PORNOGRAPHY DETRIMENTAL SEQUELAE OF CHILDREN’S EXPOSURE

1. PORNOGRAPHY DETRIMENTAL SEQUELAE OF CHILDREN’S EXPOSURE EMERITUS PROFESSOR TUVIAH ZABOW 25 July 2010

2. DETRIMENTAL SEQUELAE • are the effects permanent ? • the neuroscience evidence for the Addictive process

3. Pornography may be defined as material designed to excite sexual interest or desire.

4. 1.Children /adolescents learn ideas of adult sexual behaviour • 2. Portrayal are extremely suggestive • 3. Rarely exposed to responsible sexual behaviour • 4. Pornography is a useful tool for paedophiles and sexual predators • Add to these structural (physical) and metabolic (functional/physiological) alterations

5. Further research is indicated as to why various adolescents view the same content differently. • There are many ways that P harms children. • Every child who views P will not be affected or traumatised in the same way. • Exposure interferes with a child’s development and identity.

6. Addiction is the result of : • repetitive experience • high emotion related • high frequency exposure.

7. Neuroscience evidence for addiction The human brain is programmed to provide incentives for behaviours that contribute to survival(“fight or flight”). The addictive nature of over-consumption of natural behaviours which cause a biochemical (dopaminergic) reward to be experienced in the brain. The mesolimbic-dopaminergic system rewards eating and sexuality with powerful pleasure incentives. contd..

8. Contd…. Drugs of various forms subvert these pleasure systems and cause the brain to think a drug high is necessary for survival. Food and sex affect the reward systems in the same way as drugs affect them. The effects however are progressive and addictive This results in a neuroadaptation ( i.e. changes in circuitry) and helps to perpetuate the behaviour.

9. “There a common pathway for addictions” Not every person who takes a drink/drug or every child exposed to Pornography automatically becomes a sexual deviant but the locus of control and access is different.

10. Pornographic images are freely available to virtually everyone including unfortunately to children Three A’s: Accessibility Anonymity Affordability Judith A. Reisman. The Psychopharmacology of Pictorial Pornography. The Institute of Media Education, 2003

11. The study of natural addictions relates to Pornography in that both anatomical (structural) and metabolic(functional) perspectives are evident .

12. Neocortex (Thinking brain)

13. “Thinking brain” Neocortex is the seat of thought or the“thinking brain”; it contains the centers that put together and comprehendwhat the senses perceive. It’s role is largely to maintain mental balance and to inhibit and control psyche and conduct Judith A. Reisman. The Psychopharmacology of Pictorial Pornography. The Institute of Media Education, 2003

14. Limbic system (“primitive brain”) Richard Restak. The Brain: Learning & Memory, New York Press, 1984

15. “primitive brain” Limbic Structures generate : feelings of pleasure, fear, pain, suspicion sexual desire

16. Fight or flight reactionsurvival

17. New techniques of brain scanning structural and functional

18. Brain scanning can measure : level of depression suspicion anxiety irritation joy fear hate or other feelings triggered by specific thoughts.

19. MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging)

20. PET scan(positron emission tomography)

21. sPECT scan of brain

22. DAT scanmeasures levels of dopamine (“intensity of pleasure”)

23. 1. Normal, natural human emotionsinvolve both higher brain and primitive brain Love between mother and child – mammals vs reptiles (that do not have a prefrontal cortex or neocortex).

24. 2. Normal natural human loveinvolves both higher brain and primitive brain Natural love between two sexes: Neocortex (cognitive functions) is involved. Person is attractive, good for me, believes what I believe, likes what I like etc.

25. Why do pornographic images causes intense arousal ? Pornographic/erotic images combination of feelings of : surprise fear anger hate disgust hostility lust Judith Reisman. Viewing Pornography for a living can be deadly. Salvo Autumn, 2009: 23-25 David Freedberg. The Power of Image. The University of Chicago, 1989:p1 Barlow, Sakheim & Beck. Anxiety Increases Sexual Arousal. The Journal of Abnormal Psychology. Vol. 92, 1983.

26. The effects of the arousal • “Cocktail” of poly-drug erototoxins: Powerful hormones: Testosterone Neurotransmitters: Dopamine Oxitocin Norepinephrine (Adrenaline) Serotonin Bill Moyers. Healing and the Mind. Doubleday, New York, 1993: p177 Judith A. Reisman. The Psychopharmacology of Pictorial Pornography. The Institute of Media Education, 2003

27. Nerve cells

28. Synapse

29. Dopamine (feeling of pleasantness) chemically similar to cocaine Sandra Ackerman. Discovering the Brain. Institute Of Medicine Washington DC, 1999: p76-77 Judith A. Reisman. The Psychopharmacology of Pictorial Pornography. The Institute of Media Education, 2003

30. Serotonin similar toLSD Sandra Ackerman. Discovering the Brain. Institute Of Medicine Washington DC, 1999: p76-77 Judith A. Reisman. The Psychopharmacology of Pictorial Pornography. The Institute of Media Education, 2003

31. Other neurotransmitters Endorphines (morphine produced in the body) Sandra Ackerman. Discovering the Brain. Institute Of Medicine Washington DC, 1999: p76-77 Judith A. Reisman. The Psychopharmacology of Pictorial Pornography. The Institute of Media Education, 2003

32. DAT scanner: measures “intensity of pleasure” or levels of dopamine • Nice plate of food 1200 1000 • Sexual Pleasure 800 600 400 • Chrystal Meth 200 0 Food Sex Chryst Meth

33. “Cocktail” of poly-drug erototoxins: Powerful hormones Testosterone (endogenous steroid, men’s fight or flight hormone) Sandra Ackerman. Discovering the Brain. Institute Of Medicine Washington DC, 1999: p76-77 Judith A. Reisman. The Psychopharmacology of Pictorial Pornography. The Institute of Media Education, 2003

34. Pornographic images: why are they addictive? • 1) Erototoxins: • Anxiety and fear • Novelty effect • Element of surprise (attraction to “mystery” objects – gambling) • 2) Reward system through sexual gratification Judith Reisman. Viewing Pornography for a living can be deadly. Salvo Autumn, 2009: 23-25 David Freedberg. The Power of Image. The University of Chicago, 1989:p1 Barlow, Sakheim & Beck. Anxiety Increases Sexual Arousal. The Journal of Abnormal Psychology. Vol. 92, 1983.

35. Pornographic addiction carries the signs of a classical addiction • The similarities between drug addiction and natural addiction to pornographic addiction • The similarity to “erototoxins” to the external drug

36. 1. Pornography is Progressive In an addict (after a period of time): The erototoxins released by the brain when looking at sexual material no longer give the same arousal An addict will have to increase the frequency of their viewing OR explore a new area of pornography in order to get the pleasurable feeling they once had

37. 2. Pornography is Progressive The presence of erototoxinscauses the brain to adapt to its new environment An addict is now Physically Dependent on the erototoxinas the brain now needs it to function normally The brain now expects high levels of erototoxins in its system

38. 3. Pornography is Progressive Normal Brain After withdrawal A brain that has been withdrawn from the erototoxin is under-stimulated and under-active The reduced brain activity makes withdrawal extremely difficult and relapse highly likely

39. A child’s brain is being programmed at crucial periods for sexual orientation. During this period the brain is "hard wired” to what is arousing or attractive for that person. Pornography short circuits the normal personality development process by introducing children prematurely to sexual sensations or abnormal sex when developmentally unprepared.

40. Mood altering effect The sexual excitement obtained are mood altering in which arousal is paired repeatedly and likely to become permanent. Early exposure is related to greater involvement in abnormal sexual practices, particularly rape and child molestation

41. Sexual education • Exposure of children gives a message of sexuality without responsibility is acceptable and desirable. • Sexual expression without responsibility endangers childrens’ health (become perpetrators of child abuse) • Pornography constitutes a powerful but deforming toll of sex education and development leading to disturbing changes in attitudes: • Increased sexual callousness • Trivialisation of sexual violence • Distorted perceptions about sexuality • Development of an appetite for more deviant, bizarre or violent forms

42. CONCLUSION Social and Psychological Effects explained by the neuroscience Pornography gravitates to paedophilia Non-violent porn produce aggressive behaviour (Volkow) Sex and violence is one of the most dangerous types of combinations. Exposure to these materials has a negative effect on attitudes toward women and the perceived likelihood to rape. Some other effects of pornography Isolation because: Shame (increases with more perverse addictions) Poor interpersonal relationships (temper tantrums) Prefer to rather associate with others in sex subculture

43. Pornography addiction more difficult to treat than other drugs • One can not be detoxified from pornography because it is: • An addiction to multiple drugs • Since pornography is an addiction to endogenous drugs which unlike exogenous drugs can not be detoxified from the brain, even new therapeutic modalities may not help the addict • With so many of the brain’s systems entangledwith one another, it could prove impossible to adjust to just one without throwing others into imbalance

44. A sex addict continuously allows the primitive brain (limbic system) to override the thinking brain (neo-cortex)

45. Effect on child’s brain The limbic system (amygdala and hippocampus) matures very quickly in a child’s brain – long before other brain structures

46. “Erototoxins” and minors: • Children can instantly grasp, “feel”, “experience” and remember images before they can speak

47. The science is compelling, no-one can easily argue against the addictive nature of pornography or the structural damage it can cause.

48. References and acknowledgements : Albu Van Eeden Judith Reisman David Feltin Joseph LeDoux Gary Lynch Peter M. Milner Edward Sheridan Martin M Teicher Daniel Goleman Jack Fincher Eric Nesler Daniel Amen Nick Ashton Donald Hilton