The Anatomy of Pornography

1. The Anatomy of Pornography The Problem The Science The Cure

2. Definition of Pornography • Catechism of the Catholic Church • “Pornography consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other.”

3. Definition of Pornography (cont.) “It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants, since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others. It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world. It is a grave offense. Civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials.”CCC, 2354

4. Pornography and the Scriptures • Ephesians 5:3 - But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality. • Matthew 5:28 - But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart • Acts 15:29 - You are to abstain from…sexual immorality

5. Pornography and the Scriptures • Romans 13:12-14 - So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and out on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery….Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. • 1 Corinthians 6:13, 18 - The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord…Flee from sexual immorality.

6. Pornography and the Scriptures • 2 Corinthians 12:21 - I am afraid that when I come again…I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin, and debauchery in which they have indulged. • Galatians 5:16, 19 - So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature…the acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery.

7. Pornography and the Scriptures • Other Texts – 1 Corinthians 5:11, Colossians 3:5-6, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 7, Hebrews 13:4, 1 Peter 4:3, Jude 7, Revelation 21:8

8. How Bad is the Problem?Revenues • The pornography industry earns over $97 Billion every year • $14 Billion comes from the USA • Earns more than the top technology companies combined: Microsoft, Google, Amazon, EBay, Yahoo, Apple, Netflix and EarthLink. • Child Pornography generates $3 Billion every year

9. How Bad is the Problem?Cyber Space • 4.2 million pornographic websites • 420 million pornographic WebPages • 68 million daily pornographic search engine requests – Google • 25% of all search engine requests • 4.5 billion average daily pornographic emails • 100,000 child porn websites worldwide

10. Do Many People View Porn? • 40 million US adults visit pornographic web sites regularly •   More than 70% of men from 18 to 34 visit a pornographic site in a typical month •   $57 billion in 2005; $97 billion in 2006; $14 billion in US alone

11. Do Many People View Porn? • There are 420 million pornographic web pages, 89% of which are US based • Recent studies show that average teen spends 87 hours/year looking at internet porn • More than 20,000 images of child pornography posted online every week • Children aged 12-17 are the largest group of consumers of online pornography

12. Who Views Porn and to What Effect? • 9  out of 10 children between the ages of 8 and 16 have viewed pornography on the Internet, in most cases unintentionally • Average age of first internet exposure to porn:  11 years old •  In 2007, the largest consumer of internet pornography was the 12-17 year-old age group • Nearly 1/3 of internet porn is consumed by women • At a 2003 meeting of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, two thirds of the 350 divorce lawyers who attended said the internet played a significant role in the divorces in the past year.  Pornography had an almost non-existent role in divorce just seven or eight years ago

13. The Five “A”s of Pornography • Accessible • Anonymous • Affordable • Acceptable • Addictive

14. Path through the Brain A video on the Brain Processes Involved and Why Pornography is the “New Drug of Choice” (cf. Video no. 1)

15. What Happens in the Brain Forebrain - Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Amygdala Midbrain - Ventral Tegmantal Area (VTA) Hindbrain

16. What Happens in the Brain • All visual stimuli are processed by the thalamus in the forebrain. It identifies all erotic stimuli. It then activates the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the midbrain and the hypothalamus in the forebrain. • The VTA releases the neurotransmitter chemical dopamine up into regions of the forebrain, including the hypothalamus.

17. What Happens in the Brain • Dopamine acts as a chemical signal that something important is going on that needs attention. It fuels the tension and craving for meeting a need. • The VTA releases dopamine in response to nearly all drugs of addiction. • The hypothalamus controls primary drives – eating, drinking and sex. It needs to be activated by dopamine for sexual arousal.

18. What Happens in the Brain • The hypothalamus is also connected with the pituitary gland which releases testosterone. • Testosterone controls sex drive. When mixed with dopamine it intensifies sexual arousal. This results in an intense feeling of excitement. The brain is now at a very high level of stimulation.

19. What Happens in the Brain • Norepinephrine is a chemical throughout the brain that also plays a role when the brain is sexually aroused. It activates the autonomic nervous system causing the heart rate and respiration to increase. • While all this chemical activity is going on, messages are sent down the spinal cord causing physical sexual arousal of the genitals.

20. What Happens in the Brain • Viewing porn also increases activity in the amygdala which creates sexual tension/anxiety. • The best way to relieve this tension is through an orgasm. • An orgasm brings on an intense sense of euphoria caused by the release of endogenous opiates. It also turns off the amygdala which relieves sexual tension/anxiety.

21. What Happens in the Brain • Repeated activation of this sexual arousal and response system causes a downgrading of the dopamine receptors in the brain. Because of this a tolerance can develop, which requires higher levels of stimulation to get the same response. • As with other drugs, it can also develop a dependence on the arousal, excitement and euphoria in order to function normally.

22. What Happens in the Brain • The more a man pairs pornography with masturbation/orgasm, the deeper the neural pathway of this sexual arousal and response system gets. • This leads the man back to this process over and over gain, strengthening the addiction.

23. Changes in Brain Structure • Excessive drug use has been found to cause damage to the frontal lobes of the brain called hypofrontal syndromes. • Hypofrontal syndromes have been found to be associated with volume loss in the frontal lobes, areas associated with judgment and impulse control • Similar changes in the brain have been found in people who engage in compulsive sexual activity

24. The Path of Addiction • A man might initially begin to view pornography as a way to relax and relieve stress • “It’s just a little Adult Entertainment” • As the sexual arousal and response system creates a deeper neural pathway, a tolerance develops. Soft porn isn’t satisfying anymore.

25. The Path of Addiction • The man moves onto “hard-core porn,” which can include violence, children, fetishes, etc. • Dependence develops after this. The man craves porn physically and emotionally. • Withdrawal symptoms can include depression, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, head aches, and difficulty concentrating.

26. The Path of Addiction • Eventually viewing sexual acts in pornography is not enough • The addict will want to engage in the sexual acts he has seen in pornography • He may seek out prostitutes or anonymous sex partners • This can result in contracting sexually transmitted diseases and even death

27. Fall on your knees and beg God for help Destroy all porn and purify home and work Go to Confession Daily Mass and Rosary Avoid near occasion Custody of Senses – know yourself; don’t be stupid! Filter Accountability software Walk in Light - Tell Someone Get Real! Get Unplugged! Become Activist Against Develop Plan of Life Prayer Work Study Exercise Get a Greater Love Practice Stop, Drop, Roll Break the Ritual Work on Other Areas of Virtue, especially temperance Find out what you are medicating & get to the root Get Educated – Study! Marinate in Word of God Helps to Get out of Pornography