Frequent porn use leads to depression, loneliness among young Americans: survey
Young Americans who consume pornography frequently experience more loneliness and depression than their peers who do not, a new study has revealed as concerns about the impact of access to sexually explicit material among minors are prompting states to take action.
The Institute for Family Studies, in conjunction with YouGov, surveyed 2,000 adults under the age of 40 about their use of pornography. The results of this research, conducted in May and June, were released on Sept. 12.
The Institute for Family Studies identifies its mission as to “strengthen marriage and family life and advance the welfare of children through research and public education.” Overall, 11% of respondents who participated in its survey reported that they watch pornographic, sexually explicit content at least once a day.
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The demographic subgroup with the highest incidence of porn consumption among young adults is men (16%) followed by “non-heterosexual” respondents (15%), liberals (15%), those between the ages of 18 and 27 (12%), respondents without college degrees (12%), those who make less than $40,000 a year (12%), respondents with a salary between $40,000 and $99,999 (12%), unmarried people (12%) and political moderates (12%).
Smaller shares of young adults between the ages of 18 and 19 (11%), those between the ages of 28 and 39 (11%), college students and college graduates (11%), those with incomes of $100,000 or higher (11%) and heterosexuals (10%) reported regular porn use. One out of 10 married respondents said they looked at porn at least once a day. The two groups least likely to consume porn at least once a day are conservatives (8%) and women (7%).
The survey also examined the impact of regular porn use on respondents’ mental health. Thirty-two percent of young adults who look at porn at least once a day reported feeling “down and depressed,” while 36% described themselves as “lonely.”
By contrast, only 20% of young adults who consume porn at least once or twice a month but no more than once or twice a week told pollsters that they frequently find themselves “down and depressed.” Twenty-six percent of respondents within this age demographic acknowledged that they often feel “lonely.”
A third category of respondents, those who either never view pornography or consume it no more than a few times a year, have much better mental health outcomes than their counterparts. Nineteen percent of young adults who rarely or never watch porn have felt “down and depressed,” while 20% have found themselves “lonely” at times.
“Considering these finds, addressing the mental health risks associated with frequent pornography use, particularly its link to depression and loneliness, should be a priority for health professionals and American policymakers,” the Institute for Family Studies stated in response to the publication of the research. “Amid America’s ongoing mental health crisis, especially among young adults, it is crucial to understand and mitigate the addictive nature of online pornography.”
The Institute for Family Studies warned that “Widespread use of porn has the potential to negatively affect individual well-being as well as societal relationships and overall community health.” The publication of the Institute for Family Studies’ report on porn use among young adults comes as several states have implemented age verification laws in an attempt to prevent minors from accessing sexually explicit content.
The National Decency Coalition, which works to “support state efforts to combat the pervasiveness of online pornography through states legislation requiring age-verification to prevent children from gaining access,” lists the states that have enacted such measures as including: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: [email protected]
