Binging (And Starving) On Porn
Breaking Free, the blog of Covenant Eyes, has a good piece about binging on porn and the neuroscience of addiction.
The piece is a bit long, but it’s good. It answers some common questions and explores the varied dynamics of porn addiction.
There are many good insights in the article.
For example:
Porn websites generate catalogs of common kinks and mix them together with images. Sooner or later the surfer finds a killer combination that presses a number of his sexual buttons at once. Then he reinforces the network by viewing the images repeatedly, masturbating, releasing dopamine and strengthening these neural networks. He has created a kind of “neosexuality,” a rebuilt libido that has strong roots in his buried sexual tendencies. Because he often develops tolerance, the pleasure of sexual discharge must be supplemented with the pleasure of an aggressive release, and sexual and aggressive images are increasingly mingled—hence the increase in sadomasochistic themes in hardcore porn (p. 112, The Brain That Changes Itself).
But one of the main reasons for binging is that it’s so difficult — in fact, it’s impossible — to get satisfaction. The piece concludes with this:
So if a human masturbates to a wider range of images or videos, does that satiate? The simple answer is no.
Dr. Doidge explains that porn is more exciting than satisfying because humans have two separate pleasure systems in our brains: one for exciting pleasure and another forsatisfying pleasure. The “exciting system,” fueled by dopamine and anticipation, is all about appetite, such as imagining your favorite meal or a sexual episode.
The satisfying system involves actually having the meal or having sex, which provides a calming, fulfilling pleasure. This system releases opiate-like endorphins, that provide feelings of peace and euphoria.
Pornography, Doidge writes, hyperactivates the appetite system. But the satisfying system is left starving for the real thing, which includes actual touching, kissing, caresses, and a connection not only with the body but also the mind and soul.
Anyone who has been strung out after hours of internet porn binging knows that despite consuming thousands of images, you are still starving. And in truth, every experience with porn leaves you starving.
Intentional Warriors 
One Response to “Binging (And Starving) On Porn”
Yep! Ditto to the above article. Been there done that.