There were studies that showed people that were addicted to porn, had similar activity going on in there brain as drug addicts. Internet porn has made porn easier to access then in the past. It's been stated that some people start out watching regular porn and get desensitized. Some people say they started watching harder versions of porn like bi sexual or transvestites because the regular kind doesn't work any more. This is something that isn't mentioned often as a serious addiction. There are people both men and women, who say there marriages have fell apart because of a loss of interest in there partners.
I have heard of people who have to deal with a serious porn addiction, and like any addiction porn addiction can destroy lives... specially if the addict doesn't seem to have enough auto control. I have met people like that, and yes, almost any kind of addiction can be very dangerous for them.
It is indeed overlooked, but I think the reason is simply because porn isn't as harmful as meth and cocaine, and people don't really become violent. Their effects aren't that grave as compared to drugs, so people don't see it as a threat.
Porn addiction can be a real problem and can destroy families. If it gets to a point where one partner is using porn to replace the intimate relationship with their partner then that is a major problem. If they have to watch it just to get off and can't so do without it, then that is a problem. If they are sneaking away to watch it knowing that it is hurtful to their partner that is so disrespectful. If they are comparing their spouse to the actors in the porn and wanting them to do things that they are not comfortable with then that is a huge porn. Porn addiction is really not taken seriously but can be devastating to families.
I think it isn't viewed seriously because a lot of people are still outwardly functioning in a normal way whilst being addicted. But as @L_B said, I think porn addiction really does have the power to destroy families. For a lot of people if their spouse is really into watching pornography it starts to erode their relationship - those questions of "why aren't I enough?" begin to surface. I also think it brings up unrealistic expectations of a normal sex life which can also be hugely problematic.
I don't think it's overlooked anymore. I've come across many studies and articles about porn addiction, lately. Someone that views pornography for many hours, on a daily basis is just not going to have a healthy sex life. People like this need to receive help and professional counseling. Fortunately, a conversation about the matter has already started and I think more men (and even women) will be seeking out help in the years to come.
Yeah, I've seen a lot of these studies as well. I assume one of the biggest problems facing porn addicts in the past few decades was an overall unwillingness to talk about porn, because it was considered 'seedy', or at least something done only behind closed doors. Given the omnipresence of porn online, it now seems much more socially acceptable to discuss pornography in a rational setting.
With technology like smartphones, I can see why some people worry about the ease to porn. I have heard that the addiction to this activity is real so I don't think this is overlooked. But if you have your partner right next to you i still don't know if that would slow down the porn watching.
I don't believe the addiction to porn is overlooked. It just fall into a different category from drug and alcohol and treated somewhat differently. There are support systems and therapist who specialize in this and people just have to find the right place to go. I definitely don't think the internet is the right place to seek help or this problem as the temptations are too high when you are online.
Sometimes this addiction can lead some people to sleep with someone they did not intend to and know a few people who had a spouse, but saw porn and slept with a friend as they got addicted to sex so much they needed it with anyone. I reckon some people don't consider it wrong but it actually can destroy relationships and also families can be broken and trust issues start to take over, and one spouse may blame others for watching it, and not face the issue which can be stressful to the spouse. People who watch the videos may not think they are doing anything wrong, but the mind can be feeling the pressure hiding the guilt, and it can be hard for them to give it up and hope they get the help they need to overcome the addiction.
Any addiction is bad and that is much true to porn. I have seen someone who is addicted to porn and he was always shaking his legs and restless (caught that person watching porn in a public computer shop and good thing there are no kids that time and he was stopped by the shop owner). I do agree that it can destroy relationships too.
It's because people who watch porn are considered freaks and fools. But it's the same as being addicted to cigarettes: only you know the pain you're going through. Porn is seen as a teenager thing, and adults who watch it are judged and never taken seriously. It's a stupid mentality.
I think that in today's society, many people view pornography as socially acceptable. Today's media is full of images that are borderline pornographic, on television, online, in magazines, in music videos. Perhaps the sense of humility of today's society has been dulled due to all of the risqué photos seen in everyday life. I think that addiction to pornography can be a real problem, and perhaps one that people are not as willing to admit to others because they may be worried about how others will view them. I do think it is possible for someone to overcome the addiction.
It is overlooked I believe. It's made to be normalized in our society. People think it's not a big deal if people look at it but it is. It changes how people see others sexually, and changes their expectations to unrealistic ones. It's very damaging, and just isn't right period.