Our culture today has been persistent with its normalization of pornography. It is because many are becoming more and more sexually liberated, and for the longest time, even until now, there is a bad stigma around pornography in the society. Both men and women look at it, but often times they are uncomfortable or ashamed to admit that they do.
But let me get real and raw: I struggle with pornography.
At first, I thought I did it solely for the pleasure. Little did I realize that it’s more than that. It came from deeper roots of anxiety, insecurity, low self-esteem, frustrations and more. Consequently, it turned into a habit, and that habit became an addiction. The more I view porn, the more I recognize the damage it has been doing to me. It was toxic, and I knew it. It was gradually consuming me. Pornography has left me unfulfilled and unsatisfied. It has created in me fake standards of what real sex should look like. What is more, it has been trying to convince me that I can attain human intimacy and emotional connection through visual materials. But it’s all a lie.
The porn industry presents itself as attractive and glamorous, and it’s working out just fine. Porn and sex advertisements—whether softcore or hardcore—can be seen and heard almost everywhere. They can be in films, magazines, songs, books, billboards, etc. It's because sex sells. Today’s society has been more accepting of porn, thinking that it is normal and harmless, when science and facts tell us otherwise.
Many studies done by experts confirm that porn is actually damaging. It negatively impacts our brain, relationships, and the society. Furthermore, it has become the new drug in our community. Its prevalence has become a threat to the health of our current and future generations.
Don’t get me wrong, sex rocks! We are sexual beings, and we have sexual urges. But porn sucks, and it is not real sex. It doesn’t promote healthy sex either. That is why this year, I choose to not look at porn. I choose to quit porn to create healthier relationships. More than anything else, I choose to quit porn to create a healthier version of me. With that said, I know that this journey of me not watching porn won’t be a walk in the park. It would be challenging, but it is a challenge that I am willing to take to take head on. I am also confident that I am not alone in this decision. I am surrounded by people who support me and fight alongside me.
Interested in how porn negatively affects you, your relationships, and the society? Check out Fight the New Drug!
