He flipped through the TV channels looking for something to watch and stumbled across a movie that contained something he hadn’t seen before. At 13, this was his first exposure to graphic sexual content. From there, he began watching pornography at least three times a week. Eventually, after researching pornography and realizing it was negatively affecting him, he was able to stop his addiction at 16. While teenage pornography addiction doesn’t create as much of a conversation as drug addiction does, according to USA Today, it affects 68% of minors. 

A KHS senior boy’s pornography addiction began when he was in 6th grade. While this may seem young, 14-15 is the average age people are first exposed to pornography, according to Lifeline for Youth. The senior boy said having a phone at this age made it easier for him to access porn. 

“[Pornography] was easy to [view], because when I started [my addiction] I had a phone and access to everything,” the senior boy said. “[Pornography sites should be harder to access] because nowadays any kid can get on the internet and look up anything they want, and porn is something that a lot of parents wouldn’t want their kids coming across at such a young age.”

Minors who are exposed to pornography at a young age are at a high risk of becoming addicted to it, Sara Gibbs, KHS educational support counselor, said. Before becoming a counselor, Gibbs ran an early intervention substance abuse program where she handled cases of addiction. Gibbs said viewing pornography can increase dopamine levels, which causes addiction.

“Exposure to anything that increases our dopamine levels earlier [in life], the more dangerous it is because of dopamine [increasing],” Gibbs said. “[The] body is going to continue to want [to increase dopamine levels. This] exposure creates a stronger neural pathway to [pornography] and can increase the strength of addiction.”

Gibbs said adolescent brains constantly create new neural pathways due to exposure to new activities, and become stronger each time they are reintroduced. She added, when these neurons are firing, the reward system is activated, increasing dopamine levels. According to Gibbs, this is how many adolescents become addicted. She also said teenagers’ frontal lobes aren’t fully developed, which is necessary for impulse control.

“[Adolescents act] out of their midbrain, which is where emotion is,” Gibbs said. “Our frontal lobe [controls] emotional regulation, more complex decision making and impulse control.”

Teenage males are more likely to view pornography than females, with 93% of male and 62% of female adolescents watching porn, according to Lifeline for Youth. A junior boy said he isn’t surprised by this because the adult entertainment industry directs most of their content toward males.

“From what I’ve seen with friends, guys generally have a higher sex drive than women,” the junior boy said. “From a business standpoint, [the pornography industry is] going to try and get as much content out to their target audience as possible. There’s more males watching [porn, so] there’s going to be more content for males.”

In television and film, scenes including sexual content must be rated G so general audiences can view it. With fewer restrictions and narrower audiences on sites like Pornhub, pornography is able to be much more aggressive than a mild sex scene you see on TV. The junior boy said pornography’s intensity might lead to viewers having unrealistic sexual expectations.

“[The effects pornography has on teenagers] comes down to unrealistic standards,” the junior boy said. “If teenagers watch some really bizarre stuff and expect that from their significant other, it’s just not realistic. Once [teenagers] start to [date] they’ll understand what realistic standards are.” 

As Gibbs said, pornography can increase dopamine levels, which can lead to severe mental health issues. The negative effects pornography had on the senior boy led him to put a stop to his addiction. He became disgusted by porn, and deleted apps from his phone that gave him access to it. He said constantly viewing pornography was emotionally draining and interrupted his life.

“I did more research and [found out pornography] drains [your] energy when you constantly [watch] it,” the senior boy said. “I was [watching so much pornography that] I had no energy for school, had a lack of motivation and I was sleepy [frequently]. I needed to stop the [addiction], and eventually I kicked it.”

The senior boy said he was ashamed of his addiction and didn’t feel comfortable reaching out for help and had to stop watching pornography on his own. With stigma and shame surrounding pornography, the junior boy said it prevents those struggling from reaching out for help.

“[Pornography has] grown into something where people look down [upon it],” the junior boy said. “If someone’s addicted to drugs, they’re going to be looked down upon. [With pornography] it’s the same way. [The stigma] affects people’s ability to reach out for help.” 

The junior and senior boy both agree KHS doesn’t provide enough education on pornography addiction. The senior boy said health classes should include pornography education in the curriculum to make teenagers aware of the impact it can have. 

“Speaking [on pornography] can let teenagers know they don’t have to [watch it],” the senior boy said. “It’s not good for you. [KHS should be] giving awareness to what it can do to you.”

Gibbs said students struggling with addiction should ask for help from a trusted adult. She said counselors are also available in the counseling center to provide non-judgmental help.

“If [you] don’t have a trusted adult, come down to the counseling center and see a counselor,” Gibbs said. “[A counselor and the student] could talk about the root cause of that addiction and it would all be confidential.”

This story was originally published on The Kirkwood Call on March 4, 2022.