Pornography: Silently wreaking havoc

BY SYLVESTER OJENAGBON

One of the most notorious criminals of the late 20th century was serial killer and rapist Ted Bundy. Between 1974 and 1978, he sexually assaulted and killed several young women across seven states in the United States of America. During his trial, he confessed to 30 murders, but some experts believe he may have killed over 100 people. He received three separate death sentences. 

In the hours leading to his execution, Bundy sat down with Dr James Dobson, a psychologist and founder of Focus on the Family, for one of the strangest interviews ever recorded. Bundy blamed his incessant urge to kill on an addiction to hardcore pornography. And it all began when he started buying pornography magazines in his early teenage years. He gradually got obsessed with more and more violent, hardcore materials until he came to a point where only killing would “give him that high”. 

Not everyone who is addicted to pornography will indeed turn out to be a Ted Bundy. Still, this compulsive habit comes with many other debilitating outcomes.

Since the advent of the internet, a model based on free pornography content for consumers has emerged. Today, you do not have to go out of your way to look for pornography; it ambushes and jumps surreptitiously at you even on your devices. It is a major reason pornography is shaping how countless children and adolescents learn about sex and relationships. And this is messing up minds and lives and becoming a driving force of sexual exploitation.

Now, pornography is defined in Encyclopaedia Britannica as “a representation of sexual behaviour in books, pictures, statues, films, and other media intended to cause sexual excitement”. The word pornography, derived from the Greek porni (“prostitute”) and graphein (“to write”), was originally defined as any work of art or literature portraying the life of prostitutes. The Enlightenment (18th century) started the modern history of Western pornography. This was when printing technology had advanced enough to support the production of written and visual materials to appeal to audiences of all sexual tastes and socioeconomic levels.

Today, young age groups, including teenagers and young adults, tend to have higher rates of pornography viewership. The situation is so bad that even children have been observed to engage in pornography viewing. 

In terms of gender, studies have consistently shown that men report a higher lifetime usage rate and higher frequency of pornography use compared to women. However, a considerable number of women also report viewing pornography. 

Studies have found a correlation between lower levels of education and pornography use. At the same time, people with shorter marriages or fewer children have also been linked to higher rates of pornography consumption. Lower levels of religiosity have similarly been found to be associated with increased pornography use. 

Pornography addiction refers to a pattern of uncontrollable use of pornography that negatively impacts a person’s life, relationships, and mental health. It is characterised by an inability to limit or control the use of pornography. Like other addictions, pornography addiction can be caused by a combination of psychological, biological, and social factors. These factors can include early-life experiences, mental health issues, and the easy accessibility of pornography. 

Childhood trauma, such as abuse or neglect, can make individuals more vulnerable to addiction. Conditions like low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and personality disorders can also contribute to pornography addiction, as people may use it as a coping mechanism. 

Difficulty forming healthy relationships or experiencing emotional fulfilment can equally lead to a search for instant gratification through pornography. Early exposure to pornography during childhood can likewise normalise its use and make it more likely to become a habit. 

Pornography can trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This can lead to a dependence on the dopamine rush, making it difficult to stop. Changes in brain structure and function, similar to those seen in substance addiction, can also be involved. 

The internet and mobile devices have made pornography incredibly accessible, and this can be a contributor to its addictive nature. Loneliness and social isolation can similarly increase the reliance on pornography as a source of connection or escape. In addition, adolescents may be influenced by peer pressure to engage in pornography use. Exposure to or acceptance of pornography within a cultural context can also contribute to its use. 

Whatever the cause, pornography addiction can have profound negative effects on people, impacting their physical health, psychological well-being, relationships, and their social and professional lives. These include pornography-induced erectile dysfunction, new or worsening mental health problems like anxiety or depression, feelings of physical or mental exhaustion, feelings of distress or guilt about pornography use, and a decrease in the quality of sexual intimacy with a partner. Others are reduced sexual drive when not using pornography, reduced genital sensitivity, delayed or reduced ability to orgasm, sexual violence toward other people, cognitive deficits or brain fog, difficulty becoming motivated for everyday tasks, and problems with functioning or performance at work. 

If you are not yet caught in the web of pornography, this is the time to commit to staying away from it. However, if you are already addicted, you can seek professional help before it does more damage. In that case, therapy is the best option for exploring the underlying causes of your addiction and developing new coping strategies.

The battle against pornography and its addiction cannot be won in silence. Recognising its signs, seeking help without shame, and fostering honest conversations about its risks are critical steps that should be taken intentionally to break the cycle of pornography addiction. Everyone—individuals, families, healthcare professionals, and policymakers—must therefore step up, even as schools and community groups integrate conversations about digital habits and responsible internet consumption. 

Ojenagbon, a health communication expert, lives in Lagos.