When considering couples and their pornography consumption, couples with a greater lack of agreement over content choice reported being more sexually dissatisfied than couples who watched pornography together, as well as couples who jointly abstained from pornography altogether. As mentioned previously, more time is necessary to conclusively answer the question of how harmful pornography may be. Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. A study of two independent male samples found no relationship between pornography and relationship satisfaction in their first sample.

Diagnostic criteria have been proposed for other behavioral addictions, and these are usually also based on established diagnoses for substance abuse and dependence. Introductory psychology textbook authors Coon, Mitterer and Martini, passingly mentioning NoFap (former pornography users who have since chosen to abstain from the material) speak of pornography as a "supernormal stimulus" but use the model of compulsion rather than addiction. There is a simple truth that is universal in its application: Anything that comes between God and me (the vertical) will cause separation in my marriage (the horizontal). In 2014, American actor Terry Crews talked about his long-standing pornography addiction, which he said had seriously affected his marriage and life and which he was able to overcome only after entering rehab in 2009. Beyond sad is the fact that the average age now for a child to view pornography is 11 years old (Center for Parent/Youth Understanding).

There is only one representative sample (published in 2017) to date concerning distress about sex video use. These scripts provide meaning for specific patterns, actions or behaviors that an individual does in certain contexts of achieving that goal.

Frequency of consumption and type of pornography consumed are related to increased desire for more porn-like sex, which is measured by items indicating an expressed preference for "kinkier sex," "hotter sex," and a more porn-like "sexual appearance.

Like hard drugs or gambling, pornography consumption can represent an escape from reality, as a way to deal with stress, or even just a quick hit of dopamine at inopportune times. A consent study done by Willis and Smith in 2021 examined how an individual's sexual behavior relates to the level of consent. A large number of these creators share and broadcast their content on social media channels, with one prominent channel being the sensational hit we all know as TikTok. Pornography's impact on relationship satisfaction comes under scrutiny, as findings range from negative correlations, to positive effects. Various psychologists, medical doctors, and social scientists have contended that traditional Christian concerns over combating sexual thoughts, desires, and activities, including masturbation, [78] [79] [80] [81] [82] can be seen as unhealthy and unwholesome.

A study on affection substitution has shown that "pornography consumption is positively related to affection deprivation, depression, and loneliness and inversely related to experienced affection, relational satisfaction, and closeness. The most commonly reported issue for women is arousal dysfunction, indicating a difficulty in achieving or maintaining arousal during sexual activity.

One 2000 study of a convenience sample of 9,265 people found that 1% of Internet users have concerns about their Internet use and 17% of users meet criteria for problematic sexual compulsivity, meaning they score above one standard deviation of the mean on the Kalichman Sexual Compulsivity Scale. The professional public health community is not behind the recent push to declare pornography a public health crisis. If that’s the case, you and your partner may need some inspiring new bedroom ideas to spice things up. Sex, Social Justice, and Intimacy in Mental Health Practice: Incorporating Sexual Health in Approaches to Wellness. Social scientists, psychologists, biologists, and neurologists have increased their attention toward its effects over the past two decades, and are beginning to understand what habitually watching porn does to the mechanics of our bodies and minds.