English
Pornography itself is not anything new. The first pornographic film was created well over a century ago in 1896, while sexual imagery is rife in the architecture of ancient temples in India dating from the tenth century A.D. What has changed today is how easily accessible it has become and the trend towards the unusual and the perverse.
How Pornography Shifts the Goalposts
The ubiquity of free online porn is changing the way both males and females approach sex. It has been reported that children as young as thirteen regularly watch hardcore pornography, exposing themselves to ideas and acts that were previously the realm of only a small fraction of adults. Research indicates that this unprecedented scenario is creating generations of young people who:
- have unrealistic expectations of their sexual partners;
- are unable to perform adequately in the bedroom;
- will never be able to enjoy a meaningful sexual relationship with a long-term partner.
It has been shown that pornography is one of the most addictive pastimes a person can indulge in, with its effects being comparable to that of alcohol and certain drugs. Most troublesome is the discovery that individuals become desensitized to what they regularly watch, and subsequently have to seek out more extreme visuals to achieve the same level of gratification.
Healing Pornography
On the other hand, many a sexual or couples therapist may recommend the viewing of porn together as a couple as a means of enjoying sexual stimulation through e
xplicit visual sexual imagery. The key difference here is the fact that the former scenario is one watched in isolation with the sole aim of self gratification whereas the latter is one watched in company with the intention of enjoying a sexual experience outside of the norm, yet still an exercise in developing an actual physical relationship with another individual. Porn itself is not harmful; but if it becomes an addiction and is starting to affect real relationships, it is time to reassess what and how much of it you are indulging in.
