With the advancement in technology, people in a relationship are spending more time together virtually. Virtually expressing feelings is very different than the expression of feelings physically.
One aspect of this expression of feelings virtually Is the exchange of sexually explicit pictures (nudes). News channels are seen Constantly talking about these sexually explicit images being leaked online, now the question is why do people still do it?
Some psychological reasons/motivators behind the exchange of sexually explicit
Pictures: –
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To express the feeling of “Trust” in a relationship.
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To express “Loyalty” in a relationship
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As a form of “Reward”.
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To “Manipulate” the romantic partner. Human beings have a tendency to make Irrational decisions when experiencing a surge of emotions (sexual arousal in this Case).
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To get “Attention”.
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For the feeling of “empowerment”.
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For getting “Validation”
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For the feeling of increased “confidence”
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To get “Leverage” in the relationship.
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To simply “spice things up” in the relationship.
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In many cases the partner is also forced or given threats to end the Relationship if such pictures are not exchanged, so “Fear” is also a reason.
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Lack of healthy boundaries.
Is the exchange of sexually explicit pictures wrong?
If an individual knows how to maintain healthy boundaries, then the exchange of sexually explicit pictures (nudes) is completely fine. One can never be sure when the dynamics of the relationship may change, so maintaining privacy is very Important. Such images are leaked online or on any social networking platform as a form of revenge, a partner may Perceive he/she was cheated, then they proceed to leak their partner’s sexually explicit pictures (nudes) in an attempt to defame them. For example, a person can share sexually explicit pictures while blurring the face or cropping the face. Humans are sexual beings, according to the Father of Psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud the libido is part of the id and is the driving force of all behavior. It is impossible to stop such behaviour, so what People can do is indulge in this activity rationally and maintaining healthy personal boundaries.
Importance of Professional Counseling: A friend or family member may listen to you, but they aren’t professionally, technically qualified or experienced to offer you professional advice. If you wish you can contact us at MindTribe to receive help from our team of expert psychologists.
About MindTribe.in.
MindTribe Founder Dr. Prerna Kohli, India’s eminent psychologist, established the company to leverage the strength of the online to make counseling affordable and accessible to everyone. MindTribe provides counseling, workshops, support groups, forums, and eLearning.
About the Author.
Atharv Singh is a psychologist at MindTribe.in. You can learn more about him by clicking here
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MindTribe.in, the Founders, or management team.
Acknowledgement: All images used are open source and from Unsplash.