How much is TOO much??

Hello fellow classmates and welcome back to our blog!  As you all know our blog is dedicated to the phenomenon of Internet Addiction, and as discussed in our initial post is known as Internet Addiction Disorder (or IAD).  This week I would like to conduct a MATURE and PROFESSIONAL dialogue about some of the addicting aspects of the internet.  I am placing emphasis on the words MATURE and PROFESSIONAL due to the subject matter at hand... INTERNET PORNOGRAPHY.  I encourage everyone to speak openly and honestly about the subject matter in the most appropriate and tasteful way possible and to PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL to others!

I may be walking on thin ice to say that I bet 100%... and I did say 100%... of the people reading this post has at one time in their lives watched pornography.  I may be walking on even thinner ice to say that I bet out of the 100% of people who've ever watched pornography, more than half of you have watched some form of pornography within the last 30 days.  Of course many of you will never admit to watching porn, or if you do admit to it, you'd probably only admit to watching it significantly less than what you actually do, and that's on reason why internet porn is so addicting... because its so much easier to hide and keep to yourself.  I, for one, don't think that there is anything wrong with it.  Watching pornography can be a very healthy way to explore and better understand your own sexuality, release stress, and not to mention satisfy your primitive sexual urges without the risks of cheating (if you're in a relationship), becoming pregnant, or contracting sexually transmitted diseases/infections (STD/I's).

All of those benefits of watching porn sounds pretty good, huh?  Yeah, well they are good, that's why they're called benefits!  But, like the old saying goes, "too much of a GOOD thing IS a BAD thing" and this is particularly true in the case of Internet Porn Addiction, or Cybersex Addiction.  According to Helpguide.org, Cybersex Addiction is defined as the compulsive use of Internet pornography, adult chat-rooms, or adult fantasy role-play sites impacting negatively on real-life intimate relationships. 

Of course one can become addicted to porn without the use of the internet... there's premium pornographic television channels, magazine subscriptions, boutiques and shops tailored specifically to the pornography market, and let's not forget those trusty and handy strip/gentlemen clubs!  There's a plethora of resources to obtain pornographic services, but all of these resources come with a price.  Of course these services demand a high dollar value; the price to access certain premium pornographic television channels can be well over $20/month, certain pornography magazine subscriptions can reach $50 a book, not to mention the costs of a good lap dance at a premiere club or the cost of a good dvd or video  It's no wonder that the pornography industry is a multi-BILLION dollar industry!  Besides the monetary price to access porn without the internet, there are also prices of inconvenience and non-anonymity.

DID YOU KNOW?... According to familysafemedia.com's 2006 worldwide pornography revenues statistics, the pornography industry's revenues, at $97.06 Billion, were larger than those of the top technology companies combined: Microsoft, Google, Amazon,eBay, Yahoo!, Apple, Netflix, and Earthlink!  WOW!  
Check out this link to see some more stats...
http://www.familysafemedia.com/pornography_statistics.html




With the creation and continuous innovation of the internet, every aspect of pornography can be available through any computer that has a working and uninhibited connection to the internet.  This means homes, businesses, schools, phones,... EVERYWHERE!  Not only are these resources more readily available through the internet, but they also tend to be less expensive (if not free, which a lot of them are), and provide the benefits of choice-anonymity and privacy.  This level of convenience, along with the ability to post and edit your own pornographic videos starring yourself, and the ability to create online profiles to interact and/or "check-out" or "hook-up", makes it so much easier for one to become addicted to internet pornography.  
           

According to clinicians and researchers testifying before a senate committee in November 2004, internet pornography is the new crack cocaine, in reference to the addictive and naturally occurring opioids that are released in the brain during masturbation while watching internet pornography.  This naturally addicting "high" is the reason why so many people are addicted to pornography and masturbation, and the convenience, privacy, anonymity, and affordability is why internet porn is so prevalent and keeping people coming back for more.
. . . O K

Here are some links to some interesting sites.
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2004/11/65772
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/internet_cybersex_addiction.htm
http://www.allaboutlifechallenges.org/porn-addiction.htm


So tell me what YOU think!