Pornography is one of the great health crises that we face in our culture today. Its use, along with the self-gratification that often comes with it, is a mortal sin that greatly damages our spiritual health. It is a direct attack on the beauty of sex, and reduces a gift from God, a self-emptying and life-giving gift, to a tool for the objectification and use of others for selfish purposes.

However, the harm of pornography is not only spiritual. Because the body, mind, and soul are intimately linked, pornography harms us in many other ways, too. In fact, secular scientific studies widely suggest a strong relationship between pornography use and poor overall health.

Here are a few different ways pornography affects our health beyond the spiritual:

1. Relational Issues

Pornography can cause difficulty in interpersonal relationships. One study of men who compulsively used pornography found that many of them began to use pornography to overcome perceived sexual and relational difficulties. However, the study found that they only exacerbated those difficulties by viewing pornography, worsening their situation.

2. Addiction Issues

Pornography use often increases after initial exposure because of its addictive nature. Viewing pornography and self-gratification cause chemical reactions in the brain and the body designed to encourage the sexual act, and which form attachments to those behaviors. Because of this, many pornography users become addicted to it.

3. Behavioral Problems

Most disturbingly, a growing body of literature is finding a link between pornography and engagement in violent or aggressive sexual acts in adults.

Many of these health problems are found in men, and much of the data related to pornography is focused on them, but pornography affects women, too. While they may encounter some of the same problems that men do, pornography can also cause women to develop a negative image of their bodies, and to feel increased pressure to engage in sexual acts. Instead of understanding that sex affirms the beauty of femininity, pornography teaches women that they only have worth if they become an object for men.

The tragic epidemic of pornography is damaging a staggering number of people, and in a wide variety of ways. As we seek to bring healing into the world, we must combat its ill-effects and strive to uphold the innate dignity and beauty that each person possesses.