Porn & Anger

It’s not uncommon for young men to come to counseling with anger issues. Sometimes they have a clear idea of why they struggle, but often they feel uncertain. There are, of course, many contributing factors to a person’s anger but an important, and often overlooked, area to consider is pornography consumption. Long-term indulgence in pornography could lead to heightened emotional struggles, including anger and aggression.

There’s been plenty of observational and anecdotal data to support this conclusion. I’ve seen it plenty in my own counseling. Often when a guy struggles with anger I’ll eventually ask how often, how much, and what type of pornography they consume. There is often a connection. But there is actually some data that suggests the relationship may be more than just coincidental.

A 2015 article in the journal Aggressive Behavior found that there is a possible connection between consumption of pornography and violent behavior. The authors identified several key findings in their research noting most particularly that exposure to violent pornography has the capacity to desensitize viewers to violence, making it easier for them to adopt aggressive behaviors in their own life. Other studies suggest that long-term indulgence in pornography can lead to difficulties in emotional regulation, especially when porn is used as a coping tool for avoiding negative emotions. It is argued that regular viewing of pornography actually impacts the prefrontal cortex of the brain, the part of the brain that is involved in emotional regulation. Other research suggests that for those for whom pornography consumption violates their moral convictions, the additional feelings of shame can lead to higher rates of irritability and anger.

None of these articles provide conclusive evidence of causation and there are certainly a variety of variables involved in why someone develops anger, even if they view pornography. Yet, this is an area worth evaluating with a counselee who is struggling with anger. And what is true of men is true of women and porn too (see “The neurosciences of health communication” in Frontiers in Psychology). It is worth seeking to understand someone’s relationship with pornography as you seek to help them address anger issues.

This should not surprise us as we think about the nature of pornography. A 2010 study on the most popular pornography found that 88% of the scenes contained some form of physical aggression (slapping, choking, or gagging), and 48% contained verbal aggressions (such as name-calling or insults). Many consumers, then, are normalizing such angry and violent behavior.

Lastly, we can note that pornography consumption in general favors self-gratification over concern for others. A long-term indulgence in this behavior likely breeds selfishness in an individual’s overall life. The Journal of Sex Research found that habitual pornography consumption could be a major contributor to diminished relationship quality. It often coexisted with low emotional connection between partners. Porn has the capacity to make a person selfish and self-focused. Overtime this likely doesn’t just play out in sexual relationships, but in all of life. When life and other people don’t cater to my desire for instant gratification then I become frustrated, and if my capacity at emotional regulation is compromised then I am likely become more quickly agitated and have a more heightened experience of anger. Porn and anger often run together.

As you seek to help others, or as you seek to evaluate your own struggles with anger, take a look at this area of pornography consumption. Porn is bad for society but it is bad for the individual soul too. It has the potential to breed or exacerbate all kinds of emotional troubles in our lives. If you struggle with anger take a hard look at your relationship to porn. If you are counseling someone struggling with anger and impatience, ask them to evaluate this part of their life too. Sometimes working on our emotional problems also means working on our sexual purity.