Women who watch 'too much' porn are more likely to suffer with low self-esteem, concerning research has suggested. Doctors have long insisted that porn consumption can be part of a functional sex life.
However problematic pornography use (PPU) is on the rise, experts fear, and has been linked to a raft of conditions including anxiety, depression and withdrawal symptoms.
Now Chinese researchers, who tracked the porn habits of more than 500 young women, found those with PPU — defined as someone persistently having an uncontrollable or intense urge to use porn even when it impairs functioning or relationships — had lower 'self-acceptance' and found it difficult to set goals.
Experts, who labelled the findings important, suggested women experiencing the problem could benefit from talking therapy to tackle the addiction.
The porn addiction phenomenon has arisen alongside the proliferation of internet streaming pornography, which is easy to access on personal computers or smartphones.
The UK has the second highest incidence of internet porn searches in the world, with an average of 16,600,000 searches for porn taking place each month.
Nine in ten adults now admit to viewing adult material.
Chinese researchers, who tracked the porn habits of more than 500 young women, found those with PPU had lower 'self-acceptance' and found it difficult to set goals
Some research suggests one in ten adults may now suffer a degree of PPU, with higher numbers in young people. They may watch porn for up to 12 hours a week.
But the actual truth of how many are suffering from the addiction is unknow.
Many suffers avoid seeking professional help out of shame and embarrassment for their affliction or fear of exposure.
In the fresh study, researchers tracked the porn habits of 559 female University students from Sichuan, southern China, who were aged 20 on average.
This was because most research on pornography use has been conducted on men, making it difficult to generalise those findings to women, the scientists noted.
The volunteers completed an online survey that assessed how frequently they accessed porn, how they accessed it, whether they had experienced any issues in setting goal-directed behaviours and their level of esteem.
The researchers from the Southwest University of Science and Technology, asked participants to complete a similar survey a year later to compare results.
They found that women who had higher levels of PPU at the start of the study were more likely to show elevated problematic use one year later.
Some research suggests one in ten adults may now suffer a degree of PPU, with higher numbers in young people. They may watch porn for up to 12 hours a week. But the actual truth of how many are suffering from the addiction is unknow
Problematic porn use was linked to those who had average or lower than average self-acceptance, they said.
Writing in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, the researchers added: 'Among women with above-average self-acceptance, pornography use frequency was not associated with problematic pornography use.'
The findings demonstrate that higher pornography use can create 'difficulties with engaging in goal-directed behavior and self-acceptance', they added.
Experts have long, however, raised the alarm over the risks of trying to quit porn quickly, suggesting many experience withdrawal symptoms and unpleasant feelings.
Last year, researchers in Brazil warned that regular porn-users who try to stop suddenly can suffer physical withdrawal-like symptoms such as headaches, chills and even nausea.
After reviewing 14 separate studies they discovered that, as with drugs and other compulsive behaviours such as gambling addiction, being hooked on porn could trigger physical withdrawal symptoms in up to 72 per cent of users.
One study found 57 per cent of participants experienced 'cravings', while 52 per cent also experienced heightened emotions, difficulties in focus and nervousness.
A smaller number — roughly one in 20 — reported sleeping difficulties, headaches, sweating, chills, sickness when they tried to quit porn.
Problematic porn use is a form of compulsive sexual behaviour that can lead to sufferers neglecting relationships, personal health, other interests and responsibilities
The researchers discovered that in most cases people had 'intense cravings' to masturbate to porn that caused them to relapse.
They noted that several of these withdrawal-like symptoms were seen in regular users of porn who weren't classifies as severe enough to have an addiction.
Following the review authors called for further research to investigate onset, characteristics, duration and proportion of withdrawal-like symptoms.
Sex, and intimacy more generally, has been linked to a string of health benefits, including improving the condition of your heart, reducing stress and even boosting mental health.
But recent trends show prudish Brits aren't having as much sex as they used to.
According to a Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) poll of 2,000 adults last year, men and women typically romp just 46 times a year — once every eight days.
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