A report was released by IPPR which surveyed 500 young people about their views of pornography.  The results made a lot of the headlines in national press and triggered a debate on the Channel 4 news.  But there was one question missing – what do young people think about pornography addiction?

In fact, this question wasn’t missed at all – but it wasn’t chosen as something worthy of the focus of media attention – perhaps because of how IPPR chose to present the results, but nonetheless, the risk of addiction was still something that was missing.  The survey did ask young people if they thought pornography could become addictive and 67% said they thought it could.  A further 25% weren’t sure and only 8% said no.  I wonder how a poll of 500 adults would respond to that question?  I suspect there would be much more cynicism. Either because of denial or ignorance.

There is no doubt in my mind that more and more young people are struggling with pornography addiction.  Not only am I seeing more young people in the practice but I’m also contacted by more youth workers and other health professionals working with young people who need resources to meet the growing need.

No doubt some of the usual porn addiction naysayers will say there’s not enough clinical evidence or peer reviewed research. And some will disregard the poll or perhaps say that young people don’t know what they were talking about.

I sincerely hope we will soon start seeing more educational resources for young people on the risks of porn addiction, not least because it is damaging so many young people’s sex lives. Yet again I saw a young man this week with chronic erection problems because of his porn use.  Sometimes referred to as PIED (Porn Induced Erectile Dysfunction), this is another phenomenon that some deny exists.  But as forums such as reboot nation prove, this is a massively increasing problem – and an oft ignored symptom of porn addiction.

Let’s listen to young people and help to give them a voice.  We’re not trying to ban porn, we just want to make sure they know the risks of addiction and help them find happy fulfilled sex lives – whether that’s alone, or partnered.

Let’s keep shouting about it folks.