Mental Health
Contradictory experiences of problematic pornography use in China: A qualitative study of multi-layered stigma within a morally restrictive socio-cultural context.
Open Access: Yes.
Abstract
Background and aims
Problematic pornography use (PPU) has received growing scholarly attention; however, much of the existing research has been conducted in Western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic (WEIRD) sociocultural contexts and may not fully capture how sociocultural factors can shape experiences of PPU in contexts characterized by stronger moral regulation surrounding sexuality. This study explored the lived experiences of individuals with PPU in China and examined how multi-layered stigma processes might have shaped PPU-related experience.
Design
A qualitative study using reflexive thematic analysis of semi-structured interview data.
Setting
Online recruitment and data collection conducted in mainland China.
Participants
Thirty-one adults who self-identified as experiencing PPU participated in online semi-structured interviews (26 males and 5 females; mean age = 31.32 ± 7.77 years).
Measurements
In-depth interviews explored pornography use experiences, motivations, perceived consequences, stigma and coping strategies.
Findings
Five themes were identified: multi-layered stigma processes; motivations for pornography use; manifestations of PPU; negative consequences of PPU; and personal coping strategies. Participants’ motivations broadly aligned with motivations reported in prior PPU research conducted in WEIRD contexts, but also reflected sociocultural factors emphasized within participants’ local context, including limited opportunities for open sexual communication, perceived gaps in sex education and concerns related to social and interpersonal risks. Participants described impaired control, psychological distress, shame, secrecy and self-blame, experiences that have also been documented in WEIRD contexts. However, participants described these experiences within a context of legal, familial and sociocultural regulation surrounding sexuality. Coping strategies were predominantly individualized and short-term, frequently accompanied by distress, intrusive sexual thoughts and recurring difficulties regulating use.
Conclusions
Although many experiences associated with problematic pornography use may be shared across cultures, sociocultural environments may shape how pornography use is morally interpreted, socially regulated and experienced as problematic, as well as how individuals cope with related distress and stigma.
Relevance
“Pornography use became increasingly salient in participants’ lives, occupying a dominant position in their thoughts, routines and motivational systems. All participants reported persistent cravings for pornography, even when engaged in unrelated activities…Participants described pornography as gradually shifting from an optional activity to a central focus of attention, often interfering with daily responsibilities, concentration and social interactions.”
“Pornography was widely used for mood modification…to restore emotional equilibrium, calm themselves or temporarily alleviate stress. Participants described pornography as a reliable method for coping with negative emotions, including anxiety, irritability, sadness and frustration. Although emotional relief was perceived as effective in the short term, participants noted that the reliance on pornography for emotional regulation increased over time, reducing their capacity to cope through alternative strategies.”
“Relapse was a common and distressing experience. All described a loss of time awareness and diminished self-control during pornography use, often consuming content far longer than intended. Attempts to restrict or abstain were frequently followed by recurrence.”
“Over time, many participants reported developing tolerance. Once stimulating content gradually became insufficient, leading to dissatisfaction and escalation. More than half described spending progressively more time viewing pornography (58.1%), increasingly searching for novel or extreme content (54.8%) and frequently fast-forwarding through videos to segments they considered more stimulating (61.3%), which were interpreted as reflecting escalating stimulation-seeking tendencies. Despite increased consumption or viewing more extreme content, one in three participants (38.7%) described that pornography became progressively less satisfying over time, contributing to repetitive and compulsive patterns of use.”
“Participants commonly experienced distress when attempting to stop or reduce their pornography use. These included intense cravings (35.5%), restlessness (48.4%), irritability (29.0%), difficulty concentrating (48.4%), sleep disturbances (32.3%) and heightened sexual thoughts (19.4%). Around half (51.6%) also reported noticeable changes in mood, cognition and emotional stability, such as increased anxiety, low mood or mental fatigue.”
“Participants frequently described psychological consequences beyond the immediate experience of pornography use. Many participants reported diminished interest in real-life sexual relationships, including reduced desire (45.2%) and difficulty achieving arousal without pornography (25.8%). Approximately one-third (35.5%) further described feeling emotionally detached during partnered sexual activity, perceiving pornography as more stimulating or controllable. The majority (87.1%) experienced persistent guilt, shame, fear of discovery and self-abasement, often following pornography use, and reinforcing a cycle of distress and repetition.”
“Nearly all participants (96.8%) reported social withdrawal, preferring solitary use over socializing or hobbies. Many (58.1%) described intrusive thoughts that reduced concentration, productivity and academic or work performance. Nearly half (48.4%) reported difficulties forming or maintaining intimate partnerships.”
Citation
Jin, F., Zhang, W., Wang, P., Grubbs, J. B., Bőthe, B., & Wang, Z. (2026). Contradictory experiences of problematic pornography use in China: A qualitative study of multi-layered stigma within a morally restrictive socio-cultural context. Addiction. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70587
