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Your comment is exactly what I was expecting when I wrote mine. I'm not surprised to see it or the downvotes.

Your Brain on Porn is written by a non-scientist with an axe to grind.

> countless of self-reports by men in various "NoFap" communities make a pretty good case the porn-addiction is not a myth.

Self-reports and anecdotes are not controlled, blinded studies. They're not scientific. They tell us nothing.

If that kind of data were scientific, then we'd all be 100% certain that drinking certain herbal teas cures 50% of the flu, or that marijuana use has a causal relationship with using cocaine.

Sex and porn addiction may or may not be a myth, but the thing that Prause debunks in her various research is that the availability of porn and sex causes those addictions.

What researchers have found is that excessive, obsessive, and/or life-damaging usage of porn and sex are due to existing mental health issues. You don't have a healthy, happy man in a relationship suddenly see extreme porn for the first time and then stop going to work.

This is a great project. I recently read the books "Your brain on Porn" and "Quit Porn and get Rich".

Porn induced erectile dysfunction is now incredibly common. Younger and younger men are taking viagra and cialis and finding it doesn't help them. Those drugs are for older men that need help getting blood to their penis.

For these younger men who have been viewing hardcore internet pornography (not Playboys like I did as a kid) often see these videos before even having their first kiss. The drugs don't work because the problem isn't physical but instead is complete desensitization to real life intimacy of any kind.

I'm kind of shocked no one seems to have researched the authors of Your Brain on Porn. While I think their stuff is interesting, I am very skeptical, especially considering their past work and their general views on sexuality. I read their Cupid's Poison Arrow book and it's not just porn they think is bad for you, it's orgasm in general. Their book teachers a method of orgasm-free sex and sexuality that is supposed to improve the longevity of your relationship. I don't really think Marnia or Gary have much qualifications in the science of sex or addiction, but they wrap up their arguments in scientific-sounding language. I am familiar with such things because I grew up Evangelical and they used the same type of arguments for their views on sexuality.

For a better perspective on issues relating to having an addictive personality, I recommend The Compass of Pleasure by neuroscientist David J. Linden for understanding reward-theory that dominates the psychology research now.

I don't doubt that some people have legitimate problems worsened by pornography use, but I would say that they would benefit highly from seeing a therapist rather than following some of these more shaky theories. I've known young men who are thinking they have issues with dopamine, when in reality many of them have issues with shame, anxiety, and communication. I do believe porn addicts exist, but I think it is worth getting diagnosed by a professional who can rule out other causes.