Many people consider viewing pornography a legitimate, harmless pass time. Some people suggest that anyone who opposes pornography is making a moral judgment and has limited credibility. Professionals who are studying the effect pornography has on children, teens and adults are finding that there are serious negative effects of viewing pornography, independent of any moral considerations.

Here's a brief list of actual problems that pornography causes:

• Pornography presents a seriously distorted outlook on relationships, sexuality, bodies and gender - repeated viewing of pornography creates the impression that these distortions represent reality.

• When you view pornography, your body learns to respond to artificial, distorted view of sex which can cause problems with your ability to enjoy a healthy sexual relationship.

• Viewing pornography can actually undermine your self-confidence because you bond to a fantasy world that the 'real' you wouldn't fit into.

• Healthy sexuality always involves intellectual, spiritual, emotional, social, and physical elements. Pornography presents a shallow, selfish sexuality, where human intimacy is absent. Viewing sexuality as being only physical cuts one off from the full potential and richness of sexual experiences.

• Actual addiction can happen when a person becomes dependent upon the "rush"� caused by pornography, which is the body's production of adrenalin, endorphins, and other internally induced chemicals. He or she learns to depend upon this activity in order to cope with life's challenges, difficulties or emotional stressors, such as anger, boredom, loneliness, stress or fatigue. This creates the physical, mental and social elements which creates addiction.

• Pornography gives the false impression that sex and pleasure are entirely divorced from relationships. Pornography is totally self-centered - something you do by yourself, for yourself - by using others as the means to pleasure, a product to consume.