Defeat Lust & Pornography man on phone in bathroom
Defeat Lust & Pornography 1 minute read

Does Porn Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

Last Updated: August 4, 2020

Back in 2013, GQ Magazine published an article called, “10 Reasons Why You Should Quit Watching Porn.” Yes, the same GQ that published its “100 Hottest Women of the 21st Century” feature in the same year they also told men why masturbating to lust-provoking images is not a good idea.

The very first reason given was that men who are hooked on porn find it difficult to get or maintain an erection during sex. Why does watching porn cause erectile dysfunction? Well, online porn viewing is, among other things, novelty-seeking behavior: constantly clicking, multiple tabs open, always looking for the next girl, the next sexual buzz. A real woman—no matter how she looks—is only one woman. A brain trained for constant sexual novelty won’t find her arousing.

Porn-Induced Erectile Dysfunction

Dr. Abraham Morgentaler, who’s the clinical professor of urology at Harvard Medical School, says that many young men today suffer from what he calls porn-induced erectile dysfunction. These men are young, healthy men that can’t maintain an erection with the person that they’re with sexually. But they seem to be able to get an erection watching porn.

Related: Why Marital Sex Is Better Than Porn

The problem for these guys is not below the belt, but actually between the ears.

You see, real sex is about touching, being touched, pheromones, and really connecting with someone. Internet porn is about digital voyeurism, endless searching, clicking, and interacting with your hand.

If you train your brain for porn, that’s how you’ll best perform. So when you’re with a real woman, your pornofied brain isn’t sending enough of a signal below your belt to get aroused.

Do you think you have porn-induced erectile dysfunction? We’ve created an e-mail challenge to put you on your journey to recovery from PIED.

Start the RecoverED Challenge Today
  1. Jay

    I am totally lost and severely depressed by my addiction to porn. Just got dumped (divorce) and totally incapable of even thinking of starting another relationship because I am not able to get it up unless the right porn scene is present. I have tried to quit multiple times, but always end up rationalizing or creating justification to go at it. I barely sleep. I now fear real human contact. I am dead.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related in Defeat Lust & Pornography

Editor's Picks

circle of people holding hands around Bibles and praying

Defeat Lust & Pornography

Heath Lambert on the Power of Thanksgiving Over Porn

“Porn is only consumed by thankless people.” Dr. Heath Lambert isn’t coddling…

4 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Female student writing in a notebook, making a plan on stairs in city.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

The Anti-Resolution Approach To Change

The idea of waiting until the calendar flips to begin a transformation…

3 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Close-up of a young man writing his journal outdoors

Defeat Lust & Pornography

7 Keys to Integrity: A Student’s Perspective

Every year Covenant Eyes provides scholarship opportunities for students who use Covenant…

4 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Two young men studying the Bible.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

5 Ways Accountability Can Deepen Your Relationship With God

You probably recognize that accountability is a powerful tool for behavior change.…

4 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Man looking at his Bible.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

When Porn Leads To Despair

For the enemy has pursued me, crushing me to the ground, making…

4 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

boy before first Eucharist in a catholic church. child in white clothes with a candle in the church

Defeat Lust & Pornography

Everything Changed With a Video

I was a 14-year-old Catholic. I sang with the church choir, attended…

4 minute read

Read Post

Related in Defeat Lust & Pornography

circle of people holding hands around Bibles and praying

Defeat Lust & Pornography

Heath Lambert on the Power of Thanksgiving Over Porn

“Porn is only consumed by thankless people.” Dr. Heath Lambert isn’t coddling…

“Porn is only consumed by thankless people.” Dr. Heath Lambert isn’t coddling readers in his book Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace. While the quote from his book might sound like…

4 minute read

17 Comments

Female student writing in a notebook, making a plan on stairs in city.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

The Anti-Resolution Approach To Change

The idea of waiting until the calendar flips to begin a transformation…

The idea of waiting until the calendar flips to begin a transformation can feel overwhelming, especially when winter days are short, dark, and filled with post-holiday exhaustion. Instead of setting yourself up for failure by…

3 minute read

0 comments

Close-up of a young man writing his journal outdoors

Defeat Lust & Pornography

7 Keys to Integrity: A Student’s Perspective

Every year Covenant Eyes provides scholarship opportunities for students who use Covenant…

Every year Covenant Eyes provides scholarship opportunities for students who use Covenant Eyes. The applicants write essays in which they share their experiences, struggles, and victories—and their perspectives on what it means to use today’s…

4 minute read

0 comments

Two young men studying the Bible.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

5 Ways Accountability Can Deepen Your Relationship With God

You probably recognize that accountability is a powerful tool for behavior change.…

You probably recognize that accountability is a powerful tool for behavior change. The business world, the self-help world, and the porn-recovery world all acknowledge the vital importance of accountability.   But it can be much…

4 minute read

0 comments

Man looking at his Bible.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

When Porn Leads To Despair

For the enemy has pursued me, crushing me to the ground, making…

For the enemy has pursued me, crushing me to the ground, making me live in darkness like those long dead. My spirit is weak within me; my heart is overcome with dismay. Psalm 143:3-4 Has…

4 minute read

0 comments

boy before first Eucharist in a catholic church. child in white clothes with a candle in the church

Defeat Lust & Pornography

Everything Changed With a Video

I was a 14-year-old Catholic. I sang with the church choir, attended…

I was a 14-year-old Catholic. I sang with the church choir, attended Mass every weekend, and participated in youth group as often as I could. My friends and family had always warned me about the…

4 minute read

0 comments