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From
The Catholic Gentleman:
The brain is designed in such a way to respond to sexual stimulation.
Surges of dopamine are released during a sexual encounter—and yes, also
pornographic encounters—giving the person a sharp sense of focus and an
awareness of sexual craving. Dopamine helps to lay down memories in the
brain, so the next time a man or woman is in the mood, the brain
remembers where to return to experience the same pleasure: whether that
be a loving spouse or the laptop in the den.
However, scientists are now seeing that continued exposed to porn
gives the brain an unnatural high—something it literally isn’t wired to
handle—and the brain eventually fatigues.
Anatomy and physiology instructor Gary Wilson notes this is the same
pattern noticed when drugs are abused: the brain becomes desensitized.
More of the drug or harder drugs are needed to get the same high, and
the downward spiral begins. Wilson says this brings about significant
changes in the brain—both for drug abusers and porn users.
One of those changes is the erosion of the prefrontal cortex—that
all-important center of executive control. Dr. Donald Hilton, a
neurosurgeon, shared what scientists are seeing in their research:
“A study on cocaine addiction published in 2002 shows volume loss, or
shrinkage, in several areas of the brain, particularly the frontal
control areas. A study from 2004 shows very similar results for
methamphetamine. But…we expect drugs to damage the brain, so these
studies don’t really surprise us.
Consider, though, a natural addiction, such as overeating leading to
obesity. You might be surprised to learn that a study published in 2006
showed shrinkage in the frontal lobes in obesity very similar to that
found in the cocaine and methamphetamine studies.
And a study published in 2007 of persons exhibiting severe sexual
addiction produced almost identical results to the cocaine,
methamphetamine, and obesity studies.
So we have four studies, two drug and two natural addiction studies,
all done in different academic institutions by different research teams,
and published over a five-year period in four different peer-reviewed
scientific journals. And all four studies show that addictions
physically affect the frontal lobes of the brain.”
When the frontal lobes of the brain are weakened, when the craving
for porn hits, there is very little willpower present to regulate the
desire. Neuroscientists call this problem hypofrontality, where the
person is slowly loses impulse control and the mastery of his or her
passions.
The point is this: The very thing in the brain that is the
mark of adulthood and maturity is the thing that is eroded as we view
more porn. It is as if the brain is reverting, becoming more childlike. “Adult” entertainment is actually making us more juvenile. (Read more.)
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