Porn Usage and Erectile Dysfunction Among Young Men - UK Survey Reveals the Link

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a highly common concern affecting men across all age groups. While a range of factors, from medications to lifestyle choices, can impact a man’s ability to achieve or maintain an erection, one area gaining attention is the impact of pornography on sexual function - particularly with the rise of porn-induced erectile dysfunction (PIED) among younger men.

Awareness of PIED has grown in recent years, driven by factors like increased porn consumption and more open discussions on online platforms such as Reddit.

To gain deeper insights into this topic, we at The Independent Pharmacy analysed the r/ErectileDysfunction subreddit, examining posts that mention pornography as a possible contributor to ED to understand its impact.

In addition, we surveyed 2,000 UK men to explore the relationship between porn consumption and ED. Our survey examined the men’s awareness and attitudes toward PIED, trends in porn usage, and the age groups most affected. Through this study, we aim to shed light on how evolving digital habits and perceptions of porn use may influence this prevalent condition.

Examining the Online Discussion Surrounding PIED

Our recent analysis of the r/ErectileDysfunction subreddit uncovered some concerning statistics about young men and PIED. We examined over 900 posts, specifically investigating how many referenced both porn usage and ED.

Shockingly, nearly half (49%) of these posts mentioned both porn and ED, suggesting a troubling link between the two.

Age-specific data further revealed that 55% of those posting were under 25, raising important questions: what is PIED, and why is it becoming so prevalent among young men?

What is Porn-Induced Erectile Dysfunction (PIED)?

Although not officially recognised as a medical condition, porn-induced erectile dysfunction is a potential cause of ED, stemming from excessive porn consumption.

The believed cause of PIED is that overconsumption of pornography can desensitise individuals, making it more difficult to achieve an erection from real-life sexual scenarios. Online pornography is easily accessible, leading to dependencies and potential unhealthy habits or ideas surrounding sex, especially among young men.

While research on the potential PIED cause is still ongoing, it’s thought that watching unhealthy amounts of pornography may have psychological effects, restricting men from performing in the bedroom.

Further Reddit Analysis

The r/ErectileDysfunction subreddit is clearly a place for open discussion surrounding the incredibly common condition, allowing us to examine the current conversation among sufferers.

It’s intriguing to find that while many believe ED to be something only experienced by older males, there were children as young as 12 posting about their experiences.

In fact, the biggest age demographic posting about both ED and porn was 20-year-old males, making up 9% of analysed threads. This highlights the prevalence of ED among younger people, suggesting that societal stigma or a lack of information causes them to turn to the internet for advice.

Among people under 30, 46% spoke about the effects of pornography in relation to their ED. Many young males took to the subreddit for support in cutting down on their porn consumption.

Common titles of posts surrounding porn and ED like ‘Does masturbating without porn reverse PIED?’, suggest a lack of knowledge around the subject and reflect a common link between porn consumption and erectile dysfunction, seen throughout many posts on the subreddit.

Overall, our examination of the r/ErectileDysfunction subreddit has yielded some fascinating yet worrying results. It’s safe to say the average age of men posting about porn and ED is incredibly low, with 20, 30 and 22 being the three most common ages.

With almost half of posts mentioning pornography consumption in relation to the condition, it’s clear that PIED could be having a psychological effect on some men, leading to problems with gaining or maintaining an erection - impacting their sex lives and confidence.

Aside from pornography consumption, other topics included treatment advice.

UK Males Have Their Say…

Following the Reddit analysis, we commissioned a survey of 2,000 male adults in the UK to see how the data lined up with the opinions of these men.

Firstly, it’s interesting to note that two-thirds (66%) of men believe PIED to be a serious issue. In particular, it was the younger age demographics that indicated the highest level of concern - including 88% of 18-24-year-olds and 84% of 25-34-year-olds, a contrast to 46% of over 65s, who also shared this view.

Interestingly, almost two-thirds of men surveyed (63%) revealed they believe pornography consumption among young men has grown over time, with 31% perceiving this increase to be significant.

Specifically, 88% of 18-24-year-olds and 73% of 25-34-year-olds hold this opinion, emphasising the shift in porn consumption in younger generations. This is consistent throughout the Reddit analysis, with younger males expressing difficulty with ED concerning porn.

Overall, only 4% of men believed that porn consumption has decreased among young men.

Despite 56% of men surveyed stating they had no knowledge of PIED, awareness is much higher among young males, with 76% of 18-24-year-olds and 77% of 25-34-year-olds revealing they knew about the link between porn and ED. In comparison, only 13% of those 65 and over knew of PIED, showcasing a difference among age groups.

Popular explanations of the rise in PIED in young men included higher internet accessibility (76%) and early exposure to pornography (66%). Lack of awareness (49%) and social or peer influence (41%) were also listed as influencing factors.

Age demographics revealed that younger men (aged 18-24) believed increased access and exposure (both 86%) to be the top reasons behind the number of young men experiencing porn-related ED. Half of men within this age group also reported social and peer pressures as potential causes.

So, how does an increase in porn consumption affect the quality of erections? The survey aimed to uncover this in more detail and revealed that almost one-third (32%) of men report better erections with less or no porn consumption.

Younger men were more likely to respond in this fashion - with 46% of 25-34-year-olds and 44% of those aged 35-44 agreeing. On the other hand, 54% of men aged 65 and over were unsure of the effect of porn on erections, indicating a further gap in knowledge and awareness across generations.

Is there enough support available to men with PIED?

In the last section of our survey, we aimed to understand the troubles associated with PIED and the effect of decreasing porn consumption to aid gentile function, looking at whether there’s enough support on-hand for sufferers.

We asked UK males how easy they thought it would be for a frequent porn-consumer to quit altogether. 43% believe it would be difficult and a further 14% of respondents claim it would be very difficult for excessive consumers to stop watching porn completely.

City-demographic data highlights some disparities in opinions between locations around the UK. For example, 75% in Aberystwyth, 62% in Aberdeen and 57% in Coventry believe it would be difficult to stop porn consumption, compared to 38% in Portsmouth and 32% in Newcastle, who believe the opposite.

Similarly, 19% of survey respondents in London stated it would be very difficult to stop watching porn, while 18% in Wrexham and 14% in Southampton revealed they believe it would be very easy.

Again, this awareness is more common among the younger survey respondents, with 47% of 18-24-year-olds and 46% of 25-34-year-olds claiming it would be difficult to stop consuming pornography.

This could indicate a higher consumption of pornographic content among these age groups, as both demographics perceive quitting to be a challenge, demonstrating a potential dependence.

To manage this perceived difficulty to quit porn, there must be enough support available to men, allowing them to control their porn consumption and avoid potential conditions, such as PIED.

However, that’s not the case. Our survey reported that 68% of males don’t think there is enough support available for sufferers. Once again, it’s the younger age groups leading this charge, including 18-24-year-olds (75%) and 35-44-year-olds (71%).

With only 4% having the opinion that less information and support is required, it’s clear that men are crying out for additional resources to assist them with lowering porn consumption and managing conditions such as PIED.

Currently, treatment options available to men dealing with complications associated with porn use include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), support groups and 1-to-1 therapy.

Additionally, those suffering from PIED can utilise treatments such as Sildenafil Tablets, following a successful consultation with a medical professional. These tablets are not available over-the-counter but can assist with achieving and maintaining an erection by improving blood flow.

Sildenafil TabletsSildenafil tablets come in 25mg, 50mg and 100mg strengths, and are routinely used to treat erectile dysfunction.

Buy Sildenafil

In conclusion, our survey and Reddit analysis revealed some harrowing statistics surrounding porn consumption and its effects on erection quality, especially among young men.

It was clear from our social media examination that young adults were suffering from the overconsumption of pornography, which was impacting their genital function and sex lives.

We found it particularly intriguing to discover that two-thirds of men believe PIED to be a serious concern and 68% expressed a desire for more support for men trying to recover from porn-related ED.

Find more erectile dysfunction treatments and advice here.