What is Porn Induced Erectile dysfunction(PIED) and Its Treatment?
Porn may increase the risk of facing erectile dysfunction(ED) or impotence, says Experts. Exposure to excessive Porn may cause a person to feel less confident in their personality. For others, it also becomes a way to overcome sexual problems like ED. However, ED is a complex sexual issue that might affect males' sexual response, and various factors can induce it. And Porn is not likely to be the only factor.
Erectile dysfunction is a sexual problem in which he finds himself unable to get or keep an erection during sexual intimacy. ED is one of the most challenging sexual problems that men face.
Some people argue that pornography or Porn can induce Erectile dysfunction. In contrast, various studies and researches have mixed conclusions, with some studies supporting this connection between Porn and ED and others arguing that pornography might help to deal with ED.
ED, like complex health issues that have a connection with physical and mental components, is quite tricky to understand. However, this article will help you to under more about Porn-induced Erectile function(PIED) and break down the topic with the available evidence.
How does PIED happen?
Relationships, body image, and similar factors also play a vital role in male sexual life. Having issues with any of these factors may affect your sexual response and lead to problems like ED. For many men, ED does not have a single identifiable cause.
PIED is a controversial theory for explaining sexual issues. Researches that support the links between Porn and ED argue that pornography can desensitize sexual responses. An article from 2016 states that more young men are seeking help for ED, and it can be due to the desensitizing effects of hardcore pornography on men.
Also, drawing attention to case studies and reviews in previous research, the articles argue that the use of Porn may decrease men's sexual satisfaction with their bodies and might trigger performance anxiety during sex. Men who watch Porn may need to face progressively increased sexual stimulation to feel and remain arousal. Also, the use of Porn might change the way the brain reacts to arousal. It can make men less likely to feel aroused when they are with real-life partners. Thus, pornography use might seen as a contributor to compulsive sexual behavior and Erectile dysfunction.
The leading author of this study is Gary Wilson, founder of an organization called Your Brain on Porn. Wilson's anti-pornography campaign raises questions of bias. In contrast, the other studies find links between Porn and Erectile dysfunction have only a weak connection.
Thus, it suggests that Porn can be one of the possible factors behind ED, but it is unlikely to be the only factor.
A study of 2015 analysis of two extensive, cross-sectional studies also signals a link between porn use and ED. The link in the survey was very modest, and in those two studies, only one had the link, and that link was weak. Moreover, only men who were engaged in moderate use of Porn reported more ED than those who engaged in low or high use.
The study challenges the idea that frequent pornography use leads to desensitization. The authors argue that their findings do not back public health worries about pornography. Also, they do not indicate that pornography contributes to sexual difficulties like ED.
Porn and erectile dysfunction
According to some studies, pornography might help with ED, especially when ED is due to a psychological cause.
A study in 2015 reported that men who spent more time viewing pornography had more excellent sexual responsiveness to a partner. This study suggested that internet pornography might help the brain or body for sex and improve the sexual responses toward their partner.
However, limited and preliminary research supports the positive effects of pornography, similar to studies focusing on its harmful effects.
According to a 2014 article, there is not enough scientific research on "pornography addiction" or its potential links to erectile dysfunction (ED). However, this topic is frequently discussed in non-clinical contexts, such as online forums, and may even be used in treatment. Despite the lack of scientific evidence to support the link, a profitable industry has emerged around this claimed association between pornography and ED.
Men addicted to the use of online pornography and find themselves guilty of it may struggle with ED to this guilt. However, the belief that pornography is wrong or has a link to ED can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Porn could affect your Sexual Appetite and sexual arousal:
Experts say that watching pornography can influence a person's sexual Appetite. In some cases, this influence might make it difficult to achieve sexual responses and organs with a sexual partner.
According to Nikki Martinez, PsyD, LCPC, our modern access to a wide array of adult material can make it challenging to get aroused with a partner or get involved in sexual activities. She says that "people have unleased their true desires and biases, and now they struggle to get aroused when this is not involved. The other partner in the situation feels rejected, which might have an impact on their thinking of not being attractive. The first partner is most often embarrassed about what's going on. Such influence of Porn might successfully impact your sexual arousal and responses.
PIED can also affect how you look at yourself
According to Natalie Finegood Goldberg, LMFT, CST pornography may impact your vision of how you look at yourself. It might create unrealistic expectations of what sex is, what it looks like, what your partner should look like, and abilities in intimacy.
She says, for lots of people, pornography can engender shame if they do not live up to the standards of the actor in their real life. "Additionally, people fulfill any their fantasy through pornography without having to discuss their desires with their partner."
Alexis Conason, PsyD, who practices in New York City, says she doesn't think that Porn induces ED. According to her, it's essential to look at how someone views pornography. For example, watching compulsive pornography, several scenes at once, or quick watching from one scene to another creates a lot of stimulation in a person's mind. It is typical to experience in real life and have such real-life sexual encounters. This might create sexual dysfunction like ED in men, she says. In addition, watching men in Porn can raise feelings of insecurity if they compare themselves to the actress.
How to deal with PIED?
If you are feeling too dependent on Porn and having issues getting aroused and problems with sexual encounters, then you may take these steps. You can beat this condition and make essential changes in your life to improve your sexual life and health:
Consult with a professional: The first step is to find the cause of your ED. Discuss your condition with your healthcare provider and share your ED symptoms. If you have a physical cause, they may prescribe you ED medicines like Sildenafil, Tadalafil, and Vardenafil.
Talk about it: Talk with a counselor or sex therapist about your porn addiction.
Let them know about your habits, and they will work with you to manage the situation.
Help you prevent the dependence and take the proper steps to make a good influence over your health and sexual life.
Involve your partner: Discussing with your partner about your sexual desire and problems may help them support you. Being honest might have a clear conversation with the partner that will reduce stress in the relationship and help you manage conditions like PIED.
Steps to Cut Your Porn Use:
Here are some practical steps that you may follow to break your dependence on Porn. Following these steps may help you get back your satisfying sex life:
Go cold turkey: Try to stop yourself from watching Porn altogether. Get a goal of how long you will prevent yourself from going without it. For example, 90 days might be a sensible period.
Stop masturbating: At the same time, it is essential you also stop masturbating. It will help you to prevent these old destructive sexual behaviors and your new approach to having sex.
Find new hobbies: Fill the time with different activities you spend while watching Porn and masturbating. Keep yourself busy with physical exercises; it will boost your overall health, sexual performance, and stamina, and you may also add other helpful activities.
Rediscover pleasure: After a period of abstinence, you can masturbate again but make sure to have it without Porn. This way, you will remind yourself of physical sensations without the dependence on Porn.
Enjoy sex with a partner: When you get confident that you can get erections while masturbating, then you might try having sex with your partner again. While having partnered sex, focus on physical sensations, and try making your sex spicy with different prompts.
Conclusion
To get a way to make better choices for sexual life, we need to understand the link between ED and Porn fully. However, it seems that Porn may come into the way of fulfilling sex for a lot of men. One must know that Porn shouldn't take over your sexual life. If you are facing symptoms of ED and think that Porn might influence it, then you must kick the habit in the appropriate ways. Reach out to someone you trust and speak to a professional who might help you in your PIED.
