Groundbreaking Study Links Porn Use to Depression in Teens and Young Adults
- Michael Foust Crosswalk Headlines Contributor
- Updated Sep 13, 2024
Young adults who regularly view pornography are significantly more likely to report feelings of depression and hopelessness than are those who rarely or never watch porn, according to a groundbreaking new study. The Institute for Family Studies/YouGov survey of 2,000 teens and adults ages 18-39 found that 32 percent of young adults who watch porn daily report feeling "down, depressed or hopeless" most or all of the time, compared to 19 percent of young adults who rarely or never view porn. Additionally, 36 percent of young adults who are daily porn watchers say they're lonely most or all of the time, compared to 20 percent who rarely/never view it.
Roughly one in 10 adults ages 40 and under say they view pornography at least once a day, according to the study. Men are twice as likely as women to watch porn.
Researchers Wendy Wang and Michael Toscano of the Institute for Family Studies said the survey should be a wake-up call for society.
"Considering these findings, addressing the mental health risks associated with frequent pornography use, particularly its link to depression and loneliness, should be a priority for health professionals and American policymakers," Wang and Toscano said in an analysis.
"Amid America's ongoing mental health crisis, especially among young adults, it is crucial to understand and mitigate the addictive nature of online pornography," they said. "Widespread use of porn has the potential to negatively affect individual well-being as well as social relationships and overall community health."
Pornography is not only prevalent in modern society but also addictive, they said.
The research underscores the need for age verification laws protecting minors, Wang and Toscano said. As of June, 19 states have such laws to try and block children from accessing porn.
"Studies indicate that frequent porn use can affect the brain's reward system, leading to desensitization and an increased need for more extreme content to achieve the same level of stimulation, similar to drug addiction," researchers wrote. "Moreover, pornography sites use similar techniques as social media platforms, such as infinite scroll, autoplay, and personalized content, to keep users engaged. Like social media companies, rapt attachment is central to the business model of online pornography providers."
Prayer for Addiction Deliverance from Pornography
“My loving God, I’ve been caught in a stressful cycle of desire and shame, but I know you can help me break free of it. I acknowledge that pornography blocks the intimacy that you created sex to nurture through real relationships. Please forgive me for mistreating the people you love through porn, by looking at them as objects to be used rather than as souls to be loved. Please heal my mind from the unhealthy neural pathways that have been wired into my brain from watching porn. Help me identify what triggers my pornography use: stress, frustration, boredom, loneliness, or something else. Empower me to turn to you – the source of all love – rather than to porn when I experience those triggers. Show me what to do when temptation hits, to turn away from porn and toward you. Please repair the sexual brokenness in my life, through counseling on my own or with my spouse, and in any other ways I need healing. Restore a healthy connection with my spouse in our marriage. Let us enjoy and celebrate the sacredness of sex together, the way you intended it to be. Thank you for healing and fulfilling me with real love, so I never need to settle for the cheap substitute of porn again. Amen.”
When addiction is controlling you, it may seem like there’s no way out. But God’s power is far stronger than any addiction. Choose hope by praying for the help you need to break free of your addiction. You’ll see God respond in wondrous ways to lead you into a better future.
This prayer was pulled from 5 Powerful Prayers for Deliverance from Addiction by Whitney Hopler.
Related Articles:
- Is Watching Porn Really a Sin?
- 5 Tips for Helping Your Christian Brother with His Porn Problem
- Is Porn Considered Adultery?
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/МихаилРуденко
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
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