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At the brain level, with the excess of pornography, the same neurotransmitters are mobilized as in any other psychological or biological addiction. ISTOCK
Special for L2
Addictions in general terms represent an important psychological problem in modern society. Pornography does not escape this reality and in some cases it is considered an addiction in which there are obsessive and compulsive aspects, or a pattern of dysfunctional behavior. so says Dr. Larry Gómez, a psychiatrist and clinical and health psychologist.
The specialist cites that some studies reveal that consumption excessive porn would affect the volume of gray matter in the right lobe of the brainand it would also significantly stimulate the limbic system, the nucleus accumbens (neural interface between motivation and action in eating, sexual behavior), as well as the brain. like some reward circuits. Given this reality, it is evident that this practice causes considerable damage at the brain level.
However, the normal or sporadic consumption of pornography does not translate relevant effects, there are even couples who consume it together and find it stimulating, taking into account that each couple has their own dynamics and sexuality will depend of the concept you have on the subject. When it comes to addiction, patients cannot connect emotionally with others and avoid or procrastinate (postpone) sexual relations, since they often experience impotence brain-mediated sex drive. These are Dr. Gómez’s considerations.
Pornography has a negative impact on those who consume it, altering their entire environment. “We must take into account the time that the individual spends in the consumption of pornography, the consequences it has on the family, at work and in society, and how he feels before, during and after of consumption, because they generally manage feelings of guilt and also ambivalence because they did it and they really didn’t want to”, says the specialist.
Can this addiction be overcome?
To achieve recovery, it is important for the individual to participate in therapeutic communities such as mutual help groups and cognitive behavioral therapy. Similarly, attending a psychological program that seeks to improve impulse control and relapse prevention such as the Prochaska and DiClemente model, which hypothesized that behavioral changes conform to a series of stages.
It should be noted that in all addictions the trigger is low tolerance for frustration and few support networks, so it is important that in each addiction the individual can count on family support. It is opportune to point out that the same neurotransmitters are mobilized at the cerebral level as in any other addiction, be it psychological or biological. There are institutions in the country that work with the issue of addictions, such as Hogares Crea, Fundación Fénix, among others.
Qué what other specialists think
Mirelys Soto, clinical psychologist and family therapist, assures that some men use pornography to stimulate themselves, such as those who have some deficiency in their sexual life such as erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. But he assures that when this activity is carried out in an addictive way it considerably affects sleep patterns. “That constant desire to be in front of a computer watching pornographic episodes and materials deconcentrate them and emotionally unbalance them”.
Pornography in adolescence < /p>
Teenagers are in a stage of constant discovery and for some, pornography is an activity that they engage in when they do not have the closeness of a partner for intimacy. In addition, it is also the prohibition of parents to start a sexual life at an early age. These limitations affect the consumption of pornography, which, like any other activity that is carried out in excess, creates a dependency, says Soto.
On the other hand, the psychologist cites video games He describes it as another adolescent addiction but assures that this is not as harmful as the consumption of pornography. “The brain is like a film that records images in memory and this behavior becomes repetitive.” He also assures that it would be necessary to see what types of video games adolescents consume, if they have any sexual content.
See also:  ;“My addiction to pornography almost drove me insane”