The world's largest survey on sexual health has just established that around 20% of men between 15-89 years old watch more porn than they want to. Most of us, to some degree, repeat some behaviors that we know are harmful to ourselves - but why do some people let their lives be ruined by addiction? In this talk from TEDxAarhus, 2019, Casper Schmidt shares how the brain changes when watching porn becomes an addiction.
The idea for his work within the field of addiction originated from his interest in neuroscience, as well as a TED talk a few years back. Casper’s fascination with the brain fuelled his studies on this topic, which has led to remarkable results. Based on his neuroscientific research, Casper Schmidt established some of the earliest neurobiological markers of porn addiction – which in June 2018 helped lead to its inclusion in the World Health Organization’s list of diseases, opening new doors for treatment of this group of individuals.
Casper has a background as a PhD in clinical neuroscience and is a psychologist - he now works as an Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychology at Aalborg University.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx Based on his neuroscientific research, Casper Schmidt established early neurobiological markers of porn addiction – which in June 2018 led to its inclusion in the World Health Organization’s list of diseases, opening new doors for treatment of this group of individuals.

Casper finished his PhD in Clinical Neuroscience in the summer of 2019 and now works as an Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychology at Aalborg University. The idea for his work on porn addiction originated from a TED talk back in 2013 revealing a new phenomenon of people reporting porn as an addiction. Casper’s fascination by the brain fuelled his studies on this topic, which has led to remarkable results.Based on his neuroscientific research, Casper Schmidt established early neurobiological markers of porn addiction – which in June 2018 led to its inclusion in the World Health Organization’s list of diseases, opening new doors for treatment of this group of individuals.

Casper finished his PhD in Clinical Neuroscience in the summer of 2019 and now works as an Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychology at Aalborg University. The idea for his work on porn addiction originated from a TED talk back in 2013 revealing a new phenomenon of people reporting porn as an addiction. Casper’s fascination by the brain fuelled his studies on this topic, which has led to remarkable results. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx