Is Watching Porn Bad for You?

Is watching porn bad? It is important to know how it affects mental health and relationships, weigh the pros and cons, and learn how to watch porn with your partner.

January 17, 2025 · 11 min · 2134 words · Roberto Bowman

Table of Contents

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPorn Is Hard to DefineWatching Porn Has Its Benefits…But Also Some RisksMarriage ProblemsWarning Signs of Harmful Porn UseIf Your Partner Is Watching Porn

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Porn Is Hard to Define

Watching Porn Has Its Benefits

…But Also Some Risks

Marriage Problems

Warning Signs of Harmful Porn Use

If Your Partner Is Watching Porn

Close

We’re not afraid to say it: there is nothing inherently bad about watching porn if it’s ethically made and is positively impacting your sexuality. If it helps tap into yourfantasiesto turn you on and get you off, we really don’t see a problem. Pornography itself isn’t “bad” or “wrong,” but it does have benefits and drawbacks that can vary based on each individual person.

Only when pornography viewing starts to take up all your time, impact your relationships, or even harm the people on screen, does it become a bigger issue. And we’re going to unpack that.

You may have an immediate image in your mind of what “porn” is but in reality, it means something different to different people. Most commonly, it refers to sexually explicit media—whether its online videos or printed in a magazine—intended to arouse sexual excitement. Written pornography can range from erotica (more focused on romance and sensuality) to smut (more graphic depictions of sex acts).

Thanks to the Internet, porn is far more easily and widely available than it once was. There is also a huge spectrum of what might be considered porn, from woman-centered erotica to harmful material that depicts brutality, violence, or abuse of children.

People’s attitudes about porn influence how beneficial it is for them, and people who use it regularly tend to feel more positively about the role it plays in their lives. They characterize it as something that:

Porn is most frequently used for masturbation, which has its own set of health benefits.In general, masturbation can help people feel more comfortable with their bodies, their sexuality, and their sexual fantasies.Masturbation can also lessen the effects of stress and anxiety.

For men specifically, more frequent ejaculation (including through masturbation) may improve prostate health and lead to lower rates of prostate cancer.

Pornography (and masturbation) can also provide an outlet for you to explore your body and your sexuality, which can be an empowering, confidence-boosting experience. Women, in particular, seem to benefit from this aspect of porn.

What’s more, porn can be positive for people in the LGBTQ community, provided it represents their viewpoints and isn’t focused only on heterosexual relationships.

For some couples, watching porn together may offer benefits to the relationship (assuming that both partners have the same positive attitude toward porn). In one study, people who viewed pornography together with their partner reported a higher-quality relationship with better communication, sexual satisfaction, and commitment compared to people who viewed porn alone.

Porn that promotes unrealistic body images, risky or unsafe sexual behavior, sexism, or violence may be particularly problematic. This is even more of an issue for adolescents and younger adults whose sexuality isn’t established yet.

Porn should be used in moderation. Porn can be addictive, in the same way that other gratifying behaviors like gambling can be.

Press Play for Advice On Dealing With Porn AddictionThis episode ofThe Verywell Mind Podcast, featuring actor/tv host Terry Crews, shares how to navigate shame, and trauma, and recover from porn addiction. Click below to listen now.

Press Play for Advice On Dealing With Porn Addiction

This episode ofThe Verywell Mind Podcast, featuring actor/tv host Terry Crews, shares how to navigate shame, and trauma, and recover from porn addiction. Click below to listen now.

What You Need to Know About Porn Addiction

Porn in and of itself may not be an issue in all relationships, provided it’s legal, adult material made with consent. Where issues arise is when there is a disconnect between partners or if one partner is using it in an unhealthy way.

Like anything else having to do with sex, if porn use is mutual and consensual, it benefits a marriage. It can keep a couple’s sex life fresh and vital. If it isn’t, then there could be a problem.

Some spouses may consider pornography to be insulting, degrading, and even aform of cheating. But others may not feel the same and, as a result, may not understand their partner’s anger or hurt about their use of porn.

It’s important to communicate openly and honestly about the role that porn plays in your sex life. In general,talking with your partner about sexcan ensure you’re on the same page and bring you closer together as a couple.

Is Pornography Destroying Your Marriage?

An obvious sign of harmful pornography use is a lack of sex in your marriage. Additional warning signs that you or your spouse may have an unhealthy relationship with porn include:

While porn can be addictive, aporn addictionisn’t formally recognized as amental health condition.However, if you do believe that you or your spouse has an unhealthy relationship with porn, therapy may help.

Warning Signs and Symptoms of a Porn Addiction

Here are some tips on how to broach the topic of porn with your spouse and get back on track:

Talking about sex and pornography can be difficult, emotionally charged, and even awkward, but just like mostdifficult topics, getting on the same page is key.

Finishing thoughts

Remember, porn use is not inherently bad, but if you’re experiencing problems in your relationship due to it, consider couples counseling or individual therapy. A trained counselor can help you better understand how and why porn is causing issues in your life and determine a healthy way to move forward.

A Beginner’s Guide to the World of BDSM and Consensual Kink

12 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hesse C, Pedersen CL.Porn sex versus real sex: How sexually explicit material shapes our understanding of sexual anatomy, physiology, and behaviour.Sex Cult. 2017;21(3):754-775. doi:10.1007/s12119-017-9413-2Prause N.Porn is for masturbation.Arch Sex Behav. 2019;48(8):2271-2277. doi:10.1007/s10508-019-1397-6Zimmer F, Imhoff R.Abstinence from masturbation and hypersexuality.Arch Sex Behav. 2020;49(4):1333-1343. doi:10.1007/s10508-019-01623-8Sinnott JA, Brumberg K, Wilson KM, et al.Differential gene expression in prostate tissue according to ejaculation frequency.Eur Urol. 2018;74(5):545-548. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2018.05.006Chesser S, Parry D, Penny Light T.Nurturing the erotic self: Benefits of women consuming sexually explicit materials.Sexualities. 2019;22(7-8):1234-1252. doi:10.1177/1363460718791898Harvey P.Let’s talk about porn: The perceived effect of online mainstream pornography on LGBTQ youth. In: Farris DN, Compton DR, Herrera AP, eds.Gender, Sexuality and Race in the Digital Age. Springer International Publishing; 2020:31-52. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-29855-5_3Maddox AM, Rhoades GK, Markman HJ.Viewing sexually-explicit materials alone or together: Associations with relationship quality.Arch Sex Behav. 2011;40(2):441-448. doi:10.1007/s10508-009-9585-4Coyne SM, Ward LM, Kroff SL, et al.Contributions of mainstream sexual media exposure to sexual attitudes, perceived peer norms, and sexual behavior: A meta-analysis.J Adolesc Health. 2019;64(4):430-436. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.11.016Hald GM, Kuyper L, Adam PCG, Wit JBF de.Does viewing explain doing? Assessing the association between sexually explicit materials use and sexual behaviors in a large sample of Dutch adolescents and young adults.J Sex Med. 2013;10(12):2986-2995. doi:10.1111/jsm.12157Kühn S, Gallinat J.Brain structure and functional connectivity associated with pornography consumption: The brain on porn.JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(7):827. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.93Gola M, Wordecha M, Sescousse G, et al.Can pornography be addictive? An fMRI study of men seeking treatment for problematic pornography use.Neuropsychopharmacology. 2017;42(10):2021-2031. doi:10.1038/npp.2017.78Sniewski L, Farvid P, Carter P.The assessment and treatment of adult heterosexual men with self-perceived problematic pornography use: A review.Addict Behav. 2018;77:217-224. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.10.010

12 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hesse C, Pedersen CL.Porn sex versus real sex: How sexually explicit material shapes our understanding of sexual anatomy, physiology, and behaviour.Sex Cult. 2017;21(3):754-775. doi:10.1007/s12119-017-9413-2Prause N.Porn is for masturbation.Arch Sex Behav. 2019;48(8):2271-2277. doi:10.1007/s10508-019-1397-6Zimmer F, Imhoff R.Abstinence from masturbation and hypersexuality.Arch Sex Behav. 2020;49(4):1333-1343. doi:10.1007/s10508-019-01623-8Sinnott JA, Brumberg K, Wilson KM, et al.Differential gene expression in prostate tissue according to ejaculation frequency.Eur Urol. 2018;74(5):545-548. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2018.05.006Chesser S, Parry D, Penny Light T.Nurturing the erotic self: Benefits of women consuming sexually explicit materials.Sexualities. 2019;22(7-8):1234-1252. doi:10.1177/1363460718791898Harvey P.Let’s talk about porn: The perceived effect of online mainstream pornography on LGBTQ youth. In: Farris DN, Compton DR, Herrera AP, eds.Gender, Sexuality and Race in the Digital Age. Springer International Publishing; 2020:31-52. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-29855-5_3Maddox AM, Rhoades GK, Markman HJ.Viewing sexually-explicit materials alone or together: Associations with relationship quality.Arch Sex Behav. 2011;40(2):441-448. doi:10.1007/s10508-009-9585-4Coyne SM, Ward LM, Kroff SL, et al.Contributions of mainstream sexual media exposure to sexual attitudes, perceived peer norms, and sexual behavior: A meta-analysis.J Adolesc Health. 2019;64(4):430-436. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.11.016Hald GM, Kuyper L, Adam PCG, Wit JBF de.Does viewing explain doing? Assessing the association between sexually explicit materials use and sexual behaviors in a large sample of Dutch adolescents and young adults.J Sex Med. 2013;10(12):2986-2995. doi:10.1111/jsm.12157Kühn S, Gallinat J.Brain structure and functional connectivity associated with pornography consumption: The brain on porn.JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(7):827. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.93Gola M, Wordecha M, Sescousse G, et al.Can pornography be addictive? An fMRI study of men seeking treatment for problematic pornography use.Neuropsychopharmacology. 2017;42(10):2021-2031. doi:10.1038/npp.2017.78Sniewski L, Farvid P, Carter P.The assessment and treatment of adult heterosexual men with self-perceived problematic pornography use: A review.Addict Behav. 2018;77:217-224. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.10.010

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Hesse C, Pedersen CL.Porn sex versus real sex: How sexually explicit material shapes our understanding of sexual anatomy, physiology, and behaviour.Sex Cult. 2017;21(3):754-775. doi:10.1007/s12119-017-9413-2Prause N.Porn is for masturbation.Arch Sex Behav. 2019;48(8):2271-2277. doi:10.1007/s10508-019-1397-6Zimmer F, Imhoff R.Abstinence from masturbation and hypersexuality.Arch Sex Behav. 2020;49(4):1333-1343. doi:10.1007/s10508-019-01623-8Sinnott JA, Brumberg K, Wilson KM, et al.Differential gene expression in prostate tissue according to ejaculation frequency.Eur Urol. 2018;74(5):545-548. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2018.05.006Chesser S, Parry D, Penny Light T.Nurturing the erotic self: Benefits of women consuming sexually explicit materials.Sexualities. 2019;22(7-8):1234-1252. doi:10.1177/1363460718791898Harvey P.Let’s talk about porn: The perceived effect of online mainstream pornography on LGBTQ youth. In: Farris DN, Compton DR, Herrera AP, eds.Gender, Sexuality and Race in the Digital Age. Springer International Publishing; 2020:31-52. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-29855-5_3Maddox AM, Rhoades GK, Markman HJ.Viewing sexually-explicit materials alone or together: Associations with relationship quality.Arch Sex Behav. 2011;40(2):441-448. doi:10.1007/s10508-009-9585-4Coyne SM, Ward LM, Kroff SL, et al.Contributions of mainstream sexual media exposure to sexual attitudes, perceived peer norms, and sexual behavior: A meta-analysis.J Adolesc Health. 2019;64(4):430-436. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.11.016Hald GM, Kuyper L, Adam PCG, Wit JBF de.Does viewing explain doing? Assessing the association between sexually explicit materials use and sexual behaviors in a large sample of Dutch adolescents and young adults.J Sex Med. 2013;10(12):2986-2995. doi:10.1111/jsm.12157Kühn S, Gallinat J.Brain structure and functional connectivity associated with pornography consumption: The brain on porn.JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(7):827. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.93Gola M, Wordecha M, Sescousse G, et al.Can pornography be addictive? An fMRI study of men seeking treatment for problematic pornography use.Neuropsychopharmacology. 2017;42(10):2021-2031. doi:10.1038/npp.2017.78Sniewski L, Farvid P, Carter P.The assessment and treatment of adult heterosexual men with self-perceived problematic pornography use: A review.Addict Behav. 2018;77:217-224. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.10.010

Hesse C, Pedersen CL.Porn sex versus real sex: How sexually explicit material shapes our understanding of sexual anatomy, physiology, and behaviour.Sex Cult. 2017;21(3):754-775. doi:10.1007/s12119-017-9413-2

Prause N.Porn is for masturbation.Arch Sex Behav. 2019;48(8):2271-2277. doi:10.1007/s10508-019-1397-6

Zimmer F, Imhoff R.Abstinence from masturbation and hypersexuality.Arch Sex Behav. 2020;49(4):1333-1343. doi:10.1007/s10508-019-01623-8

Sinnott JA, Brumberg K, Wilson KM, et al.Differential gene expression in prostate tissue according to ejaculation frequency.Eur Urol. 2018;74(5):545-548. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2018.05.006

Chesser S, Parry D, Penny Light T.Nurturing the erotic self: Benefits of women consuming sexually explicit materials.Sexualities. 2019;22(7-8):1234-1252. doi:10.1177/1363460718791898

Harvey P.Let’s talk about porn: The perceived effect of online mainstream pornography on LGBTQ youth. In: Farris DN, Compton DR, Herrera AP, eds.Gender, Sexuality and Race in the Digital Age. Springer International Publishing; 2020:31-52. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-29855-5_3

Maddox AM, Rhoades GK, Markman HJ.Viewing sexually-explicit materials alone or together: Associations with relationship quality.Arch Sex Behav. 2011;40(2):441-448. doi:10.1007/s10508-009-9585-4

Coyne SM, Ward LM, Kroff SL, et al.Contributions of mainstream sexual media exposure to sexual attitudes, perceived peer norms, and sexual behavior: A meta-analysis.J Adolesc Health. 2019;64(4):430-436. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.11.016

Hald GM, Kuyper L, Adam PCG, Wit JBF de.Does viewing explain doing? Assessing the association between sexually explicit materials use and sexual behaviors in a large sample of Dutch adolescents and young adults.J Sex Med. 2013;10(12):2986-2995. doi:10.1111/jsm.12157

Kühn S, Gallinat J.Brain structure and functional connectivity associated with pornography consumption: The brain on porn.JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(7):827. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.93

Gola M, Wordecha M, Sescousse G, et al.Can pornography be addictive? An fMRI study of men seeking treatment for problematic pornography use.Neuropsychopharmacology. 2017;42(10):2021-2031. doi:10.1038/npp.2017.78

Sniewski L, Farvid P, Carter P.The assessment and treatment of adult heterosexual men with self-perceived problematic pornography use: A review.Addict Behav. 2018;77:217-224. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.10.010

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?