Teen Pornography: An Emerging Mental Health Challenge

Abstract

Exposure to pornography is not an uncommon and unusual phenomenon in the digital era, with teens being no exception. Exposure to pornography among teens may happen accidentally, out of curiosity, or intentionally to derive sexual excitement. Many individuals exposed to pornography may later develop pornography addiction. Most parents who are aware that their children view pornography are often worried about such behavior and sometimes seek help from mental health professionals. So, it can be certainly said that exposure to pornography among teens may cause significant distress in them and their parents. As pornography is a major source of sex education for a large number of teens, lots of myth and misguided information are harbored from watching pornography. This article focuses on the mental health aspects of pornography exposure among teens and the possible remedial measures.