A very interesting article in "New Man" magazine talks about why men are attracted to porn, why it's a problem for Christians and how we can re-wire our brains to be addicted to purity. Excellent stuff!
Your Brain on Porn: A Neuroscientist's View
Have you ever wondered why pornography seems to hypnotize the male brain, or why it can override all logic, sometimes to the point of ruining a guy's life? William Struthers has the answers. A neuroscientist and professor at Wheaton College, Struthers has researched what goes on in the mind of a man when he looks at pornography. His findings are enlightening. Our conversation with him hit on a variety of topics, such as why porn seems to be worse for Christians than non-Christians and how single men can find hope. Don't miss this interview.
New Man: What goes on in a man's brain when he's looking at pornography?
Struthers: I think even before you answer that question you have to know a little bit about how a man's brain is built. Obviously it starts developing in the womb. The critical part in making a masculine brain is testosterone. It causes the brain to develop along a certain pathway. That's what makes little boys different from little girls. You'll notice that a baby boy likes to look at things, but a baby girl likes to look at faces more.
The next big chemical changes take place during puberty, when the brain becomes cued in to sexual maturity. Every brain has certain parts that are more masculine or feminine. What you find during this time is that the masculine parts of the brain are really triggered by visual stimuli. This goes back even to the example of babies—the boys are more interested in looking at things. This visual preference shows up very clearly with pornography.
bohzo (hello)You are correct about pornography, I look at Tiger Woods and what he gave up for sex, he has to be a sex addict, he has a gorgeous wife and children and that still is not enough that he needs more.Well I hope society is not to hard on him, too much money can sometimes damage ones thinking. I hope he gets the help he needs, but I am know longer a Tiger Woods fan.Great post, very informative.Megwetch (Thank You)
ReplyDeleteI don't judge Tiger Woods or anyone else... we all have weaknesses and temptations. In some ways it's easy to describe that as being a sex addict, but the reality is that we all crave what sex offers us- pleasure, love, comfort, closeness, intimacy. The problem is that porn, affairs, other sexual things, they taunt us with all kinds of promises, but they never really deliver.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. I've never been able to understand why people look outside a marriage for these things. It seems that it would be more of a challenge, and subsequently more of a happy feeling of accomplishment to repair the marriage.
ReplyDeleteI think many people are more aware of short-term pleasure then long-term challenges, at least when it comes to relationships. We can plan a career over decades or a financial plan, or train for years for one shot at Olympic gold. But we find it harder to invest in people :(
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