A recent NIMHANS study, “Indian Adults' Problematic Pornography Use: Psychological Correlates and Predictors” has found a correlation between anxiety, stress, depression, and craving.
Published Jan 19, 2026 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 19, 2026 | 9:00 AM
Pornography and sex education.
Synopsis: Mental health professionals are increasingly worried about the consumption of easily accessible pornographic material crossing the safe line and becoming harmful. In a country where even conversations about sex are taboo, exposure to porn — once found out — leads to scolding, shaming or punishment, leaving users caught in a web of guilt, which could have undesired outcomes later in their lives. Researchers recommended sex education in schools and colleges to address the issue of porn addiction and misunderstandings about sexuality.
Mental health professionals are increasingly worried about the consumption of easily accessible pornographic material crossing the safe line and becoming harmful.
A recent study, “Indian Adults’ Problematic Pornography Use: Psychological Correlates and Predictors” by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), has found a correlation between anxiety, stress, depression, and craving. The finding highlighted how emotional distress often intersected with sexual behaviour.
“Problematic pornography use is not defined by the frequency of watching porn, but by the distress it causes in their life, relationships, or sense of control,” M Rajashekar, a Clinical Psychologist and PhD scholar at NIMHANS, who co-authored the study, said.
Explaining, he told South First that if pornography aligned with a person’s values and did not interfere with their functioning, it could be considered normal or recreational. It would become problematic when it leads to personal distress or real-life consequences.
In India, where conversations around sex remain taboo, and early exposure often leads to punishment rather than guidance, this distinction becomes particularly significant. It shapes guilt, shame, and secrecy around the use of pornography.
“Pornography, which people often initiate as a recreational activity, can become excessive due to its mood-modifying properties,” Manoj Kumar Sharma, Professor of Clinical Psychology at NIMHANS and a co-author of the study, said.
“Better treatment outcomes require addressing the underlying psychological factors driving its use,” he told South First.
The study examined problematic pornography use among Indian adults through an online cross-sectional survey conducted between March and June 2024.
It analysed 112 participants aged 18 and above, all of whom were facing difficulties due to their use of pornographic materials.
Participants completed standardised psychological assessments measuring depression, anxiety, and stress, along with tools that assessed pornography craving and the motivations behind their access to pornographic material.
The researchers also collected information such as the age of first exposure and patterns of consumption. Statistical analyses were used to examine correlations and identify predictors of problematic use.
The findings showed that problematic pornography use was strongly associated with higher levels of anxiety, stress, depression, and craving.
Earlier exposure to pornography was linked to a greater likelihood of problematic use later in life. Among all variables, anxiety and using pornography as a way to reduce stress emerged as the strongest predictors of problematic use.
The researchers concluded that problematic pornography use in India was closely tied to psychological distress rather than frequency of use alone.
They emphasised the need for culturally sensitive interventions, focusing on emotional regulation, mental health support, and better sex education, rather than moral judgement or punitive responses.
Rajashekar said the research revealed patterns that numbers alone could not fully capture.
In informal qualitative conversations with individuals struggling with pornography, one theme repeatedly surfaced: how parents and teachers reacted when they first discovered a child’s exposure to porn.
“In most cases, the reaction was aggressive and punitive,” Rajashekar explained. Rather than conversations or guidance, many participants were scolded, shamed, or punished.
These early responses often became a person’s first lesson about sexuality—one rooted in fear and wrongdoing rather than understanding.
Such conditioning has lasting effects. Many internalised the belief that sexual content was wrong, resulting in persistent guilt and anxiety that passed into adulthood.
“This early learning stays with them,” he said, noting that even later, it would be difficult for them to absorb accurate information about sexuality.
“Parents’ reactions have a huge impact on how children develop attitudes towards sexuality and pornography,” he added, mentioning that unresolved shame from early experiences often resurfaced later as psychological distress or compulsive behaviour.
Rajashekar said problematic pornography use in India could not be understood using Western frameworks alone. One major difference was the absence of comprehensive sex education and the prevalence of misinformation.
“Before people receive proper information, they are already exposed to ideas like complete abstinence or semen retention,” he said.
These concepts, often passed through peer groups or online spaces, created rigid expectations around sexual behaviour. When individuals inevitably failed to live up to those ideals, distress followed.
Rajashekar noted that it led to culture-specific difficulties. The pressure to remain sexually abstinent, combined with natural sexual curiosity, created internal conflict, seen more frequently in Indian clinical settings than in Western countries.
Another key factor was moral incongruence—the mismatch between a person’s values and their behaviour. Many individuals reported that their pornography use did not align with their beliefs, yet they continued using it for emotional or psychological reasons.
“This gap creates intense distress,” Rajashekar noted, adding that strong cultural and moral expectations made it pronounced in India.
In a society where sex remains taboo, Rajashekar said many people seldom viewed pornography-related difficulties as a behavioural issue but internalised them as a personal failing.
“People don’t think, ‘I have a behaviour problem,’” he explained. “They think, ‘I am a bad person.’”
This internalisation deepened psychological harm. Instead of seeking help, individuals often withdrew, carrying guilt and shame that heightened anxiety and stress. Over time, this self-blame became more damaging than the behaviour itself.
Stigma also fuelled widespread under-reporting. While online forums and messaging platforms hosted active discussions around pornography use, Rajashekar noted that those spaces often lacked reliable information.
“There is support, but there is also a high risk of misinformation,” he said.
As a result, approaching clinicians or trusted adults remained rare. Fear of judgement, breaches of confidentiality, and moral policing deterred many from seeking professional help, allowing problems to persist untreated.
Rajashekar opposed a one-size-fits-all framework for understanding problematic pornography use.
“It differs from case to case,” he said. “For some individuals, the behaviour resembles addiction, marked by cravings and loss of control. For others, it functions primarily as a coping mechanism.”
What mattered the most, he explained, was the motivation behind use. When pornography has been used as a route to escape loneliness, boredom, or negative emotions, it significantly increases the risk of developing problematic patterns.
“These motivations make a person more vulnerable,” he said.
In contrast, pornography used for sexual exploration or curiosity did not necessarily lead to distress or dysfunction. “Those cases have much lower chances of becoming problematic,” Rajashekar noted.
This distinction, he argued, was crucial for both diagnosis and treatment. Understanding why someone uses pornography offered far more clarity than focusing on how often their frequency of accessing adult content.
Rajashekar said addressing problematic pornography use required action at multiple levels.
At the individual level, he stressed the need for structured sex education in schools and colleges. “It has been debated for a long time,” he said, “but it is necessary to start somewhere.”
At the community level, he called for greater awareness among parents, teachers, and peer groups. When someone is found to be struggling, the response should be neutral and supportive rather than punitive or moralistic. “Character policing should not happen,” he opined.
Clinically, Rajashekar noted that mental health services in India were slowly evolving. Specialised clinics for pornography-related difficulties were emerging alongside anonymised online interventions designed to address concerns around confidentiality.
“These initiatives exist because many people are still hesitant to seek therapy,” he said, pointing to worries about privacy. Despite ongoing challenges, he saw this shift as a move towards more informed and compassionate responses.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
