Gary Wilson asks whether our brains evolved to handle the hyperstimulation of today's Internet enticements. He also discusses the disturbing symptoms showing up in some heavy Internet users, the surprising reversal of those symptoms, and the science behind these 21st century phenomena.
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I expected the humorous and tragic story of a guy who's wife left the house for 10 minutes on an errand so he played some porn in fast forward and tore his junk clean off.
Left disappointed.
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My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
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Today, many children are misdiagnosed, for example as ‘bipolar’ or ‘ADHD’, if they have meltdowns or trouble focusing. Even more disturbing, some of these children are put on psychotropic medication unnecessarily, when the real culprit is over-stimulation from electronics. Parents should first educate themselves on the effects of electronic screen media, then consider taking a solid three to four week break–an electronic fast– if their child is having any problems at home, in school, or with peers.
Location: A simple man leading a complicated life....
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Internet porn is especially enticing to the reward circuitry because novelty is always just a click away. It could be a novel “mate,” unusual scene, strange sexual act, or—you fill in the blank. With multiple tabs open and clicking for hours, you can experience more novel sex partners every ten minutes than our hunter-gatherer ancestors experienced in a lifetime.
What’s a brain to do when it has unlimited access to a super-stimulating reward it never evolved to handle? Some brains eventually adapt, which can lead to addiction-related brain changes. Research confirms anticipation of reward and novelty amplify one another to increase excitement and rewire the limbic brain.
As sensitization and cravings compel you to use porn, overstimulation of the reward circuitry leads to a localized rebellion. The nerve cells bombarded by dopamine say "enough is enough." If someone continues to scream, you cover your ears. When dopamine-sending nerve cells keep pumping out dopamine, the receiving nerve cells cover their "ears" by reducing dopamine (D2) receptors.
As desensitization numbs you to everyday pleasures, sensitization makes your brain hyper-reactive to anything associated with your porn addiction. Over time, this dual-edged mechanism can have your reward circuitry buzzing at the hint of porn use, but less than enthused when presented with the real deal. Desensitization is not "damage." If your cells wanted, they could rebuild lost dopamine receptors in a few minutes. Rather, desensitization represents a negative feedback system in overdrive.
I expected the humorous and tragic story of a guy who's wife left the house for 10 minutes on an errand so he played some porn in fast forward and tore his junk clean off.
Left disappointed.
10 minutes....what's the big rush? That's enough time to buy yourself dinner and whisper sweet nothings in your own ear. And make a sandwich after.
Beware the effects of high-speed porn
