Teen addiction to pornography a growing problem - WDAM.COM - TV 7 - News, Weather and Sports
The statistics are truly shocking. Children aged 12 to 17 are one of the largest consumer groups of online porn. Experts say this early exposure to sexually explicit video can hook kids on hardcore and often violent imagery.
Shelley Lubben is a former adult film actress turned anti-porn advocate. In 2008, she created the pink cross foundation which offers resources for teens struggling with porn addiction.
"We are raising a whole generation of porn addicts," says Shelley, "When you view pornography, it creates a chemical reaction in your brain, and for a youth who is in puberty, it's like a hundred times more stimulation."
Joseph Sciambra was first exposed to pornography when he was only 8 years old. And his fascination with porn turned into an obsession as a teenager.
"It's a difficult time in your life. You're feeling inadequate and lonely and depressed. And pornography really offers an escape," says Sciambra.
By the time he was 19, it was no longer enough to just watch porn, he had to be in it. So Scaimbra decided to become a porn star. He writes all about his experience in his book Swallowed by Satan.
Sciambra describes that, "Going into porn films was not a big leap for me because I had seen every sort of porn scenario."
Sciambra has now walked away from the porn industry. He says, since the release of his book, many teenagers have reached out to him about their own problem with porn addictions. He says "they know it's taking over their life."
Warning signs to watch out for include failing grades, isolation from family and friend, lying or being secretive about how they spend their time, and depression.
"Parents, you need to talk to your kids about the problem of pornography. And you can only do that if, first of all, you are not viewing pornography," Lubben says, "Put your pornography away first."
Shelley Lubben spoke to her own daughters about pornography before they discovered it for themselves.
