Yes, in an article written by Hayim (a former video game player) on GameQuitters.com, he points out the similarities between video game addiction and porn addiction. The digital (video game) addiction seeks out different types of pleasure from the same source, however, the pleasure comes from something new and unique. Multiplayer games are such a hit due to the fact that they provide a new and different experience during every play. Porn is the same way as there are new varieties to every video when browning through online pornography. This is important to note because porn and video game addiction interact with a person’s dopamine reward system. There are massive dopamine rushes when one participates in either addiction, which ultimately, this leads to the dopamine tolerance becoming higher and higher. So to get that same rush the dopamine reward system needs more stimulation as there is a desensitisation to the original stimuli.
According to Philip Zambardo (the leader of the Stanford Prison Experiment) the pleasure one gets from video games and the pleasure one gets from porn are similar. He describes and refers to them as Present Hedonism. Those that Present Hedonism, can be described as people that live in the moment, seeking pleasure, novelty and sensation and avoiding pain.
It’s important to note that recently, gaming and porn have their own disease classification in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), which was created by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Here’s the article if you would like more information: https://gamequitters.com/link-between-gaming-and-porn-addiction/
If you or someone you know has a video game or porn addiction and would like to reach out for help, contact Safe and Sound Therapeutics for support.
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