Does Porn Make Us More Adventurous, Or Completely Bad In Bed?
Porn may be a multi-million pound industry but it is still taboo; most people don't talk about it, many more won't buy it or rent it in public - and those who do own a few adult DVDs are more likely to keep their kinks hidden away in a box or out of sight than in the DVD shelf. It has attracted a lot of criticism, with one study in Psychology Today going as far as to claim that an entire generation is no good in bed, thanks to porn.
As we live in a world of instant satisfaction, where climaxes are available on-demand with the click of a button or the fast-forward button, does pornography make normal sex with your partner more of a going through the motions activity then a sensual night of seduction? As our dopamine levels soar and our arousal increases, are we at risk of being immune to the same normal sex we experience on a regular basis?
Does overstimulation make us bad in bed, like the study suggests? Are we in dire need of a reboot period of 12 weeks to clear our minds of all the pornographic influences? While some might agree with this, others yet might argue that porn doesn't make us bad in bed. In fact, quite the opposite may be true: porn might make us more adventurous and willing to try new things.
We're not all completely oblivious to the manufactured aspect of adult films. We know that for most men, it's just not possible to maintain an erection for hours upon end. We know that women aren't hot and ready from the word action! and that they don't all squirt across the room. We know that the plumber isn't always a chiselled Greek God.
But - by the same token - seeing these things enacted on screen makes them less scary to us. How many more couples are able to experience anal sex because it becomes normal on the TV? Many shy lovers pick up tricks from the people they watch online, and others are willing to experience things outside of the norm of bedtime sex thanks to things they read about in Fifty Shades of Grey.
We're not all porn stars and certainly don't expect our partners to behave like willing and nubile nymphs, but perhaps - in moderation - adult pornography has the ability to make sex more exciting, and more adventurous. It makes our kinks and our fetishes less taboo, and allows us to share desires and fantasies with willing partners.
Perhaps the problem with porn is the addictive element; if you're opting to watch Eva Angelina online rather than spend time with the missus, it might be time to opt into a self-regulated porn rehab. Alternatively, you could always implement the Psychology Today's study recommendation: enforce a 12-week ban on pornography and adult-images to ensure that your libido has a chance to bounce back to its formerly healthy self.