Regular porn users who try to quit suddenly can experience physical withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, chills and even nausea, experts have found.
The researchers made the discovery while studying problematic pornography use (PPU) – compulsive porn viewing that disrupts daily life.
The phenomenon, also called porn addiction, has previously been linked to erectile dysfunction and mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.
However, scientists now believe that up to two-thirds of people with PPU may also experience health problems if they try to go ‘cold turkey’ and stop using porn.
Similar problems are observed in drug addicts when they try to stop using narcotics. The team is now investigating how common the condition is among porn viewers and how long the symptoms last.
A review of 14 studies by researchers in Brazil, published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, found that people with problematic porn use experience withdrawal symptoms
PPU is a form of compulsive sexual behavior disorder, which is defined by the World Health Organization as the inability to control intense, repetitive sexual impulses or urges.
This can go so far as to neglect relationships, personal health, other interests and responsibilities.
Typically, the disorder is diagnosed when problems persist for six months or more.
In the case of PPU, the sexual impulse is to masturbate to pornography.
People suffering from PPU may have made several failed attempts to reduce their porn consumption and may also find little satisfaction from their habit.
Recognizing that many of these ‘symptoms’ were similar to those reported by drug addicts, a team from the Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil, began investigating whether PPU was also linked to other health problems.
They found that, like drugs and other compulsive behaviors such as compulsive gambling, PPU can cause physical withdrawal symptoms.
After looking at fourteen separate studies, they concluded that this was the case; in fact, 72 percent of people with PPU are affected by withdrawal symptoms.
One study found that 57 percent of participants experienced “cravings,” while 52 percent also experienced heightened emotions, difficulty concentrating, and nervousness.
A smaller number – about one in 20 – reported sleep problems, headaches, sweating, chills and nausea when they tried to quit porn.
Other studies also found that participants abstained from self-reported symptoms such as depression, brain fog, feelings of loneliness and restlessness.
The researchers found that in most cases, people had an “intense craving” for masturbating to porn, which caused them to relapse.
Problematic porn use is a form of compulsive sexual behavior that can cause patients to neglect relationships, personal health, other interests and responsibilities
They noted that several of these withdrawal symptoms were observed in regular porn users who were not classified as severe enough to have PPU.
Following the review, the authors called for further research to investigate the onset, characteristics, duration and proportion of withdrawal symptoms.
Britain has the second highest number of Internet porn searches in the world, with an average of 16,600,000 porn searches per month.
Nearly two-thirds of young people now regularly use online pornography, according to Paracelsus Recovery, a leading mental health and addiction clinic.
A quarter of 16 to 21 year olds first saw pornography on the internet when they were in primary school. By age 13, 50 percent had been exposed.
Meanwhile, research suggests that one in ten adults may now suffer from PPU, with higher rates among young people. They are allowed to watch porn a maximum of 12 hours per week.
The reason why watching porn can become a compulsion is not fully understood.
One study found that 57 percent of participants experienced “cravings,” while 52 percent also experienced increased emotionality, difficulty concentrating, and nervousness.
However, watching pornography is known to trigger the release of dopamine – a brain chemical linked to pleasure and motivation.
This can make viewers want to watch the video again and again.
The brain later releases another chemical called dynorphin – this is designed to counteract the effect of dopamine.
When someone who is used to watching a lot of porn suddenly stops, dopamine and dynorphin levels become unbalanced, causing withdrawal symptoms, some experts have suggested.