Is Porn Addiction a Problem?

With the advent of easy access to the internet and smartphones, the consumption of pornography, even among teens, has become seemingly quite widespread. Research shows that 9 out of 10 boys and 6 out of 10 girls are exposed to pornography online before the age of 18. The first exposure to pornography among boys is at the tender age of 12 years old, on average. Despite many psychologists and scientific researchers presenting evidence on the negative effects of consuming pornography such as increased anxiety and depression, memory loss, brain shrinkage, and other mental health issues, there is hardly any awareness about this amongst the youth. 

Sadhguru responds to a question on porn addiction, explaining how it is harmful for one’s mental health and promotes objectification of women. 

Sadhguru: “See, you must understand, pornography does not mean sexuality. It’s a kind of a sickness that you’re developing. When I say sickness, sexuality is not a sickness, it’s part of our making. We are here because of that. We are not here for that, we are here because of that – we are born out of it. So, it’s not a question of right and wrong. It’s just that, for every other creature, nature controlled their sexuality, because their sexuality is seasonal. Rest of the time, they don’t even know who is male, who is female. So, nature controlled them. Why do you think nature took away that control from you? Because it believed that you got a little more brains, but you’re trying to prove you don’t have that.”

“At a young age if you watch those things, nothing else will be happening in your head. So, in this process, I would say women have a much bigger responsibility and a need to stop these things, because nobody is saying anything about it. And now, they’re beginning to say, it is fashionable even for women to watch it. Somebody is saying this is sex education. No, no, it is none of those things. Because of whatever little bit of fight that has happened or struggles that women have gone through, a certain amount of physical freedom has come to you. You’re throwing it away with pornography. That means, you’re anyway an object, all right? If you want to become a being, you must protest against this. You must understand, this is not about somebody’s joy, somebody’s enjoyment, somebody’s pleasure. This is about objectifying a woman – making a thing out of you.”

“Nature released you from a certain binding, thinking you are a conscious life, that you will do everything consciously. It did not mean that you are supposed to be doing just that all the time – reproductive activity. So, it’s not about pleasure, it’s not about joy, it’s not about love, it is just a compulsiveness. If you do not understand compulsiveness is slavery, then what to do with you? You don’t understand that compulsiveness is slavery, consciousness is the only liberation we have. So, there is no need to give it up, just no need to go there, that’s all. What is there to give up, is it happening here? “No, it’s happening in my head.” See, your head is like that, whatever you imprint this with, that’s what will happen. This is the nature of your head.”

“I’m not telling all of you to become brahmacharis (celibates) and go somewhere. No, that’s only for certain people who have the capacity to do that. But you must conduct your life in a dignified manner. Where is the dignity in this? Where is the dignity for the woman in a pornography? Hello? So, you think, by denying dignity for half the human population on the planet, you think you’ll find some pleasure? So, this is not a moral issue, this is a psychological sickness issue, you understand? It’s a mental health issue. So, it is not morality, you are becoming mentally sick. If you don’t get my point, whatever pornography that’s happening there, put your mother’s face on that lady who’s there. I think you’ll get the point.”