. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167298243004" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Other studies</a> have supported this finding. For example, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0031699" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">introverts are no more attracted to extraverts</a> than they are to anyone else.</p>
<h2>Why are we so sure opposites attract?</h2><p>Despite the overwhelming evidence, why does the myth of heterogamy endure? There are probably a few factors at work here.</p><p>First, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.24.5.1315" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">contrasts tend to stand out</a>. Even if the partners in a couple match on tons of characteristics, they may end up arguing about the <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/acceptance-and-change-in-couple-therapy-andrew-christensen/1103810614?ean=9780393702903" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ways in which they are different</a>.</p><p>Beyond that, there's evidence that <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0044134" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">small differences</a> between spouses can become larger over time. In their self-help book "<a href="https://www.guilford.com/books/Reconcilable-Differences/Christensen-Doss-Jacobson/9781462502431" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reconcilable Differences</a>," psychologists Andrew Christensen, Brian Doss and Neil Jacobson describe how partners move into roles that are complementary over time.</p><p>For example, if one member of a couple is slightly more humorous than the other, the couple may settle into a pattern in which the slightly-more-funny spouse claims the role of "the funny one" while the slightly-less-funny spouse slots into the role of "the serious one." Scientists have demonstrated that, yes, partners <a href="http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2001.tb00038.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">grow more complementary over time</a>; while they may begin as quite alike, they find ways to differentiate themselves by degree.</p><p>In the end, people's attraction to differences is vastly outweighed by our attraction to similarities. People persist in thinking opposites attract – when in reality, relatively similar partners just become a bit more complementary as time goes by.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/88839/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation"></p><p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-d-johnson-254463" target="_blank">Matthew D. Johnson</a>, Chair & Professor of Psychology and Director of the Marriage and Family Studies Laboratory, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/binghamton-university-state-university-of-new-york-2252" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Binghamton University, State University of New York</a></em></p><p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-opposites-do-not-attract-88839" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">original article</a>.</p>
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Why more couples are choosing to live apart
Surveys show three different types of couples who live apart together.
19 August, 2020
Photo by Joey Huang on Unsplash
For many couples, moving in together signifies a big step in the relationship.
<p> Traditionally, this meant marriage, although nowadays most cohabit before getting married, or splitting up. But there is a third choice: living apart together.</p><p>Not only is it <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19424620.2014.927382" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank">surprisingly common</a>, but living apart together is increasingly seen as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/03906700020030983" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank">a new and better way for modern couples to live</a>. Surveys have previously suggested that around 10% of adults in Western Europe, the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia live apart together, while <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19424620.2014.927382" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank">up to a quarter</a> of people in Britain statistically defined as "single" actually have an intimate partner – they just live somewhere else.</p><p>Living apart together supposedly gives people all the advantages of autonomy – doing what you want in your own space, maintaining preexisting local arrangements and friendships – as well as the pleasures of intimacy with a partner. Some even see it as "subverting gendered norms" – or at least that women can escape <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2013.861346" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank">traditional divisions of labour</a>.</p><p>But <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-954X.12184" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow" target="_blank">our research</a> shows a darker motivation – people can end up living apart because they feel anxious, vulnerable, even fearful about living with a partner. And, despite living apart together, women still often continue to perform traditional roles.</p>
<h2>Staying separate</h2><p>While some who live apart have long distance relationships, most live near one another, even in the same street, and are together much of the time. Nearly all are in constant contact through text, Facebook, Facetime and other messaging platforms. And virtually all expect <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19424620.2014.927382" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow">monogamous fidelity</a>.</p><p>Surveys show <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1332/204674313X673419" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer dofollow">three different types of couples</a> who live apart together. First are those who feel it is "too early", or who are "not ready" to live together yet – mostly young people who see cohabitation as the next stage in their lives. Then there are the couples who do actually want to live together but are prevented from doing so. They can't afford a joint house, or a partner has a job somewhere else, or can't get a visa, or is in prison or a care home. Sometimes family opposition, for example to a partner of a different religion, is just too intense.</p><p>Third is a "preference" group who choose to live apart together over the long term. These are mostly older people who have been married or cohabited before. It is this group that are supposed to use living apart to create new and better way of living.</p>
<h2>Fears and threats</h2><p>Our research, however, based on a nationwide survey supplemented by 50 in-depth interviews, points to a different story for many "preference" couples. Rather than seeking a new and better form of relationship through living apart together, the ideal remained a "proper" family – cohabitation, marriage and a family home. But respondents often feared this ideal in practice, and so "chose" to live apart as the best way to deal with these fears while still keeping a relationship. Often they had been deeply hurt in previous cohabiting relationships, financially as well as emotionally. Some women experienced abuse. As Michelle* explained:</p><blockquote>I don't want to lose everything in my house, I don't want to be possessed, I don't, and I don't want to be beaten up, by someone who's meant to love me.</blockquote><p>Not surprisingly, Michelle had "built a very solid brick wall" with her current partner. It was living apart that maintained this wall. Another respondent, Graham, had experienced an "incredibly stressful time" after separation from his wife, with "nowhere to live and no real resources or anything". So living apart was a "sort of self-preservation".</p><span></span><p>Current partners could also be a problem. Wendy had lived with her partner, but found that "when he drinks he's not a nice person … He was abusive both to me and my son".</p><p>Living apart together was the solution. Maggie was repelled by her partner's "hardcore" green lifestyle: his lack of washing, sporadic toilet flushing, and no central heating (which she needed for medical reasons). She also felt her partner looked down on her as intellectually inferior. So living apart together was "the next best thing" to her ideal of conjugal marriage.</p>
<p>
Some men found the very idea of living with women threatening. For Ben, "not a big commitment merchant", living apart together was at least "safe". And several men in the study hoped to find more "compliant" partners abroad. Daniel, whose current, much younger, partner lived in Romania, explained how his "whole universe was blown apart" by divorce. And how he felt that "females in England … seem to want everything straight off in my opinion – I just didn't want to communicate with English women at all."
</p><p>
Given these fears, worries and aversions, why do these people stay with their partners at all? The answer is a desire for love and intimacy. As Wendy said:
</p><blockquote>
I do love him…[and] I would love to be with him, if he was the person that he is when he's not drinking.
</blockquote><p>
Maggie told us how she "really loved" her partner and how they had "set up an agreement" whereby "if I do your cooking and your washing and ironing can you take me out once a month and pay for me". Even Gemma, who thought living apart together gave her power in the relationship, found herself in "wife mode" and did "all his washing and cooking".
</p><p>
For some people, then, choosing to live apart is not about finding a new or better form of intimacy. Rather living apart is a reaction to vulnerability, anxiety, even fear – it offers protection.
</p><p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-more-couples-are-choosing-to-live-apart-124532">original article</a>.</p>
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Hulu's original movie "Palm Springs" is the comedy we needed this summer
Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti get stuck in an infinite wedding time loop.
03 August, 2020
- Two wedding guests discover they're trapped in an infinite time loop, waking up in Palm Springs over and over and over.
- As the reality of their situation sets in, Nyles and Sarah decide to enjoy the repetitive awakenings.
- The film is perfectly timed for a world sheltering at home during a pandemic.
<script async="true" src="https://widgets.stackcommerce.com/js-deal-feed/0.1/widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Everyone remembers Bill Murray's hilarious time loop in the 1993 film <em>Groundhog Day</em>. While covering the infamous annual event in Punxsutawney, Murray comes to terms with waking up over and over again in the same situation. The movie is responsible for making "Groundhog Day" a metaphor for dealing with monotonous and unpleasant situations. <br></p><p>That's what happens when Sarah (Cristin Milioti), a maid of honor at a <a href="https://stackmedia.io?pub_id=2340&utm_source=0a0b0cv5038&utm_medium=1a0b0cp393&utm_term=scsf-414922&utm_content=100-a0x1P000004slmlQAA" target="_blank">Palm Springs</a> wedding, wakes up the morning after the ceremony only to discover the wedding is that day. She approaches Nyles (Andy Samberg), who she connected with the prior evening, to figure out what's happening to her. </p><p>Nyles has been in the time loop for some time. The story flips the generic romantic comedy on its head as the two figure out how to navigate this shared reality together. </p><p><a href="https://stackmedia.io?pub_id=2340&utm_source=0a0b0cv5038&utm_medium=1a0b0cp393&utm_term=scsf-414922&utm_content=100-a0x1P000004slmlQAA" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><em>Palm Springs</em></a> is a perfectly timed release in a nation that feels like it's stuck in a time loop during the pandemic. In fact, the film offers another perspective from the fear portrayed in the media on a daily basis: the triumph of love during a time of immense confusion and frustration. Instead of being weighed down by the stress of the situation, the characters adapt to their circumstances while learning plenty about themselves along the way. </p><p><em>Palm Springs</em> is a Hulu Original. <a href="https://stackmedia.io?pub_id=2340&utm_source=0a0b0cv5038&utm_medium=1a0b0cp393&utm_term=scsf-414922&utm_content=100-a0x1P000004slmlQAA" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Sign up for a free 30-day trial now</a>. After the trial period expires, enjoy a subscription starting at only $5.99/month. </p><p><em>One month free trial offer valid for Hulu (ad-supported) or Hulu (No Ads) plans only. Offer valid for new and eligible returning subscribers only. After free trial ends subscription fees apply starting at $5.99/mo unless canceled. Cancel anytime. Terms apply.</em></p><p><em>Sponsored by Hulu</em></p>
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Does porn cause erectile dysfunction...or not?
While this has been a popular debate, the evidence suggests there isn't a strong link between pornography use and erectile dysfunction (ED).
30 July, 2020
Photo by Yeexin Richelle on Shutterstock
- According to UW Health, around 5 percent of men that are 40 years old have complete erectile dysfunction. That number increases to about 15 percent by age 70.
- While there are many things that can cause or contribute to ED (such as high blood pressure, smoking, the use of drugs or alcohol, depression, and anxiety), there has been wide debate over the impacts of pornography use.
- Several studies outlined in this article look at the supposed link between ED and pornography use.
<p>Erectile dysfunction (commonly referred to as ED) is the inability to get (or maintain) a full erection during normal sexual activity. This can occur sporadically or it can be a long-term issue. While ED can occur at any age, it is more common in men that are older as they are more likely to have health conditions that require medication, which can interfere with erectile function. </p><p><a href="https://www.uwhealth.org/urology/erectile-dysfunction-ed/20537#:~:text=About%205%20percent%20of%20men,of%20men%20in%20their%2060s)." target="_blank">According to UW Health</a>, around 5 percent of men that are 40 years old have complete erectile dysfunction, with that number increasing to about 15 percent of men by the age of 70. Mild to moderate ED impacts approximately 10 percent of men per decade of life (for example, 50 percent of men in their 50s, 60 percent of men in their 60s, etc.). </p><p>While anything from stress, to low self-esteem, to a physical injury can cause ED, there are some more specific causes that have been accounted for by the <a href="https://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/erectile-dysfunction(ed)" target="_blank">Urology Care Foundation</a>: </p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Having high blood pressure</li><li>Having high blood sugar (diabetes) </li><li>Having high cholesterol </li><li>Smoking</li><li>Using drugs or drinking too much alcohol</li><li>Being obese</li><li>Lacking exercise </li><li>Depression</li><li>Anxiety</li><li>Stress</li></ul><p>However, there is one specific "cause" of ED that has been widely debated for years - the use of pornography.</p><ul class="ee-ul"></ul>
Can pornography really cause erectile dysfunction?
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUyMjIxMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyODc3NDE0MH0.YIoVjpvc1V2X6viFQ0q62Bfr37dzWZGDb_JdfzpOlv8/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C104&height=700" id="aeea4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cbb4798850bfefec88f62c3538741ba0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="naked man hiding behind a pillow" />Is there really any evidence proving porn causes ED?
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<p>Over the years, there have been multiple studies with conflicting results when it comes to this controversial question.</p><p><strong>A 2012 study links porn and erectile dysfunction in men ages 20-40 but says it is only "one piece of the puzzle."</strong></p><p>According to a <a href="https://www.webmd.com/sex/news/20170512/study-sees-link-between-porn-and-sexual-dysfunction#1" target="_blank">HealthDay News study</a>, porn-addicted men are more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction and are less likely to be satisfied with sexual intercourse. This was determined based on a survey of 312 men between the ages of 20-40. Of men surveyed, 3.4 percent said they preferred masturbating to pornography over sexual intercourse, but the researchers found a statistical relationship between porn addiction and sexual dysfunction.</p><p>According to lead researcher Dr. Matthew Christman (staff urologist with the Naval Medical Center in San Diego), the rates of organic causes of ED in this age cohort are extremely low, so the increase in erectile dysfunction needs to be explained. "We believe that pornography may be one piece to that puzzle. Our data does not suggest it is the only explanation, however."</p><p><strong>A 2016 study has also been cited as proof that pornography use causes ED, however the study itself explains that more research is needed to prove this theory.</strong> </p><p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5039517/#B9-behavsci-06-00017" target="_blank">According to this study</a>, 1 in 4 participants who sought help for new-onset ED were younger than 40, which was highly unusual. The conclusion of this study was that traditional factors that once explained sexual difficulties in men appear insufficient to account for the sharp rise in sexual dysfunctions and low sexual desire in these men."Both the literature and our clinical reports underscore the need for extensive investigation of Internet pornography's potential effects on users, ideally by having subjects remove the variable of internet pornography in order to demonstrate potential effects of behavioral modification," the authors wrote.</p><p><strong>An Italian study suggests men could suffer from "sexual anorexia" after pornography use. </strong></p><p>A survey of 28,000 users suggests many Italian males started an "excessive consumption" of porn sites as early as 14 years of age. The study uses the term "sexual anorexia," which is referred to in this case as a pathological loss of appetite for romantic-sexual interactions. </p><p>This particular study has been cited in multiple articles that claim ED is directly linked to pornography use. However, the study, listed in ANSA, outlines "daily use" for people in their early-mid 20s, and how individuals <em>may </em>become "inured to even the most violent images" in porn. </p><p>"It starts with lower reactions to porn sites, then there is a general drop in libido and in the end it becomes impossible to get an erection," <a href="https://www.ansa.it/web/notizie/rubriche/english/2011/02/24/visualizza_new.html_1583160579.html" target="_blank">explains Carlo Foresta</a>, head of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS). </p><p><strong>A 2019 study that analyzed porn watching and ED risk suggested there isn't likely to be a link. </strong></p><p><a href="https://www.seksuologen-vlaanderen.be/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Grubbs-Gola-2019-J-SEX-MED-no-causal-link-pornography-and-ED-2.pdf" target="_blank">According to this study</a>, which sampled 877 American men between the ages of 18-60, porn-watching and ED were not likely to be linked. While it was true that some porn-watching men in the study did report ED, researchers found "very little evidence that mere pornography use is associated with changes in erection function."</p><p><strong>While porn may have some impact on ED, that impact isn't always negative.</strong></p><p>"ED is a biopsychosocial phenomenon, meaning there are many factors that can contribute to it," Christene Lorenzo, a therapist specializing in sexual health and relationships, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/experts-debunk-new-survey-claiming-watching-adult-videos-causes-ed#What-sexual-health-experts-think" target="_blank">explains to HealthLine</a>. </p><p>There are many possible physiological, psychological, and relationship factors that impact ED that most surveys arguing the impacts of pornography of erectile function don't take into account. <span></span></p><p>Additionally, while porn-induced erectile dysfunction is possible, porn may also actually help with ED in some cases. Erectile dysfunction is a complex health issue that has both physical and mental health components, according to <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317117" target="_blank">Medical News Today</a>. </p><p>"A <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/sm2.58" target="_blank" style="">2015 study</a> found that men who reported more time spent viewing pornography had greater sexual responsiveness to a partner in a laboratory setting. This suggests that pornography might help prime the brain or body for sex, potentially improving intercourse with a partner." </p>
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