YNOT EUROPE – Sex is perhaps the most enjoyable activity a human being can experience. It is precisely for this reason that sex can lead to dependence, according to researchers. There is no definitive explanation for why this happens, but researchers wonder whether pornography can pull certain triggers in people predisposed to addictive behaviors.

Led by Dr. Karen Faislander, scientists at a New Zealand university conducted a study to measure the relationship between personality types, admitted behaviors and porn in an effort to determine what factors might lead to “pornography addiction.”

The result, based on a sample of 600 people, was enlightening. Researchers identified fear of engaging in serious relationships, anxiety and insecurity as potential reasons for attraction to porn. The three factors emerged across the entire sample, regardless the social status of the subject.

In addition to asking subjects whether they used pornography, researchers asked the respondents if they ever had taken part in acts of prostitution or engaged in sexual acts in public. The study uncovered a correlation between pornography use and both of the other two practices. Researchers concluded risky sex and pornography use often occur together.

And what of the boundary between entertainment and addiction? Interestingly, of the 600 respondents, 407 considered themselves sex addicts.