Is your pornography habit really such a big deal?
Talking Points:
- Pornography affects your brain like any other addiction. When it comes to brain chemistry, addiction works the same whether it’s a substance or a habit, so don’t think it’s no big deal just because you aren’t involved in substance abuse.
- You’ll always want to go to the next level. You’ll never be satisfied with where it is right now and will feel an urge for new and more pornography if you are not actively fighting your habit.
- It will destroy your sex life, whether in a marriage or whether it just comes to finding real people in real life attractive. Pornography sets unrealistic, fantasy expectations that are not consistent with the real world.
- Porn addiction will train your brain to expect the most beautiful, most appealing, most excitable sexual partners and sexual experiences. Real life, real sex, and real people don’t work like that because real people are not sex objects – which is how porn portrays people.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Studies have shown conclusively that sex addiction and porn addiction are real things, and that the brain is affected the same way as if the user was on drugs or another substance. Have you seen this in your own life or in someone else’s life? Explain.
- Have you personally experienced or seen that porn or other addictions constantly demand the user to “go to the next level?” Explain.
- Does porn set unrealistic expectations both in how it portrays sex and how it portrays people? Explain.
- What are practical steps people who struggle against an addiction need to take to break the addiction?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
