Compulsive pornography users shows the same brain activity as alcoholics and drug addicts
- 'Addiction' part of brain flashes when 'porn addicts' viewed x-rated material
- The results are expected to open up debate on porn as an addiction
By FIONA MACRAE PUBLISHED: 08:09 GMT, 22 September 2013 | UPDATED: 10:22 GMT, 23 September 2013
Compulsive users of porn show the same signs of addiction in their brain as those hooked on booze or drugs, according to researchers. The brains of young men who are obsessed by online pornography ‘lit up like Christmas trees’ upon being shown erotic images, a pioneering study has found. The area stimulated – the part of the brain involved in processing reward, motivation and pleasure – is the same part that is highly active among drug and alcohol addicts.
Lit-up: The brain scans of porn addicts, below, show more pronounced stimulation when watching x-rated material when compared to those not addicted, above
The Cambridge University research, the first of its kind in the world, will increase pressure on the Government to follow through on its promise to shield youngsters from ‘poisonous’ websites. The Daily Mail has vigorously campaigned for an automatic block on online adult videos and images, which would mean over-18s having to opt in to be able to see them. Watching porn online is the norm for boys as young as 13, a shocking survey recently revealed. Campaigners have also warned that increasing porn use among teenagers warps their view of sex and prompts boys to treat girls as sex objects.
Addict: The Cambridge University study has revealed worrying similarities in the brain activity of porn addicts and those hooked on alcohol and drugs (picture posed by model)
However, until now the actual effects of pornography on the brain have been unclear. Dr Valerie Voon, a Cambridge University neuroscientist specialising in addictions, studied 19 self-confessed compulsive pornography users. The men, aged 19 to 34, had tried and failed to break their habit and had lost relationships and jobs as a result. All fed their habit using online porn. When they were shown erotic video clips, a part of their brains lit up called the ventral striatum.
It is the same part of the brain that springs to life when a drug addict sees a dealer or an alcoholic sees an advert for drink. When they were shown non-erotic but exciting sports images, the men’s brains reacted far less strongly. Similarly, the reaction was weak in men who were not obsessed by porn. Dr Voon plans to look at whether learning more about the brain will lead to new ways of treating or breaking an addiction to pornography.
Brain waves: Addicts of substances such as drugs and are stimulated when they see triggers such as a situation where they may be able to feed their addiction. Porn users showed the same kind of brain activity while viewing x-rated material (both pictures posed by models)
Her research will feature in a Channel 4 documentary Porn OnThe Brain, presented by Martin Daubney, the former editor of lads’ mag Loaded. Mr Daubney spent a year talking to scientists, teenage boys and teachers for the documentary which will be screened on Monday September 30. He said: ‘The age of innocence is over. The internet is now a rolling buffet of online depravity. Given what we now know about porn seemingly being addictive, it’s like leaving heroin around the house for kids to take.’ Some doctors have argued that heavy users of porn show the same traits of addiction as alcoholics and drug addicts.
In evidence to the United States Congress in 2008, psychiatrist Jeffrey Satinover said: ‘Modern science allows us to understand that the underlying nature of an addiction to pornography is chemically nearly identical to a heroin addiction: only the delivery system is different.’ The Government has pledged that by the end of next year, all 19million UK homes which are currently online will be contacted by internet service providers and told they must say whether filters blocking adult sites should be switched on or off. All new customers will have the porn sites automatically blocked by the end of this year, unless they ask for the filter to be removed.
Compulsive users of porn show the same signs of addiction in their brain as those hooked on booze or drugs, according to researchers. The brains of young men who are obsessed by online pornography ‘lit up like Christmas trees’ upon being shown erotic images, a pioneering study has found. The area stimulated – the part of the brain involved in processing reward, motivation and pleasure – is the same part that is highly active among drug and alcohol addicts.
Lit-up: The brain scans of porn addicts, below, show more pronounced stimulation when watching x-rated material when compared to those not addicted, above
The Cambridge University research, the first of its kind in the world, will increase pressure on the Government to follow through on its promise to shield youngsters from ‘poisonous’ websites. The Daily Mail has vigorously campaigned for an automatic block on online adult videos and images, which would mean over-18s having to opt in to be able to see them. Watching porn online is the norm for boys as young as 13, a shocking survey recently revealed. Campaigners have also warned that increasing porn use among teenagers warps their view of sex and prompts boys to treat girls as sex objects.
Addict: The Cambridge University study has revealed worrying similarities in the brain activity of porn addicts and those hooked on alcohol and drugs (picture posed by model)
However, until now the actual effects of pornography on the brain have been unclear. Dr Valerie Voon, a Cambridge University neuroscientist specialising in addictions, studied 19 self-confessed compulsive pornography users. The men, aged 19 to 34, had tried and failed to break their habit and had lost relationships and jobs as a result. All fed their habit using online porn. When they were shown erotic video clips, a part of their brains lit up called the ventral striatum.
It is the same part of the brain that springs to life when a drug addict sees a dealer or an alcoholic sees an advert for drink. When they were shown non-erotic but exciting sports images, the men’s brains reacted far less strongly. Similarly, the reaction was weak in men who were not obsessed by porn. Dr Voon plans to look at whether learning more about the brain will lead to new ways of treating or breaking an addiction to pornography.
Brain waves: Addicts of substances such as drugs and are stimulated when they see triggers such as a situation where they may be able to feed their addiction. Porn users showed the same kind of brain activity while viewing x-rated material (both pictures posed by models)
Her research will feature in a Channel 4 documentary Porn OnThe Brain, presented by Martin Daubney, the former editor of lads’ mag Loaded. Mr Daubney spent a year talking to scientists, teenage boys and teachers for the documentary which will be screened on Monday September 30. He said: ‘The age of innocence is over. The internet is now a rolling buffet of online depravity. Given what we now know about porn seemingly being addictive, it’s like leaving heroin around the house for kids to take.’ Some doctors have argued that heavy users of porn show the same traits of addiction as alcoholics and drug addicts.
In evidence to the United States Congress in 2008, psychiatrist Jeffrey Satinover said: ‘Modern science allows us to understand that the underlying nature of an addiction to pornography is chemically nearly identical to a heroin addiction: only the delivery system is different.’ The Government has pledged that by the end of next year, all 19million UK homes which are currently online will be contacted by internet service providers and told they must say whether filters blocking adult sites should be switched on or off. All new customers will have the porn sites automatically blocked by the end of this year, unless they ask for the filter to be removed.
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