Articles and resources for the journey

A survey by the Institute for Family Studies and YouGov found that young adults who reported viewing pornography daily also reported higher rates of depression and loneliness. This is a statistical association; the survey does not establish that pornography use caused the distress.

Study title:

Frequent Porn Use Is Linked to Negative Mental Health Among Gen-Z and Millennials

Published in:

Institute for Family Studies / YouGov

Date of publication:

2024

A study of university students found associations between measures of compulsive pornography use and depression, anxiety and stress scores. The researchers also examined loss of control, neglect of responsibilities and use as a way of coping with emotions.

Study title:

Compulsive Internet Pornography Use and Mental Health: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Sample of University Students in the United States

Published in:

Frontiers in Psychology

Date of publication:

2021

A study of young adults found associations between problematic pornography use and anxiety, depression, stress, loneliness, lower life satisfaction and measures of suicidality. The study does not establish causation.

Study title:

Problematic Pornography Use, Mental Health, and Suicidality among Young Adults

Published in:

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Date of publication:

2024

A study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic found an association between problematic online pornography use and insomnia symptoms. In the statistical analysis, psychological stress and difficulty regulating emotions accounted for the observed association.

Study title:

The Interplay Between Problematic Online Pornography Use, Psychological Stress, Emotion Dysregulation and Insomnia Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mediation Analysis

Published in:

Nature and Science of Sleep

Date of publication:

2022

A longitudinal study of 1,864 young adults in California found that combined symptoms of depression and anxiety at baseline were associated with a greater likelihood of reporting frequent pornography viewing about six months later.

Study title:

Prospective Association of Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety with Pornography Viewing Frequency Among Young Adults

Published in:

Archives of Sexual Behavior, Springer Nature

Date of publication:

2024