Online Pornography and its Clinical Relevance in Sexual Dysfunctions among young heterosexual men: A Literature Review.

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, the world of online pornography underwent on a massive expansion. The easy and uncontrolled access to sexual content online allows anyone of any age, anywhere with internet and a smartphone, to consume it if they feel like it. Simultaneously, sexual dysfunctions, traditionally seen as age-dependent, started to be increasingly reported by younger men. Several studies have explored how pornography use relates to sexual health, but the literature has numerous limitations to collect strong data. This review aims to analyse the available literature so that future research can improve its study focus, investing in large-scale clinical studies and therefore obtain more accurate results. The scientific community has not yet reached a consensus, however, last year, "pornography use" and "cybersex" were added to the Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder diagnosis on international classifications. During sexual development, several questions may arise, which can promote the search for answers on the internet anonymously to avoid the feeling of shame, despite the risk of misinformation. Clinicians must start to consider this conduct as a possible cause of some complaints and be prepared to approach such a case, recognizing risk factors for sexual dysfunctions and distinct pornography-use profiles.