Pornography and Arousal Addiction?

Travis Van Leeuwen

What is Addiction? What causes Arousal? How are both of these connected? What’s the problem?

The “Four C's” addiction assesment.Inability to Control use.

Compulsion to use.

Continued use despite adverse Consequences

Craving- Psychological or Physical.

● “Most boys seek pornography by age 10.”1

● “Of all online activities, online porn has the most potential to become addictive.”2

● Users of today find internet porn far more compelling than porn of the past. But why?

● Unending novelty!

What are Arousal addictions?

● The reward system of our brain is powered by dopamine, which is made to drive us to natural rewards, such as food, sex and bonding.

● As a consequence, extreme versions of these natural rewards register as uniquely valuable, meaning we get extra dopamine for high calorie food and “novel hot babes.”3

Problem? Yes.● Like wolves eating up to 20lbs per kill or

deer mating like crazy each season. We have a natural 'binge mechanism' which tells them and us to “get it while the getting is good.”

● But, what if mating season never stopped?

● 1) Your brain will think it has hit the evolutionary jackpot.

● 2) It triggers a molecular switch, Delta-FosB, which accumulates in the brains reward circuits.

This means:1) Excess Chronic Consumption,

2) Binge Mechanism,

3) Craving for more,

4) Continued Consumption,

5) Structural Brain Changes.

Consequences ● Desensitization ● Sensitization● Hyperfrontality

What is needed● Proper Sexual Education is vital for our

youth as well as a Sexual Re-education of their parents.

● The topics of sex, and more specifically porn cannot be glossed over, belittled or ignored in our homes, schools and communities.

Conclusion:● American Society of Addiction Medicine

(ASAM), as of August 2011 defines 'Addiction' as being “one disease.”

● Meaning ALL addictions amplify and highjack the same neurological switches.

● Sexual behavior addictions (I.E. Porn addiction) are as real as drug addictions. And should be treated as such.

● The Great Porn Experiment, BodyWisdomVideos, Youtube.com.

● Philip Zimbardo: The Demise of Guys?, TEDtalksDirector, Youtube.com.

● American Society of Addiction Medicine, www.asam.org/for-the-public/definition-of-addiction.