I am not talking about the risk of a sexual disease.
Quite obviously, the risk of a sexual disease does not exist in watching porn.

I am talking about other kinds of health risks, like the ones discussed in this article:
http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/23/health/living-well/demise-of-guys/index.html

If what these therapists say is correct, then is it possible that seeing a provider is literally healthier for the mind and body than watching porn? In other words, by having an actual encounter with another human being, by being obliged to deal with both the good and the bad that exists in a "real" encounter, is there something about it that is more emotionally healthy than simply watching an image that is not a part of your reality?

I have often wondered how taking part in this world impacts one's desires and expectations in relationships that exist outside this world. Do our standards become absurdly high? Do we withdraw from trying harder to make other relationships work because we are satisfied with what is available here?

But now I see that there is another side to the issue. It is possible that the only option some men have is porn. And, if this study is correct, it may be that this world is healthier than the porn alternative.

I have some experiences that will definitely create a lively discussion.  However, it's not the kind of discussion I'd have privately.   PM me if you want to.

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But alas, I'd go broke.

So I'll just beat off, and go blind!

NDtBF

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Your post made me think of an issue I have never once seen discussed here before:

Who is the funniest provider anyone here knows?

We are always talking about and comparing tits, ass, pussy, and ability to use them.

I dont know of a provider who is anywhere near as funny as you are. But they must be out there.

When it comes to sex and relationships, women often rate us higher if we have a good sense of humor.

Do most men even care about how funny a woman is when deciding if he is attracted?

I think it would be awesome to fuck a provider who is funny as hell.

Of course, I'd also want her to be gorgeous...but funny would make it even hotter.

My $0.02- video games, porn, and even social sites, have caused a fissure in human interaction.  I've suffered through most of them.  It makes a person reclusive.  Sure, there's interaction, but it's not the true human experience- physical and mental chemistry.  Someone can make a case for FB, but it has caused a separation with reaching out to call someone to say hello.

The providers do things that can't be replaced.  They show expressions and emotions that should be more addictive than a technical escape.  There are risks in everything we do.  One takes the bad with the good.  If you treat any of the ladies poorly, reality will set in quick and possibly permanent.  We become humble and learn to apologize for our mistakes.  We learn the difference between confidence and overbearing.  There is no reset or delete, we mature in life.

Too much of one thing is bad.  In the case of accidentally calling 911 and then not answering when they call back... that's a $1,000 / 10 second learning experience if the police, fire truck, and ambulance show up (not me, a gamer friend LOL).  I asked him why he didn't answer the call...

I prefer meeting a provider than watching porn..it certainly help having a person you can talk to and have "fun" with. I think watching too much porn make you think more and more of the other sex as an object of pleasure and not a person.

This is very similar to my own thoughts about it.
The article I linked that led me to raise the issue does not explain this as well as you do; it does not really get into the issue as we might think about it here; it only suggests the idea.

The physical connection leads to interactions that may indeed promote healthy emotions and communications in a way that social media and porn sites cannot.

It is obviously not perfect, but I think it is a much better alternative than others available for many of us.
And I think it is not an inconsequential thing to bear in mind when talking about, or taking part in, this lifestyle.

It is very easy to argue that this lifestyle is less healthy than traditional coupling, even though that argument may not be quite as correct as so often assumed. Regardless, that argument leaves out an enormous portion of the population, and it ignores the opposite situation: retreating from physical interactions entirely.

The option for many of us is not between having a healthy committed relationship or taking part in this lifestyle; it is more frequently between having an unhealthy relationship, having no relationship, or taking part in this lifestyle.

When the realistic alternatives are considered, this lifestyle begins to seem much healthier than outsiders to it typically understand.

I have no scientific evidence to back this up, but I think porn leads to expectations that are not necessarily good for providers.  Guys watch a lot of kinky shit and then want to try it out themselves.  But a lot of providers are not kinky people, they are just ordinary women who have chosen an alternative lifestyle.  

There is no doubt that there is a high level of misogyny in porn which can lead guys to believe that prostitutes are just fuck dolls - and that level of dehumanization is very bad for providers.  I tend to think that laying off the porn is the best thing a guy can do unless he finds partners who love the nasty shit that goes on in those movies.

see a porn provider... solve  the issue without a tissue...

Hit the nail right on the head there.  Porn means instant gratification, then numbing of that stimulation, seeking of greater stimulus (i.e. greater depravity) and the cycle continues.

Not good for any human being.

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Playing a video game once in a while, or even a weekend game fest (with others online, or lan based) are fine as long as people arent neglecting the priorities such as work and family responsibilities.

Addictions are bad.  Before video games people would waste time watching TV.  There's all sorts of addictions, I think the drug and alcohol ones affect people the fastest because of the direct chemical interaction with the body.  But once addicted to porn, games, and hobbying, you will feel similar withdrawl symptoms when not being stimulated by your addiction.

Jack the ripper didnt need porn to feed and encourage his psychotic evil.

The trick is either knowing when you are loosing control of your stimulation, or trusting someone close when they recognize you are loosing control.  Then take steps to get back in control of your life.  For some, that means abstinance.

Addictions are what they are, loss of control of your life.

I got healthier once I started hobbying...became more body conscience, started eating healthier, cut down on alcohol, exercised & lost 25 pounds...Providers are good for your health!

Nothing like having your cock exercised too by a hottie provider, show your thanks & bust a nut on her!