Young Men Surprised by Sexual Problems Linked to Online Porn Use

Not only does new research indicate that men who are addicted to pornography struggle with sexual desire and performance in real-world situations with a partner, they may carry this problem with them for years.
Recent studies on young men in Italy are exploring the condition called "sexual anorexia," in which a healthy male cannot have or maintain an erection or sexual desire because of prior Internet pornography use – even as early as their teen years. The effect of excessive Internet pornography use can hinder dopamine function years later, and is leading more young males to seek help for serious challenges with their sexual response.
As the use of Internet pornography progresses, the user needs more intense or bizarre forms of the material – and in much greater quantities – until they are no longer able to reach sexual arousal without it. In most cases, the men didn’t know Internet pornography could lead to this consequence, nor that it could become addicting.
Some men in the study have participated in physical tests and are shown to have no physical health problems that would hinder sexual function. Their use of online sexual materials on a daily basis over a period of time may have instead created "overstimulation" within the brain’s reward system. As they seek more and more of the materials to achieve a sense of pleasure or a high, the brain’s reward system can become even more taxed.
Other research, including recent findings published in Psychology Today, reports that some men who are addicted to pornography need continual images from online sources to maintain sexual desire or an erection, even during a physical encounter with their partner. While people have been accessing sexual material online for decades, the recent flood of new materials that are constantly available via smartphones and wireless connections is believed to be a strong contributor to rising cases of sexual dysfunction and sexual anorexia among young men.
Women whose partners are addicted to online pornography may experience strong feelings of shame and inadequacy as they are unable to help their partner achieve a satisfactory sexual performance. They may also compare themselves to online pornography images and feel a sense of disconnect and abandonment with their partner, leading to their own emotional and sexual performance challenges.
For someone with a pornography addiction, stopping can lead to withdrawal and feelings of depression, mood swings, a sense of panic and trouble concentrating. Without the exposure to Internet pornography, however, the brain will eventually reset its reward circuits and return to typical dopamine function, bringing back full sexual performance for most men.