The connection between porn and our sexual habits has long been the subject of research. But until now, science could not back up the claims that watching porn in excess can cause problems in bed. Then a team of researchers from the San Diego Naval Medical Center set out to answer a simple question – can porn cause erectile dysfunction?
What the Study Found
More than 300 men and women took part in this study. They had to fill out a 17-question survey about their porn viewing habits. The results show that 20 percent of men watch porn at more than thrice a week. But when asked if they prefer it to having sex with their partners, three percent of men gave a positive answer.
On the whole, researchers found strong proof on the negative effects of porn on the sexual activity of males. Yet they couldn’t do the same for women. In fact, it turns out that even women who admit to watching porn on a regular basis reported no changes in their sex lives. Scientists have yet to find out why women appear to be unaffected.
The Question of All Questions
But what does the study say: can porn cause erectile dysfunction? The answer is yes. Men who consume a lot of porn have reported lower sexual desire and, as a result, issues with their performance in bed. The researchers offered a very simple explanation about why this happens.
See, while people first watch porn out of curiosity, it can become addictive very fast. For the most part, the sex acts men see in porn clips are not a true reflection of what happens in real life. As such, men develop unrealistic expectations when it comes to sex.
When they realize that sex in real life can’t live up to what they saw in porn, disappointment settles in. This, in turn, makes them unable to get an erection when making love to their partner. Also, this is why those three percent said they prefer porn to having sex.
But even though the answer to the question “can porn cause erectile dysfunction” is yes, there must be something we can do about it. After all, porn will always be there in one form or another. As such, proper education seems to be the only way to keep the men’s expectations in check.
