by Asrar Bhat
Prolonged pornography use leads to erectile dysfunction and infertility. It enslaves people to self-gratification, distancing them from partners and families.
Pornography has quietly become a trade that feeds on human weakness. It is a business, and we are its customers. We do not pay with money, but with our time, energy, and attention. In the process, we destroy our happiness, interests, and future. Over time, the frontal lobe of the brain begins to shrink, leading to memory loss, low interest, and social anxiety. Eye contact becomes difficult. Confidence fades, dreams collapse. Are we not the murderers of our own selves? If there is justice to seek, it lies within us.
Pornography reshapes how people view the world and one another. It distorts perception, especially of women. When I asked a friend what provokes him to watch porn, he said, “Random women I do not even know.” This, in turn, alters attitudes toward marriage. Those addicted to pornography often lose interest in their partners. Their desires are fulfilled in isolation. Unrealistic standards replace appreciation of real qualities. Such distorted views can even lead to violent crimes. Pornography plants the idea that dominance over women is a form of power.
The pornography industry is a trade built on stolen time, emotions, and dreams. We give our lives away to unknown faces who profit from our weakness. What do we gain in return? Regret, low mood, frustration, and emptiness. Confidence diminishes. Appetite fades. Anger rises. Life becomes meaningless. Health deteriorates, from prostate issues to reduced sperm count. The cost of this trade is far greater than we realise.
Prolonged exposure leads to addiction. Research shows that the dopamine rush from pornography is similar to that caused by drugs. In severe cases, this addiction may lead to mental illnesses such as necrophilia, where one desires sexual contact with the dead, or paedophilia, where attraction is directed towards children. These are not distant horrors but potential outcomes of long-term addiction.
A disturbing number of searches on the internet relate to child pornography. Though banned, illegal sites continue to circulate such content. In these videos, even children as young as five are abused. They cannot eat on their own or speak their names properly, yet they are assaulted by groups of men. This not only destroys lives but also corrupts the collective conscience of society.
Among the most viewed categories online is aggressive pornography. Women are shown as submissive and powerless, while men dominate them. Chains, ropes, and pain are used to create scenes that attract attention. The louder the screams, the higher the views, the greater the profit. Society has begun to find entertainment in suffering.
Pornography does not destroy only women. It breaks men as well. They lose direction, character, and ambition. Their respect for themselves and others disappears. Confidence erodes. In a world where men are expected to protect women, both now need protection from the pornography industry.
Today, people record sexual acts, sell the videos to porn websites, and profit from them. It appears to be an easy way to earn, but at what cost? Can money buy respect or restore character? Can it fill the emptiness that follows?
Extended exposure can push people to become performers themselves. Though society does not accept it, the lure of pleasure overrides reason. Addiction leads to anxiety and depression. People know the risks but lose control. Self-discipline fades. Ambition dies. They forget who they are and why they exist.
Prolonged pornography use leads to erectile dysfunction and infertility. It enslaves people to self-gratification, distancing them from partners and families. Instead of conversation or care, one turns to the screen. Even ordinary moments become triggers. Anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem follow. Pornography also fuels body perfectionism, as people compare themselves to impossible standards. Research shows that 95 per cent of men and 56 per cent of women have consumed pornography in the past year.
Pornography erodes cultural identity. It draws people toward a Western image of dominance and detachment. They imitate what they see, losing the dignity of their own traditions. Addiction isolates the individual. In the West, depression often leads to self-reflection, but in India, it turns into blame and judgment. The problem is not the person but the addiction itself. Understanding this difference is the first step toward recovery.
(The writer is pursuing BA in Psychology, Government Degree College, Ganderbal. Ideas are personal.)
