A Porn Free 2024: A New Year’s Challenge
This blog is not for everyone, but if the statistics hold true, 66% of the men reading this and 27% of the women have struggles with pornography. And all of us have people we care about who are regularly pulled into this web and come away feeling guilt and shame as they hide their behavior from others.
In the age of digital information and easy access to explicit content, the widespread consumption of pornography has had significant consequences on many individuals, marriages, and families.
If you’ve battled with the destructive effects of pornography use, I want you to imagine getting to the end of 2024 and being free from this addictive behavior. My challenge to you is to tackle this problem head on and make this the year you overcome pornography (See the new resource available to help you at the end of this article).
Why is it important to get pornography out of your life? The subtle lie of pornography is that this is no big deal - it’s harmless and doesn’t hurt anyone. However, the studies on pornography paint a different picture. Research points to numerous personal, relational, and social problems that come with pornography use:
1. Distorted Perception of Relationships
One of the profound impacts of frequent exposure to pornography is the distortion of one’s perception of relationships. Individuals will often develop skewed ideas about intimacy and the dynamics of a healthy relationship, which can lead to dissatisfaction and other relational struggles.
2. Addiction and Escalation
Pornography can be highly addictive, with the potential to escalate into more extreme and explicit content and more frequent and compulsive behavior. This escalation often makes it difficult to find satisfaction in real-life relationships and can lead people to become more isolated, which adversely impacts their mental health and overall well-being.
3. Relationship Strain
The destructive nature of pornography is not limited to the individual; it extends to relationships as well. Pornography consumption can lead to a lack of intimacy between partners with one or both individuals falling into the easier route of pornography over the more difficult task of genuine connection. The addictive nature of this behavior can also lead to lies, hiding the truth, and the erosion of trust.
4. Impact on Mental Health
Research has shown a correlation between ongoing pornography consumption and various mental health issues. Individuals who consume pornography frequently experience feelings of guilt, shame, anxiety, depression, and lower self-esteem.
5. Objectification and Dehumanization
One of the fundamental issues with pornography is the objectification and dehumanization of human beings. We believe that each person is created by God, in His image, with inestimable worth. Pornography reduces people to mere objects of desire, stripped of their humanity and at its worst may also involve exploitation, trafficking, and the involvement of minors.
God desires for us to be free from the behaviors that control us, diminish us, and rob us of our joy. These activities hinder and distort real authentic relationships. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “lust is a poor, weak, whimpering, whispering thing compared with that richness and energy of desire which will arise when lust has been killed.” We are made for more!
If you would like help to get pornography out of your life, please click here to learn more about the Conquer Pornography Support Group for Men or call our office at 702 434-7290 to schedule an appointment with one of our counselors.
Happy New Year!
Mark Whelchel, M.S., LMFT