A visitor to my site wanted to know about the correlation between porn and affairs. Although a correlation exists, there are still many unsettled questions among researchers. One finding is that porn use has a negative correlation with marital satisfaction. This means that the more porn you consume, researchers found less marital satisfaction. What is not known is which came first, the dissatisfaction or the porn.
Although there is a correlation between porn and affairs, it’s not clear that porn always causes affairs. There is also a wide range of opinions about porn. Some spouses consider porn a form of infidelity. So for them, porn consumption is infidelity. When you examine sexual addiction, the findings are mixed. Although porn is indeed a big part of sexual addictions, how they act out shows up very differently.
This is because sexual addiction shows up in a couple of different forms. One form is when the sex addict withdraws into their inner world. In those cases, the addict stays in the marriage but withdraws from their spouse.
The other variation of the sex addict is outward-focused. They actively search for satisfaction outside of their marriage. Since all sex addictions don’t show up the same way, it makes any predictions about what they will or will not do uncertain.
There are also debates about the role of porn in causing affairs. Some argue that porn consumption can lead to unrealistic expectations and dissatisfaction with one’s partner, thereby increasing the likelihood of seeking fulfillment outside of the marriage. Others argue that individuals who are more likely to engage in affairs may also be more likely to consume porn, as both behaviors involve a desire for novelty and excitement along with a lowering of impulse control.
My own experience is that those consuming porn also experience difficulty controlling their anger. The uncontrolled anger becomes problematic for their marriage relationship. In such cases, the porn is not damaging their marriage directly, but rather indirectly. What is clear is that porn is correlated with marital dissatisfaction. It poses a threat to your marriage, even when there hasn’t been an affair. When something threatens the intimacy in your marriage, it’s a concern.
If your marriage has been impacted, now is the time to take action. The first action is opening up communication. with my 30 Days to a Better Marriage Program, you’ll be given the tools for opening up the lines of communication in your marriage.
If the two of you aren’t talking, you’re not being as intimate as you could be. Take action and order the program today.
Keeping It Real,
Jeff
