He feels much better, and with renewed vitality, retires to the den to catch up on some reading. Ben prefers the Internet. In the quietude of his home office, and without distraction from his wife, Ben surfs the Internet for pornographic web sites. Themes of bondage, domination, and sadism are particularly appealing to him. He masturbates with fantasy, but never seeks sexual gratification with a partner outside of his marriage.
Pornography can, as many have argued, increase sexual excitement and variety.
Research has also shown that pornography can decrease sexual tensions in some men. In addition, other research has suggested that there is no direct causal relation between pornography and sex crimes in America. The problem is that both Hal and Ben are at risk for developing a serious and harmful compulsion. Such mood altering coping strategies keep individuals from developing more adaptive and healthier ways of managing emotions. Hal and Ben are at risk for developing other difficulties as well.