Reshaping Your Relationship To Porn with Dr Sarah Ashton

About this episode

Dr. Sarah Ashton discusses the complexities of porn, including its effects on self-image and addiction.

This week in The Labia Lounge I chat with founder of SHIPS (Sexual Health and Intimacy Psychological Services) and the Institute of Sexual Health Psychology Australia (ISHPA), Sarah Ashton. Dr Sarah Ashton is a sexual health psychologist and author with over 18 years’ experience working in trauma-informed sexual health, attachment, and complex sexual issues, so she's the perfect person to break down the topic of this episode with! The topic being PORN. We discuss porn’s potential for both positive self-discovery as well as its more challenging effects, tackling questions around porn addiction, “problematic use,” how it changes our brains, and why it’s so difficult to moderate in the age of smartphones and algorithm-driven content. The conversation also accounts for neurodivergent experiences and the societal forces that make porn so accessible, addictive and insidious. Key topics covered: Sarah's PhD research into young women's experiences with porn, including the impact on self-image, pleasure, and consent. Indicators of problematic porn use and why so many people (neurodiverse or not) find it a slippery slope. Porn's unique power due to anonymity, unlimited access, algorithmic…

People in this episode

Host: freyagraf

Guest: Dr Sarah Ashton

Topics covered

• porn addiction
• sexual health
• neurodivergent experiences
• self-discovery
• problematic use of porn
• neurological impact of porn

Keywords

• porn
• sexual health
• addiction
• neurodiversity
• self-image
• dopamine pathways
• intimacy
• algorithmic escalation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: SHIPS, Institute of Sexual Health Psychology Australia

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