Pornography has become widely available in recent years with the advent of free online porn streaming sites. Its increased availability has sparked debate as to whether or not viewing pornography has an impact on a person’s sex life/sexual health. While some suggest that frequent pornography use may have a detrimental effect on a person’s relationships, sexual satisfaction, and even mental health (possibly contributing to depression), the research thus far has been limited in scope and often contradictory.

In a recent study, researchers looked at the pornography habits and sexual health outcomes of 14,135 adults in Sweden to examine the possible association between the two. They used the participants’ responses from a 2017 national survey conducted by the Public Health Agency of Sweden, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) 2017.

• Of the 14,135 individuals included in the study, 6,169 were men and 7,966 were women.
• The participants ranged in age from 16 to 84 years old.
• Participants of the SRHR 2017 with contradictory responses and those who did not provide responses on pornography usage were excluded from the present study.
• The researchers focused primarily on the participants’ responses to two questions:
  • “Do you intentionally watch pornography?” (Answers ranged from “I never watch pornography” to “Daily or almost daily” with options in between).
  • “Does pornography, that you or a sexual partner watch, affect your sex life?” (Answers included “Yes, predominantly negatively,” “Yes, predominantly positively,” “None,” and “Don’t know.”)

The results regarding the participants’ frequency of pornography use, self-reported effects of pornography on their sex lives, and other sexual health outcomes were as follows:

• Overall, 68.7% of men and 27.0% of women answered that they used pornography.
• Pornography use frequency was categorized as follows:
  • Never
  • Less than once a month
  • 3 times a month
  • 1-2 times a week
  • 3-5 times a week
  • Daily or almost daily
• Of the men between the ages of 16-24 years, 17.2% reported using porn daily or almost daily, 24.7% reported using it 3-5 days a week, and 23.7% used it 1-2 days a week.
• The women between the ages of 16-24 years reported using porn less frequently than the men of the same age. Only 1.2% of women in this age range reported using porn daily or almost daily, 3.1% reported using it 3-5 days a week, and 8.6% used it 1-2 days a week.
• Frequency of pornography usage went down with age for both men and women.
• More participants believed that their or their partner’s pornography use had a predominantly positive effect on their sex lives (22.6% of men and 15.4% of women) than believed that it had a predominantly negative effect (4.7% of men and 4.0% of women).
• Nevertheless, the researchers noted that frequent pornography usage (3 times a week or more) was associated with sexual dissatisfaction (feeling of not having enough sex, wanting more sexual partners, or not having sex in the preferred way) and sexual health problems (feeling worried during sex, and for men, problems with arousal and erections).

While pornography use is relatively common and may even have a positive effect on a couple’s sex life, frequent use may be detrimental. Couples who feel that pornography is negatively impacting their relationship and sexual connection might benefit from seeking the support of a sex therapist or psychologist.

Resources:

• Malki, K., Rahm, C., Öberg, K.G., & Ueda, P. (2021). Frequency of Pornography Use and Sexual Health Outcomes in Sweden: Analysis of a National Probability Survey. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 18(10), 1735-1751. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.08.003.