Am I Watching Too Much Porn?

Betcha’ when porn is brought up in a convo, you blush. All embarrassed and what not due the fact that you probably watch porn. I bet this feeling of being flustered is almost identical to the frightening thought of your parents barging into your bedroom when it’s your me time. And you get the drift about what constitutes me time.

But let’s not muck around here. A recent survey of 15,000 young Aussies conducted by triple j revealed that more than 2 in 3 young Aussies are watching porn. And what was even more stunning was that 65 percent of young men watch porn a few times a week or more compared to 34 percent of young women.

What does this tell us? Well, it tells us that we’re watching porn. And sometimes, a lot. 

Porn can be a bit weird. We’re basically bombarding our eyes with images, videos or even made-up fantasies of our deepest (even darkest) desires. Sometimes we go way too far down the rabbit hole and see things we wish we never saw- I could say too deep but that pun is outrageous in this context. Basically, it’s kind of like an extra-sticky theme park. It’s neon, flashy and thrilling. And at the end, you feel overwhelmed, ashamed and wee’ bit dirty.

But porn can also be great. In small doses. 🤏🏼

Porn can teach you some things (emphasis on some here)- positions, what you think you may like, you know, all that razzle-dazzle. But truth be told, watching a lot of porn likely won’t make you better in bed. Most porn is just someone’s fantasy of how they want sex to be and isn't like the real thing at all (the real thing involves a lot more awkward eye-contact and fumbling around). And with limited sex ed in school, it’s only natural we resort to the internet to teach us things school doesn’t. But fellas and gals, it’s important to remember that sex is nothing like porn. But that doesn’t mean it’s not good.

If you’re someone who is worried that you may watch too much porn, data showed us that 54 percent of males and 20 percent of females are worried too. This says a lot about how porn is a consumable item that is highly stimulating. So of course, it can be addictive and make you feel like you’re watching a bit too much.

But being ashamed won’t help ya. I’m not saying you go out guns a-blazing, yelling from the rooftops that you watch an absolute bucketload of porn or preaching how great porn is to someone who feels really uncomfortable about it (learn to read the room, people!). But being horny is just something that comes with being a teen, and openly talking about porn can help us dispel a stigma that shames us for satisfying our curiosity or exploring our bodies. As long as you're staying safe and always seeking consent when it comes to the real deal, then porn doesn't have to be this big, bad thing. 

So, don’t be embarrassed - more than half of young Aussies are watching porn too, whether they like to admit it or not.