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Loneliness, Pornography Use, Problematic Pornography Use, and Compulsive Sexual Behavior

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Abstract

Purpose of review

Loneliness is a subjective experience characterized by distressing feelings resulting from a discrepancy between desired/expected and actual levels of social interactions. This narrative review explores the literature on relationships between loneliness, pornography use (PU), problematic pornography use (PPU), and compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD), including bidirectional natures of these relationships.

Recent findings

Relationships between PU/PPU and loneliness have been explored from different perspectives. Studies have found a positive association between PU/PPU and loneliness, with loneliness increasing as severity of PPU rises. PU/PPU have also been identified as potential predictors of loneliness, with individuals engaging in PU/PPU more likely to experience loneliness. Loneliness may also predict PU/PPU, with individuals experiencing higher levels of loneliness being more prone to use pornography as a maladaptive coping strategy (although this relationship is not clear in longitudinal studies). Regarding CSBD, individuals with versus without CSBD have been found to exhibit higher levels of loneliness, although these findings have not been consistently replicated.

Summary

This review provides insights into complex relationships between loneliness, PU/PPU, and CSBD, highlighting a need for further research to understand underlying mechanisms and develop effective interventions.

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Funding

This study was supported by the CITEI B22-001 project (Universidad Internacional de La Rioja).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigación, Transferencia e Innovación (CITEI), Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, La Rioja, Spain

    Gemma Mestre-Bach

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Marc N. Potenza

  3. Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Marc N. Potenza

  4. Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA

    Marc N. Potenza

  5. Connecticut Council On Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, USA

    Marc N. Potenza

  6. Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Marc N. Potenza

  7. Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Marc N. Potenza

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  1. Gemma Mestre-Bach
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Contributions

GMB wrote the main manuscript text and prepared the tables. MNP edited the manuscript. Both authors reviewed the manuscript and approved its content.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marc N. Potenza.

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Competing Interests

The authors have no conflicts of interest with the content of this manuscript. Dr. Potenza discloses that he has consulted for and advised Game Day Data, Addiction Policy Forum, AXA, Idorsia, Baria-Tek, and Opiant Therapeutics; been involved in a patent application with Yale University and Novartis; received research support from the Mohegan Sun Casino, Children and Screens and the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling; consulted for or advised legal and gambling entities on issues related to impulse control, internet use and addictive behaviors; provided clinical care related to impulse-control and addictive behaviors; performed grant reviews; edited journals/journal sections; given academic lectures in grand rounds, CME events, and other clinical/scientific venues; and generated books or chapters for publishers of mental health texts. The Editor-in-Chief of Current Addiction Reports is Marc Potenza, and the Section Editor for the topical collection Sex Addiction is Gemma Mestre-Bach. Please note that Marc Potenza and Gemma Mestre-Bach were not involved in the editorial process of this article as they are co-authors.

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Mestre-Bach, G., Potenza, M.N. Loneliness, Pornography Use, Problematic Pornography Use, and Compulsive Sexual Behavior. Curr Addict Rep 10, 664–676 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-023-00516-0

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