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With over 42 billion visits to Pornhub logged in 2019 alone, it’s no secret that porn is part of the everyday life of millions of people around the world.
So porn has been normalized, but is it healthy?
Many people are completely unaware of the harms of pornography and watch it for years without realizing how it might be affecting them.
If you’re like many people who started watching porn from a very young age, you may not have even chosen to be exposed to porn in the first place. Maybe a friend showed porn to you for the first time, or you stumbled upon it while doing homework on the computer.
Statistically, it’s very likely that you fall in that category, and you first discovered it while you were just a kid, and now you’re fighting a habit that you’ve developed over the years.
As our affiliate partners over at the Fortify Platform have talked about, no matter where you are on the spectrum—from habit to obsession to addiction—if you believe you have some kind of an issue with pornography and you want to ditch it for good, recovery is completely possible.
You might have heard our organization’s slogan: Porn Kills Love. You might know how much pornography can wreck your self-worth and your relationships, and that it can distort the idea of love and healthy sexuality. You have probably heard that it feeds the demand for human trafficking, and know the physical and emotional damage you can do to yourself and others because of porn.
But if all of that research isn’t truly motivating, we’ve got a number of short personal stories for you.
What happens when you stop watching porn?
While Fight the New Drug is not a recovery-focused organization—we primarily focus on educating about the harmful effects of porn and its connections to sexual exploitation—there are quite a few people who follow this movement because they’ve experienced for themselves how harmful porn can be in their lives.
We posed this simple question to our Instagram followers:
“How has your life improved since being porn-free?” Or in other words, what are the benefits of not watching porn?
And more recently, we posed the question to our Instagram audience again.
In response, we got hundreds of answers from both men and women. And we think you’re going to want to see them for yourself, especially if you’re considering quitting porn or you know someone who is.
So without further delay, here are 90 different real humans’ answers in response to our question of how our Fighters’ lives have improved since becoming porn-free.
Here are just a few of the answers we received in response:
- “Less stress and deflecting, more ME!”
- “Being porn-free helps me to feel alive.”
- “I no longer look at women as objects.”
- “Confidence in my own self-image. I never thought myself an attractive man until I started to quit.”
- “I’m not ashamed of myself all the time. It feels like I’m finally myself.”
- “Generally speaking, overall happier.”
- “I’ve been excelling in school and being more productive.”
- “My relationship with my husband has improved and my daughter gets all my attention.”
- “More confidence in myself and personal relationships!”
- “My husband has trust in me, and I have trust in him.”
- “I don’t view people as objects anymore.”
- “I don’t feel guilty 24/7.”
- “I can finally be friends with girls without feeling guilty.”
- “More confidence, more alive.”
- “I feel more secure in myself. Also more confident in the relationships around me.”
- “Better sex!!”
- “It certainly can provide the mental stability that not much else can.”
- “I’ve begun to see women as people again.”
- “I don’t know why/how, but I feel happier all-around.”
- “It’s improved the relationship I have with myself and my wife.”
- “I feel more motivated, more confident about my body, and I’ve stopped seeing others for their body parts.”
- “My boyfriend has opened up to me for the first time. So much love and intimacy.”
- “I can actually have sex with my girlfriend, I suffered from erectile dysfunction as a 22-year-old due to my addiction.”
- “As a minority, my last 3 relapses were real wake-up calls, made me quit for good.”
- “Improved mental health and more time to read!”
- “I don’t have to constantly compare myself to others.”
- “I don’t feel like a slave. I don’t have unrealistic expectations of what men should do to me.”
- “I am happier and don’t feel weighed down.”
- “I have the motivation to change and better myself every day.”
- “FREE and authentic. I can be myself, now.”
- “Since my boyfriend has quit, I feel so much more loved and valued in our relationship. We’re both happier.”
- “Better and deeper relationships, especially with my husband.”
- “I am more attracted to and have an improved romantic relationship with my partner.”
- “My mental health has improved and the standards from porn don’t rule my relationships.”
- “I feel more free.”
- “It’s helped tremendously, and improved my relationship with my girlfriend.”
- “So much easier to love my friends!!”
- “I can more authentically love other people for who they are.”
- “I got a girlfriend who I’ve been with for almost a year, got a job and I started going to college.”
- “I’ve been way more active and in the moment, and I have more time to spend with my family.”
- “I have so much more self-worth. I don’t objectify myself as much as before. Thanks for everything!”
- “I simply have more time on my hands.”
- “I can see the world through a new lens. I am no longer a slave to the addiction.”
- “The stress and anxiety that used to be persistent in my life is basically gone.”
- “Increased ability to focus and accomplish my goals.”
- “I can have deeper relationships with guy friends without looking at them in a sexual way.”
- “Mental health, can have control of my thoughts.”
- “I no longer live under guilt and shame. It’s like I’m breathing for the first time.”
- “I’m so happy and I finally feel free.”
- “Sex is much more romantic and intimate.”
- “I feel guilt-free and proud that I was able to overcome my addiction!!”
- “I have more control over myself.”
- “Huge confidence boost. I’m free to be me with absolutely no shame.”
- “Everything has improved. I’m no longer depressed or ashamed.”
- “More energy and joy in the small things!”
- “I have changed a lot, I am not ashamed of myself, I feel like a human.”
- “Small joys like eating good food or it being a nice day are amplified!”
- “I feel much more happy and much less lethargic!”
- “My creativity and energy levels are at an all-time high and more importantly I love this FREEDOM.”
- “I am more aware of my life and thoughts, living in the present. All positive thoughts and lots of energy.”
- “I feel like I’m more capable of giving/receiving love without the pressure of unrealistic standards.”
- “No more shame, hiding, less insecurity, more stability in all areas. And an awesome marriage!”
- “I don’t struggle with my [body] dysphoria nearly as much anymore.”
- “I’m able to look at women in a non-objectifying way now.”
- “Learned discipline, one of the keys to happiness and unlimited energy and control.”
- “As a woman, I have so much more respect for myself.”
- “I gained the desire to express myself artistically.”
- “Really happy and calm.”
- “My boyfriend can have physically have sex with me again, more intimacy in general.”
- “More time to enjoy life and better sleep.”
- “I have become confident and learned to love myself and others.”
- “Definitely feel less alone. I can feel more self-assured without needing external approval.”
- “Healthier thoughts, more creative mind, better social skills.”
- “I stopped feeling guilty and I was able to pursue goals that benefitted my life.”
- “I don’t hold back on my potential and acknowledge my worth. I feel liberated.”
- “It’s helped how I view my friends. They’re not objects anymore.”
- “Simple. I have more time to care about what is really important in my life.”
- “I stopped doubting my self-worth!”
- “Found a new partner after being single for 4 years.”
- “More energy, more confidence, better sleep, and many more [reasons].”
- “I’ve stopped seeing myself as an object that men can use and found more self-worth.”
- “I’m not completely porn-free but I’m fighting every day and I’m getting closer and it’s freeing.”
- “I’m focused, cool, calm, secure, collected, and emotionally stable.”
- “My mind has been cleansed and it life has been amazing, almost 1 year free.”
- “More confidence!”
- “No more feelings of hypocrisy weighing on my shoulders!”
- “No longer depressed, not anxious around girls my age.”
- “Skyrocketed confidence, no more performance anxiety, and improved mental health.”
- “I’ve been able to really desire relationships with a more positive and romantic mindset.”
- “I’ve been able to feel real joy and love in my life.”
Now, it’s your turn
Whether it’s for yourself, your loved one, or for the world, you can have healthier outcomes by not watching porn. Take a challenge and give up porn for 30 days, starting today. What do you have to lose?
We fight for real love because we believe everyone deserves to live their best, healthiest life possible, and that includes being aware and understanding how pornography can take away from real-life experiences and healthy relationships—including the healthy relationship you have with yourself.
In the end, pornography can detract from all the great things life has to offer, and viewers deserve to know the truth: watching isn’t worth it.
Need help?
For those reading this who feel they are struggling with pornography, you are not alone. Check out Fortify, a science-based recovery platform dedicated to helping you find lasting freedom from pornography. Fortify now offers a free experience for both teens and adults. Connect with others, learn about your unwanted porn habit, and track your recovery journey. There is hope—sign up today.
Fight the New Drug may receive financial support from purchases made using affiliate links.
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