In this episode of Think Thirsty, I chat about what the science actually says about the term “porn addiction.” We talk through how researchers distinguish between addiction and compulsion, what brain studies show about habit and reward, and how the Problematic Pornography Use Scale helps measure distress, control, and emotional coping. I break down how repetitive porn use can shape attention, arousal, and emotion regulation in everyday life. And we end by talking through psychological frameworks—like cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, and reward reorientation—that can help us think more compassionately and curiously about our own patterns of desire.

🔬 Sources Mentioned

1. De Sousa, A., & Lodha, P. (2017).
   Neurobiology of pornography addiction – A clinical review.
   Telangana Journal of Psychiatry, 3(2), 66–70.
   https://doi.org/10.18231/2455-8559.2017.0016
   ➤ Read on DOAJ

2. Shu, Q., Tang, S., Wu, Z., Feng, J., Lv, W., Huang, M., & Xu, F. (2025).
   The impact of internet pornography addiction on brain function: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.
   Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 19, 1477914.
   https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2025.1477914
   ➤ Read full article

3. Kor, A., Zilcha-Mano, S., Fogel, Y. A., Mikulincer, M., Reid, R. C., & Potenza, M. N. (2014).
   Psychometric development of the Problematic Pornography Use Scale (PPUS).
   Addictive Behaviors, 39(5), 861–868.
   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.01.027
   ➤ Read on ScienceDirect

🧩 Further Reading

• Duffy, A., Dawson, D. L., & Das Nair, R. (2016). Pornography addiction in adults: A systematic review of definitions and reported impact. The journal of sexual medicine, 13(5), 760-777.

• Mauer-Vakil, D., & Bahji, A. (2020). The addictive nature of compulsive sexual behaviours and problematic online pornography consumption: a review. Canadian Journal of Addiction, 11(3), 42-51.

• Grubbs, J. B., Volk, F., Exline, J. J., & Pargament, K. I. (2015). Internet pornography use: Perceived addiction, psychological distress, and the validation of a brief measure. Journal of sex & marital therapy, 41(1), 83-106.

• De Alarcón, R., De La Iglesia, J. I., Casado, N. M., & Montejo, A. L. (2019). Online porn addiction: What we know and what we don’t—A systematic review. Journal of clinical medicine, 8(1), 91.