How Bad Is Porn, Really?

There is more to pornography than just watching people be intimate. Studies show that overconsumption of porn leads to unhealthy changes in our brains, relationships, and life.

Porn consumption is a controversial topic, with some finding it devastatingly harmful and others viewing it not as seriously. Vice, in their article “Is Porn Destroying Us?” goes through both sides of this argument. No matter what you believe about porn, “what is undeniable is that we’re consuming far more of it than at any point in human history, and the effects of this are yet to fully register.”Busby, M. (2025, January 30). Is Porn Destroying Us? VICE. https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-case-against-internet-porn-negatives-gooning/ ‌Copy 1 Where indecent content was once more challenging to come by, technology has quite literally given us constant, instant access.

Vice takes the time to mention the age-old claims against pornography: “that porn portrays unrealistic depictions of sex, that it objectifies women, that the industry itself can be exploitative,”Busby, M. (2025, January 30). Is Porn Destroying Us? VICE. https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-case-against-internet-porn-negatives-gooning/Copy 2 which are all actual cases. Yet, as we become more engrossed in technology, Vice points out that new arguments against pornography are being made.

The effects of porn on your brain

One negative effect of porn consumption is changes in your brain, called neuroplasticity. “When we engage in an activity—particularly a pleasurable activity, particularly if it involves repetition and intense focus—our brains alter themselves to be better and more efficient at doing that activity the next time.”https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-porn-can-change-the-brain/Copy 3 Neural pathways are rewiring themselves. When we repeatedly watch porn, our brain changes what we find sexually appealing and what we desire from sex.

This is severely troubling. “…on a purely chemical level, research suggests we have a generation of hyper-malleable young minds being trained to prioritize short-term pleasure via porn-delivered dopamine hits.”Busby, M. (2025, January 30). Is Porn Destroying Us? VICE. https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-case-against-internet-porn-negatives-gooning/Copy 4 This is why porn can be addictive. Our brains desire that high.

Related: The Brain’s Delete Button: How You Can Erase Years of Watching Porn

Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there

Vice moves on to show the result of a generation seeking stimuli from porn: “Gooners,” who are described as “a relatively new online movement of people who spend their free time locked in extreme marathon masturbation sessions.”Busby, M. (2025, January 30). Is Porn Destroying Us? VICE. https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-case-against-internet-porn-negatives-gooning/Copy 5 This behavior is becoming idolized, and the results are dangerous. On January 11th, Nautica Malone, a man who went viral for going up to a drive-thru window naked from the waist down, took his own life. He is now remembered as a “Goonlord.”

This is tragic. Nautica’s family will never be the same. The results of “gooning” or overconsuming porn have destroyed family relationships. Porn doesn’t just affect your brain negatively; it can hurt those you love. “…dozens of studies have repeatedly shown that porn consumers tend to have lower relationship satisfaction and lower relationship quality.”https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-porn-negatively-impact-relationship/Copy 6 Even outside of romantic relationships, pornography often sexualizes abusive situations and objectifies individuals.

Impact of porn on society

We know porn has adverse effects on your brain and can harm your relationships, but what about porn’s connection to society? Vice found that through Elon Musk’s Starlink, even remote tribes have reliable internet access, and now, pornography. Alfredo Marubo, a member of a community in the Amazon rainforest, said that “men in the village had begun acting in a more sexually aggressive manner” and “he was worried young people would seek to replicate the ‘graphic sex’ they were now seeing on their screens.”Busby, M. (2025, January 30). Is Porn Destroying Us? VICE. https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-case-against-internet-porn-negatives-gooning/Copy 7

We have more access to explicit content than ever before. “Technology has changed not only the content of porn but also how, when, and at what age people begin consuming it. Studies show that most young people are exposed to porn by age 13.”https://fightthenewdrug.org/why-todays-internet-porn-is-unlike-anything-the-world-has-ever-seen/Copy 8 What are we doing to protect the next generation from this reality?

Related: We Need to Talk About Porn. Is It As Harmless As Society Says It Is?

Learn the facts 

Education is key. It is so important to learn about the science behind pornography use and the real-life stories of people who have experience with it. We must fight to keep our brains, relationships, and society healthy. Take the time to read some of Fight The New Drug’s Get The Facts articles, watch some short YouTube videos or the Brain Heart World documentary, and listen to the Consider Before Consuming Podcast.

Remember, you’re not doing this alone. Here at Fight the New Drug, we have your back. Keep on fighting.