Doctor says men who excessively watch porn and masturbate will eventually suffer from erectile dysfunction
A doctor has warned that watching too much adult film content could lead to erectile dysfunction.
Dr Alan Mandell - who goes by the Motivational Doctor online - has taken to social media to raise awareness about the potential dangers of watching too much adult film content and masturbating 'all the time,' such as how it can lead to experiencing erectile dysfunction in the future.
The problem
In a video shared on social media, Dr Mandell warns about the dangers of watching too much pornography and 'masturbating all the time' which he says 'will eventually lead to erectile dysfunction' - when someone with a penis is unable to get a firm erection or maintain it for long enough to engage fully in sexual activity.
He continues: "Too much sexual stimulation is not good. You're overloading the reward system in your brain that's causing dopamine, those happy chemicals that are being secreted from the brain. And eventually, you will get desensitized to sexual stimulation.
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"So when you start cutting out porn and masturbating you will see significant results."
And the doctor's concerns are backed up by other medical professionals.
How adult film consumption can impact the brain
HealthMatch reports erectile dysfunction can indeed be 'porn-induced' (PIED) and that 'several studies' have found 'a link between compulsive pornography use and reduced sex drive and/or ED'.
It notes it's 'still unknown whether excessive pornography consumption is more likely to be a direct cause or just something associated with ED' but PIED is definitely a 'psychological rather than physical' factor, with 'excessive viewing of pornography contribut[ing] to erection difficulties by impacting the brain'.
Some experts suggest excessive adult film content watching can lead viewers to become 'desensitized to real-life sex' and someone's 'real-life partnered sex no longer meet[ing]' the porn viewer's 'conditioned expectations'.
Echoing Dr Mandell's comments, HealthMatch explains: "Because of the conditioning and desensitization, partnered sex may no longer trigger the sufficient release of dopamine needed for producing and sustaining erections. This is also because pornography is believed to alter the brain's motivational system.
"Due to all these reasons, [people] who watch excessive pornography may need greater sexual stimulation to be aroused and get an erection."
But how bad is the problem?
The debate and scale of the issue
Well, while HealthMatch notes the condition remains 'debated by experts' with 'increasing rates of erectile dysfunction in young people' and is not recognized medically, it argues the 'possible role that pornography plays is worth considering'.
According to the site, around 30 million men in the US are currently affected by the condition and while ED has 'many causes' the 'increasing rates of sexual dysfunction in men under the age of 40' has led some to believe it could be as a result - or at least partially - of internet pornography.
And as per Very Well Health, around 40 percent of erectile dysfunction cases are considered psychogenic - which means 'the inability to achieve or maintain an erection during sex due to psychological factors'.
Support
So, if you've been having trouble recently with getting or sustaining an erection, it could be time to have a look at your porn consumption and if necessary, consult with a mental health professional or doctor to get to the bottom of why you may be struggling.
If it is PIED, there's a range of support from talking therapy, to 'mindfulness techniques' and 'exercising' which can help support you as you reduce your adult film content intake.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
Topics: Health, Mental Health, Sex and Relationships
Poppy Bilderbeck