What contributes to the threat of increased exposure to pornography? The Triple Threat AAccessible AAffordable AAnonymous Dr. Al Cooper, psychologist who studies Internet Addiction Another factor has been added to this AAccidental Dr. Mark Laaser, Director of the Christian Alliance

Quick Exercise Think of something that generates negative feelings and allow yourself to feel it.

Mood Altering

How does it work? It’s about the reward center that governs pleasure -- and addiction. – Dopamine (pleasure) – Adrenaline (excitement) – Oxytocin (connection)

Let’s talk about Dopamine (pleasure) The pleasure experienced from dopamine can be highly addictive Brain scans show that levels of dopamine spike in the brain during sexual arousal resembles what the brain looks like on heroin. (Holstege, 2003).

Dopamine After sexual arousal and orgasm, dopamine levels plummet. During this natural recovery period we may experience intense cravings, as we unconsciously seek to raise our dopamine levels again.

Dopamine Noted physiologist Robert Sapolsky explains that the anticipation of a desired outcome produces more dopamine into the synaptic gap than during orgasm (called appetitive pleasure). The higher the probability, the more dopamine is dumped into the brain. For this process to work effectively, our brains must habituate quickly, desensitize to any given source that has stimulated it, so that the brain is prepared to respond to the next stimulus. This process signals the beginning of the addictive cycle.