The topic of many a relationship therapy session has surely been porn.  More specifically, how porn may be ruining relationships. Historically, psychological studies have pointed towards porn as a cause of addiction, and also of erectile dysfunction or performance issues during physical encounters with a partner. Similarly, many clinicians claim that watching porn desensitizes the “watcher”, making normal sexual situations fall flat when it comes to getting excited.Investigators of this study, however, say that according to their findings, porn is not the problem.  In fact, watching porn regularly actually increased arousal in study participants.

A new study out of UCLA and Concordia University, tested the relationship between watching porn and erectile function.  This is the first study to analyze this relationship directly, not just draw conclusions regarding the “evils” of film erotica.  Research illustrated that watching sexual films is not likely to cause issues with erectile function, in fact and may even help sexual arousal. The study published online in the journal Sexual Medicine, gives stock to the claim that porn is not all bad.  The study investigators say that this is important because “because clinicians often claim that men get desensitized by watching these films”, and they want to put this myth to rest.  Interestingly, the study found that there is no relationship between watching porn and erectile dysfunction in men who are actively having sex. 

This study illustrates the need to treat sexual dysfunction in men with the ammunition afforded to us as clinicians.  Rather than point to porn as the cause of bedroom issues, finding out the true reason for the dysfunction will aid in its treatment. 

Erectile dysfunction is most likely caused by issues such as performance anxiety, poor heart health, or side-effects from drug use.  There are many treatments from psychotherapy to medications to pumps to surgical implants that can help bridge the gap in the bedroom, without using porn as a scapegoat.