Watching Adult Videos Is Making Women Dissatisfied with Their Sex Lives, Says Study

While everyone may have heard that an addiction to X-rated adult videos can cause erectile dysfunction in men or trouble ejaculating, few know their effects on women. According to a new study by researchers from the University of New Brunswick, X-rated adult films can have as many negative effects on women as they can do on men. Researchers surveyed both men and women to observe the effects of X-rated adult films on both genders and say that adult films could be making women feel less satisfied. Read on to find out more …

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The effect of X-rated adult films on women. A new study by researchers from the University of New Brunswick looks at the impact of X-rated adult films on both men and women and has concluded that women who watch adult entertainment become less satisfied with their sex lives. According to the researchers who surveyed more than 1000 adults, while it is known that men can develop erectile dysfunction and trouble ejaculating, watching X-rated adult films can also have a negative effect on women.

X-rated films linked to negative sexual concerns. “P*rnography consumption and its association with sexual concerns and expectations among young men and women,” was published in the Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality. Researchers wrote that the “narrow representations of sexual performance and physical attractiveness” in adult films, “may be linked to sexual concerns and sexual expectations” in both men and women.

Women less satisfied with real life sex. Among the concerns and expectations affected in men and women as a result of watching X-rated adult films are “body- and performance-related sexual distractions, negative genital self-image, [and] expectations of one’s partner. The research suggests that women who consume X-rated adult films, feel dissatisfied with the real life experience of sex.

In X-rated films, sex lasts longer. In adult films, say researchers, sex appears to last longer, women seem to achieve orgasm more easily and the men featured often have larger than average penises. This leads to women having higher expectations of a sexual partner’s performance than is often possible in real life.

Women who watch X-rated films develop body insecurity. Watching X-rated adult films is also causing women to develop body insecurity, say researchers, one example of which is “negative genital self-image.” For instance, in adult films, the female’s vulvae is often “smooth and bare,” leading women to feel inadequate when comparing what they see on the screen to what they themselves possess.

Female viewers of X-rated films can feel sexually insecure. Not only do women feel less satisfied with their bodies, they are also experiencing sexual insecurity, say researchers. They may judge their own ability to express themselves sexually with the overt, often vocal way in which female adult film stars do.

Men and women can have sexual concerns unrelated to X-rated films. Researchers say, however, that they are not recommending that people give up on watching adult films altogether. There are some sexual concerns that men and women have that are completely unrelated to X-rated adult films, they say.

X-rated films don’t reflect the real world. Adult films can be a “healthy sexual outlet,” say researchers, for both men and women. The trick, they say, is to not to see adult entertainment as a reflection of the real world.

In real life, the female orgasm requires work. The bottom line, say researchers, is that in real life, the vast majority of men don’t have giant penises. In the average sexual relationship, they say, sex doesn’t last for hours and orgasms require some work to achieve.

Other ways X-rated films are unrealistic. Unlike X-rated adult films, say researchers, when it comes to the female orgasm in real life, thrusting in and out during intercourse, with little or no attention to the clitoris, is unlikely to yield orgasms, much less, multiple ones! Other reality checks include the fact that in lesbian sex, it would be very unusual for women to pleasure each other with extremely long nails or during intercourse, for couples to indulge in anal sex without lubrication!

More women using adult entertainment sites. According to research by P*rnhub released earlier this year, women now make up more than 25% of their online visitors. 80% of the women who are regular users of P*rnhun access the site from a mobile device, the research found, with those aged 18-34 years using a smartphone and older women more likely to use a tablet or desktop computer.

Growing number of female daily users. Another adult entertainment site known as “YouP*rn” says that 18% of their female membership visits on a daily basis. 63% of the women who use their site, however, visit at least once a week.

Women can also get addicted to adult entertainment. According to one Guardian article on why women are watching more and more adult films, writer Tanith Carey, says that while there is a growing acceptance that the number of women watching X-rated films is growing, there is less recognition for the fact that for some of those women, it has become difficult to stop. According to one counseling service though, it is possible that as many as 1 in every 3 women, struggles with their use of adult entertainment.

Orgasms make you feel high. Counselor Jason Dean, who founded “Quit P*rn Addiction,” a UK counseling service, says that there is little difference between the ways that men and women get addicted when it comes to X-rated adult films. Having an “orgasm releases a dopamine-oxytocin high” that is like a “heroin hit.”

Women more likely to feel guilty about addiction. There is one difference, however, says Dean. Women who become addicted to X-rated adult films can suffer from higher levels of guilt as they remain more prone to feeling as though they are “bad, dirty, wrong,” for their behavior.