Researchers published in journal Sexual Health & Compulsivity (we can’t believe their is a scientific journal based on this either) found that problematic pornography use was tied to aversion of negative emotions. For their study, researchers examined scrupulosity (pathological guilt and obsession associated with moral or religiosity) and experiential avoidance (the aversion to experiencing distressing memories, thoughts, and/or emotions).

The study involved 672 participants who answered an online survey assessing problematic pornography use that asked about pornography frequency and also assessed escapism and control difficulties.

The investigators found participants with high measures of problematic pornography use also agreed that they try hard to avoid immoral thoughts and have high obsession levels of avoiding to be a bad person. Problematic pornography use was also found linked to lower behavioral avoidance (“I go out of my way to avoid uncomfortable situations”) and higher distress aversion (“The key to a good life is never feeling any pain”).

The study was not to judge the use of pornography as moral or immoral, rather to pinpoint reasons why people develop problematic obsessions with them. With that said, this is why a mindfulness practice and facing ones on issues is an important practice and skill to cultivate. For many, what if the our avoidant behaviors don’t manifest as problematic pornography use but rather in other ways?

J Perez del Valle and CJ Hand. The role of scrupulosity, experiential avoidance, and the dark tetrad in problematic pornography use. Sexual Health & Compulsivity (2022). https://doi.org/10.1080/26929953.2022.2101168