Are you watching too much porn? Psychologists have developed a test to measure whether someone is watching too much porn. The scale was developed after there was significant evidence that watching too much can harm health. This scale helps therapists diagnose problematic pornography use (PPU). This is a type of compulsive sexual behaviour disorder (CSBD), which can affect a person's mental and sexual relationships and may lead to sexual violence.

As reported in the DailyMail, PPU is on the rise, and experts fear that it may lead to conditions like erectile dysfunction, anxiety, and depression, alongside withdrawal symptoms. This is why the experts have come up with a scale to detect PPU.

We spoke to relationship counsellor Ruchi Ruuh, and asked her what could happen if someone watches too much porn and how it affects their sex life? "Frequent exposure to porn can heavily shape sexual scripts, creating distorted ideas about what sex should look like, who should initiate it and what is considered desirable or acceptable. What the whole experience does is that it creates unrealistic physical expectations," she explains.

Ruuh points out that the bodies and genitals depicted in porn form an idealised image which leads to dissatisfaction with their own bodies and their partner's natural appearances.

What Is Porn?

Ruuh explains that it is a performance practised by professionals under guidance. It showcases sex as a flawlessly coordinated and intense, act. It is devoid of pressure, emotions and pauses that are very much a part of a real sexual encounter. This is what creates stress when one tries to replicate such acts in real life.

Another problematic aspect is the glorification of kinks. Most Porn has some kind of kink, performed flawlessly with partners completely in sync and enjoying it. "Porn often highlights extreme or niche kinks as commonplace. While this may normalise exploration, it can also lead to people feeling pressured to engage in acts they’re not ready for or genuinely uncomfortable with," she notes.

Real-life communication, consent and vulnerability are often missing in porn, leading viewers to expect sex to be spontaneous and instinctive.

Porn Leads To Unrealistic Expectations In A Relationship

Due to the unrealistic depiction of genitals, like hairless, symmetrical or surgically enhanced body parts, it can lead to criticism of a partner's body. Many also believe that sex should mirror pornographic perfection. It also misunderstands certain that not all acts can bring pleasure to your partner and that there are certain acts where your partner can draw boundaries.

Affecting The Young Minds

DailyMail reports that the UK has the second highest incidence of internet porn searches in the world, with an average of 1,66,00,000 searches each month. A quarter of 16 to 21-year-olds first saw porn on the internet and were still in primary school. By the age of 13, 50% of them have already been exposed to it. As per a 2015 report published in the Open Journal of Psychiatry & Allied Sciences, in India, 63% of youths in urban areas reported watching porn, with 74% accessing it through their mobile phones. The online erotic comic is also accessed in India.

Ruuh points out that young viewers may think that kinks are common and desired by everyone when it is not actually the case. "They might force, coerce, even shame their partners for being vanilla. Believing that extreme acts, such as BDSM or group sex, are the default rather than exceptions or consensual choices between partners."

There is also an overemphasis on aesthetics, on how the partners look or behave, which may be dissatisfactory in real circumstances. It also creates a perception that sex must escalate or surprise, rather than valuing it as an emotional connection and trust.

"Porn has no real representation of how a relationship dynamic works and how the emotional safety and intimacy ultimately lead to sexual desire. This missing gap makes individuals value the desire for novelty over intimacy which can be detrimental to forming a healthy relationship," says Ruuh.

It also creates anxiety in the bedroom. For instance, your partner may experience performance anxiety for not being "adventurous enough", or body image issues, kink pressure and fear of judgment, which might come from the expectation to perform unrealistic acts.

"Porn often creates a gap between what's fantasy vs the reality. It involves exaggerated scenarios that might seem appealing during solo play for imagination but feel impractical, uncomfortable or even undesirable in real-life settings. This over-reliance on porn’s extreme visuals or specific kinks can create arousal triggers that might not translate into partnered sex, causing frustration or a sense of disconnection. For example, someone might fantasize about certain acts during solo sex, influenced by porn, but find their partner uncomfortable with them. Sex is doing things, two people understanding and pleasing each other accordingly. With Porn, only a one-sided understanding of sex is created, which might make it hard to prioritize shared enjoyment and mutual consent during intimacy," explains Ruuh.

Can It Also Impair People's Communication?

Ruuh says that it could make people feel embarrassed about expressing desires influenced by porn, worrying their partner will find them strange or abnormal. Sometimes, the person also expects their partner to know their kinks, just like what porn shows. Most porn does not show any backstory of how two people or more came to a conclusion on what acts must they perform, this could lead to an unrealistic expectation that your "partner already knows what you want".

"Since porn rarely depicts discussions about emotions, boundaries or consent, viewers may lack the tools and vocabulary to articulate their own needs or respect a partner’s," she says.

So What Does The Porn-Test Scale Do?

Developed by academics from Nottingham Trent University, the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale has questioned hundreds of porn users, of both sexes and led to an 18-point questionnaire which can be carried out at home too.

The test found that men are more likely to score highly in this than women, regardless of their sexual orientation.

The test is developed around the 6 core elements of PPU. These include: salience, which refers to how important pornography is to a person's life; mood modification: how much they use masturbation to porn as a way of making them feel a certain way. Conflict: how much does masturbation to porn impact on the significant others, if it gets in the way of their work or other commitments. Tolerance: is masturbation to porn a necessary requirement to achieve a certain mood; relapse, which refers to attempts to abstain and then return to the problematic behaviour patterns; and lastly withdrawal: unpleasant feelings and emotional states that occur after quitting or attempting to quit porn.

Colorectal cancer is a major health concern, ranking as the second deadliest cancer worldwide. The good news is that if doctors find it early, it's very treatable. The problem is, the main way to diagnose it is with a colonoscopy, which can be uncomfortable and expensive.

Because of this, many people put off getting tested, which leads to late diagnosis. This is especially worrying now, as more young people are getting this type of cancer for reasons doctors don't fully understand yet. But a team from the University of Geneva has found a new, simple way to check for it using a stool sample.

Can Stool Samples Reveal Colon Cancer?

For a long time, we've known that the bacteria living in our gut play a role in whether we get colorectal cancer. However, turning that knowledge into a useful test has been tricky. The main reason is that even bacteria from the same family can act completely differently. Some might encourage cancer, while others do nothing at all.

To get around this, the researchers decided to look at a new level of detail: bacterial subspecies. This lets them see how specific groups of bacteria function without getting confused by tiny, individual differences, making the test much more reliable across different people.

How Is A Colonoscopy Done?

A colonoscopy is a medical procedure that allows a doctor to look at the inside of your entire large intestine, also called the colon.

To perform the procedure, a long, flexible tube with a small camera and a light on the end is gently inserted into your rectum and guided through your colon. This tube, called a colonoscope, sends images to a monitor so the doctor can see everything inside. Beyond just looking, the colonoscope is a versatile tool. It allows the doctor to:

• Use a jet of water to rinse the colon lining.
• Use a small suction device to clear any liquid stool.
• Inject air to make it easier to get a clear view of the lining.
• Use special tools that fit through the tube to work inside your colon.

During the procedure, your doctor can also remove small pieces of tissue or abnormal growths called polyps for further testing. They can also treat certain problems they find on the spot.

How Accurate Is The Stool Test For Cancer?

To make this new test a reality, the researchers had to process a massive amount of information. Using a powerful computer program called machine learning, they created the first-ever detailed catalog of human gut bacteria subspecies.

They then fed this information into a model, which learned how to spot the signs of colorectal cancer just by analyzing the bacteria in a stool sample. The results were amazing: the test was able to detect 90% of cancer cases. This is very close to the accuracy of a colonoscopy (94%) and is a huge improvement over all other non-invasive tests currently available.

The potential for this discovery is huge. The researchers are already starting a new study to make the test even better, so it can detect different stages of cancer. In the future, this simple stool test could become a regular part of cancer screening. If the test came back positive, a person would then get a colonoscopy to confirm the diagnosis. This would save many people from having to go through a colonoscopy when they don't need one. But the possibilities don't stop there. The same method could eventually be used to create simple tests for a wide range of diseases, all from just one gut bacteria sample.

West Nile Cases in the US: The United States seems to be facing a fresh health challenge this season. After a rise in COVID-19 cases, Los Angeles County has now confirmed its first human infections of West Nile virus for 2025.

According to LA County Department of Public Health officials, four residents have been hospitalised with the mosquito-borne illness between late July and late August. The patients are from the Antelope Valley, San Fernando Valley, and central Los Angeles, and all are currently recovering.

With West Nile virus once again making its presence felt, it is important to understand the disease and the precautionary steps that can help lower the risk of infection.

West Nile Virus: How the Virus Is Spreading In The US

West Nile virus continues to be the most widespread mosquito-borne illness in the continental United States. The World Health Organization warns that while most infections are mild or even unnoticed, the virus can, in rare cases, lead to fatal neurological disease.

Roughly 80% of people who contract West Nile show no symptoms at all. Transmission occurs primarily through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The first confirmed cases of the 2025 season were reported this week by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

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“The first human cases of West Nile virus are an important reminder that we all need to take steps to prevent mosquito bites and mosquito breeding,” said Dr Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County Health Officer. He added that mosquitoes flourish in hot weather, which raises the risk of both bites and mosquito-borne illness.

West Nile virus is usually detected in LA County during the summer months, when warm overnight temperatures help mosquito populations thrive. On average, the county records about 56 human cases each year. Officials believe the real number is much higher, since most infections either cause no illness or only mild symptoms. Of those reported, however, three-quarters are considered severe, and about 10% of those cases result in death from complications.

What Are the First Signs of West Nile Virus?

Most people infected with West Nile virus never develop symptoms, about 80% remain asymptomatic. For the remaining 20%, the illness typically appears as West Nile fever, which includes flu-like signs such as fever, headache, fatigue, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes a rash on the trunk or swollen lymph nodes, according to the World Health Organization.

In rare cases, the infection can progress to a severe neuroinvasive disease such as encephalitis, meningitis, or poliomyelitis. Symptoms of this form include high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, confusion, stupor, tremors, seizures, muscle weakness, paralysis, and in extreme cases, coma. Around 1 in 150 infected individuals develop such severe illness.

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Although serious disease can occur at any age, people over 50 and those with weakened immune systems such as transplant recipients face the highest risk of complications. The incubation period for West Nile virus usually ranges from 3 to 14 days after a mosquito bite.

West Nile Virus Treatment: Do We Have a Vaccine Yet?

There is currently no specific treatment or vaccine for West Nile virus in humans. Care is supportive, especially for patients with neuroinvasive disease. Severe cases may require hospitalization, intravenous fluids, respiratory support, and measures to prevent secondary infections.

West Nile Virus Precaution Tips

Since no licensed vaccine or medication exists to prevent West Nile virus, the most effective protection is avoiding mosquito bites. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following steps:

• Use insect repellent that is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Wear long, loose-fitting clothing to reduce exposed skin.
• Limit outdoor activity between dusk and dawn, when the mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus are most active.
• Keep mosquitoes out by using window and door screens or air conditioning where possible.

Prevention is always better than cure, and the simplest way to stay protected from West Nile virus is by keeping mosquitoes at bay.

Global pop star Selena Gomez has opened up about developing arthritis as a consequence of lupus. The singer, who has long been candid about her health challenges, was first diagnosed with lupus in 2013 and later underwent a kidney transplant.

In a recent conversation with Amy Poehler on her podcast ‘Good Hang with Amy Poehler,’ Gomez discussed her Rare Beauty brand, including its easy-to-use packaging, and shared how her personal health experiences influenced these choices. “I have arthritis in my fingers because of my lupus,” she said. “Before I started the right treatment, even simple things like opening a water bottle were really painful.”

What Is Lupus?

Lupus is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation throughout the body. In this disease, the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues instead of protecting them. Depending on which tissues are affected, lupus can impact the skin, blood, joints, kidneys, brain, heart, or lungs.

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Medically known as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), lupus can affect anyone, though it is far more common in women, particularly those between 15 and 45 years of age. Symptoms vary widely and may include joint pain, fatigue, rashes, and even complications involving internal organs. The disease is unpredictable—it can remain quiet for months and then flare up suddenly, often without warning.

For Selena Gomez, lupus has been more than a medical diagnosis; it has profoundly influenced her life. She first publicly shared her lupus diagnosis in 2015, explaining how she had to pause her career to focus on treatment.

How Does Lupus Trigger Arthritis?

On a recent episode of Good Hang with Amy Poehler, Selena Gomez revealed that lupus caused arthritis in her fingers. Unlike osteoarthritis, which results from joint wear and tear, lupus-related arthritis stems from immune system dysfunction. When the immune system attacks its own tissues, it can lead to:

• Inflammation and swelling in the joints, particularly in the hands, wrists, and knees
• Painful stiffness, often worse in the morning
• Flare-ups that make even simple tasks, like opening a water bottle, difficult

• Painless mouth sores
• Skin rashes, including the classic butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose
• Fatigue and unexplained fevers
• Chest pain or difficulty breathing
• Headaches, dizziness, brain fog, or confusion
• Sensitivity to light and hair loss

Early Signs of Lupus in Females

Lupus predominantly affects women, with about nine out of ten cases occurring in females. Early recognition is key to timely diagnosis and effective management. Common early signs include:

• Persistent fatigue
• Joint pain or swelling, especially in hands, wrists, and knees
• Skin rashes, particularly the butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose
• Hair thinning or hair loss
• Mouth sores
• Sensitivity to sunlight
• Raynaud’s phenomenon, where fingers and toes turn white or blue in response to cold or stress

Managing LupusCurrently, there is no cure for lupus. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms and reducing flare-ups, with the goal of putting the disease into remission, which means long periods without symptoms.