A huge number of people watch pornographic films. Right at this moment, too. The daily audience averages more than one and a half million adult viewers.
According to figures gathered by Mediascope, the overwhelming majority of visitors to sites with adult content are men (their share of the monthly audience is 72%). Erotica and porn are of most interest to men aged 25–34 (28% of the monthly audience). Such sites are of least interest to young people aged 18–24 (12% of the audience). This is reported by "Rambler
Some do it regularly, others now and then, and they do not lose any sleep over it. And there are, of course, people who take a negative view of the matter, or who simply believe it brings more problems than benefits.
Porn, like many other aspects of our life, is an individual and a very private subject. In any question you can find both the bad and the good. By and large it is you who decides what is best for you and what to do about it.
And so, in order to draw our conclusions, let us look at the question from different sides)
- Do not lose touch with reality! It is only fantasy
- There is nothing wrong with porn in itself
- Why do you watch xxx? That matters
- Porn is not a crash course in sex
- “Taboo” gets in the way of talking (doing away with forbidden subjects helps to hold a discussion)
- You can “get to know yourself” and widen your horizons
- As long as you are not dependent — explore
- If you are dependent — ask for help
- Only you decide whether it is bad or good
Porn means films, photographs and stories created by adults with their consent, for an adult audience, with the aim of sexual arousal or pleasure. There is nothing inherently wrong in that. People watch, read or listen to all sorts of adult material. At the same time, if you do not approve of porn and do not want to see material of that kind, there is nothing wrong with that either; it is a choice each of us makes and a matter of a personal nature.
Important! Remember that what you see on the screen is fiction and has nothing in common with real life.
Scriptwriters write, actors act and camera operators film. They come together to make porn films for a target audience, under the guidance of a director.
When you watch a porn film you are essentially watching a screen production, just like an action film or a romantic comedy. It is actually quite good fun! As long as you do not lose sight of the line between reality and fiction.
The main thing is not to compare your own body, your sexual features or your ability to attract a sexual partner with the invented standards of porn. That is bound to bring on problems with self-esteem.
What matters is how you engage with it
Most people who use pornography do so without negative consequences. You can enjoy it whether you are single or in a relationship. It can add a new experience to your sex life or open up new facets of communication with your partner.
On the other hand, using porn in your private life can become a serious obstacle in a relationship. For instance, if one of you is keen on pornography or on one of its genres while the other is categorically against it, or simply cannot put up with certain ways of obtaining sexual satisfaction.
Frequent or long-drawn-out use of porn can lead both to problems with body image and to unwarranted sexual expectations.
One study carried out in 2018 showed that participants were more likely to report feeling "out of control" the more often they watched porn. They also typically felt dissatisfied with their sex life or their romantic relationship.
Porn is no substitute for sex education
Of course, you can learn something by watching porn or reading a sexually explicit book. But it should not take the place of your sex education, which by its very nature involves acquiring a different kind of knowledge.
Remember: porn is pure invention, a fantasy.
It is not an educational programme. Adult films are not made to teach you healthy relationships, sexual literacy or how to look after your health.
This question is better discussed with a sexologist, a doctor or another specialist in the field.
In fact it is very hard to say how many people actually use this kind of product. Some people will simply never admit to using pornography. On top of that, the very definition of “porn” can vary from person to person.
A study involving 1,036 people aged between 18 and 35 showed that 98% of men and 73% of women had used adult content within six months. Video was the most common choice.
These days porn is very easy to get hold of, and more and more people watch it. Perhaps in time it will also become easier to talk about. Only when we are able to discuss such a subject openly will we be able to draw full conclusions about the use of porn and its influence on people's lives.
Porn helps to normalise desire and to explore yourself
Our desires and preferences vary a great deal. We ask ourselves whether our relationships are “normal” and, where sexuality is concerned, we often feel shame or embarrassment. We find it hard to discuss the subject with others.
One of the pluses is the relief we feel on learning that we are not so very different from one another. Porn can also teach us something new. Perhaps you are the one person who does not know that other positions and ideas for sex exist. That is another reason why people, young people especially, turn to porn — to satisfy their curiosity.
A few statistics
92% of men and 50% of women said that before watching explicit films they had not known about certain forms of sexual relations.
Men as a rule use more of every kind of porn than women do, with the exception of sexually explicit books.
As for the internet, most people look for material containing explicit scenes:
out of curiosity
to improve their sexual knowledge
to add novelty to their sex life
to increase sexual enjoyment and interest in sex
For some people it is a safe way to explore and affirm their sexuality. There is scientific evidence that pornography can be useful for people who want to explore their sexuality or to understand their sexual identity better. It can be especially useful for people who live in rural areas or in communities where it is hard to speak openly with others about their sexuality.
The main thing is not to lose sight of what is real and what is staged. Otherwise regular use of porn can do more harm than good:
- Watching a great deal of porn and sinking into sexual fantasies will lead to illusions that can never come true and to self-deception. You will start looking at your own body with a more critical eye.
- You will expect your sexual partner to behave like a porn star or to do things that hold no interest for them at all.
- Porn can destroy your romantic relationship.
Research into the effect of pornography on people is continuing, but it runs into a number of problems. For example, many people are reluctant to talk about the subject for fear of being judged by others.
It should therefore be noted that one and the same subject produces contradictory results.
For example, one study from 2011 showed that wider use of sexually explicit material was associated with:
- a larger number of sexual partners
- a lower age at first intercourse
- less satisfaction with sex and with relationships
And at the same time a trustworthy source indicates that pornography may have been the reason first sex was put off, and that for a number of respondents porn takes the place of sex.
The research goes on, and there is still a long way to go.
In any case, only you can determine whether this is good or bad for you. It all comes down to what you consider right for yourself, not to what other people think.
If you like porn and it causes no problems in your life, then enjoy it to your heart's content. And if you believe that porn is bad or harmful for you, there is no reason in the world to change your mind. That is also the right choice.
Porn is definitely not for everyone!
It is better to seek qualified help if:
- You feel shame or guilt when using pornography.
- It affects your work or your relationships.
- You spend more time on it than you would like.
- You feel you cannot control your use of porn and are distressed by it.
- Your sexual expectations have become unrealistic.
- You find it hard to take pleasure in sex and in masturbation.
You can get qualified help and all-round counselling support in an individual consultation
