Consider Before Consuming

Sara Brewer is a life coach who has helped numerous individuals overcome unwanted porn consumption. Initially, Sara found that many of her clients sought help to control their excessive porn consumption, which led her to concentrate on developing a coaching program specifically designed to aid clients in overcoming porn consumption, in a way that is shame-free and sex-positive. 

In this episode of Consider Before Consuming, Sara highlights the role that shame plays in perpetuating the cycle of porn use, including changing how we feel about ourselves. She also explains the concept of being sex-positive and offers advice to parents on how to have open and honest conversations with their children. Sara encourages people struggling with porn to seek help and believe in the possibility of change.

Fight the New Drug collaborates with a variety of qualified organizations and individuals with varying personal beliefs, affiliations, and political persuasions. As FTND is a non-religious and non-legislative organization, the personal beliefs, affiliations, and persuasions of any of our team members or of those we collaborate with do not reflect or impact the mission of Fight the New Drug.

Episode Resources

Article: How My Feelings of Shame Fueled My Struggle with Porn

Video: Emma's Story

Podcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 63: Dr. Debbie Akerman

Sara's Website: Overcome Pornography For Good

As a young adult, Carmen’s occasional porn habit turned perpetual, which he realized when he was looking at porn even when he didn’t feel like it. As a drug and alcohol counselor, he felt like a hypocrite because he was helping others in addiction recovery while struggling with an addiction himself. Once he began recovery, he realized the importance of not letting setbacks discourage him from continuing to try, and of not being alone in his struggle. 

In this episode, he shares with us his story of recovering from his unwanted compulsive porn use, the significance of understanding the connection between pornography and trafficking in his continued recovery, and how he uses his story to help others.

Episode Resources

Article: How Porn Can Fuel Sex Trafficking

Video: Carmen's Story

Podcast: Consider Before Consuming, Ep.93: Chandler Rogers

Carmen's Podcast: True Victory

Fight the New Drug collaborates with a variety of qualified organizations and individuals with varying personal beliefs, affiliations, and political persuasions. As FTND is a non-religious and non-legislative organization, the personal beliefs, affiliations, and persuasions of any of our team members or of those we collaborate with do not reflect or impact the mission of Fight the New Drug.

Matthias J. Barker is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who, through his engaging content about mental health, has gained a significant following on TikTok and Instagram. As his reach has grown, Matthias has worked with other experts in the field of mental health to create workshops and meets with clients in his own practice.

During the episode, Matthias provides valuable insights into the potential connection between unwanted behaviors and our childhood experiences. He also shares practical tools that can help individuals overcome such behaviors, including identifying the root cause of avoidance, confiding in trusted individuals, and understanding that genuine healing is possible.

You can find Matthias on TikTok, Instagram, at @matthiasjbarker or at matthiasjbarker.com.

Article: What Past Issues Are You Trying to Escape From When You Watch Porn?

Find Support:  Relay, the #1 group-based program for overcoming pornography use

Podcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 49: Matthias J. Barker

Matthias' Podcast: Matthias J. Barker Podcast: If You're Struggling with Porn

When Madi first discovered porn at the age of 13, she was immediately consumed by shame and the belief that she was the only girl looking at pornography. The cycle of looking at porn as an escape and the feelings of shame kept her from breaking free. Once she opened up to others about the struggle she was experiencing, she was able to understand that she wasn’t alone and to connect with her true identity. 

In this episode, Madi shares about her experiences and how she utilizes her story to provide support to other women and girls to know they’re not alone in their struggles, and encourages parents to have open, honest conversations with their kids about the harms of porn.

Fight the New Drug collaborates with a variety of qualified organizations and individuals with varying personal beliefs, affiliations, and political persuasions. As FTND is a non-religious and non-legislative organization, the personal beliefs, affiliations, and persuasions of any of our team members or of those we collaborate with do not reflect or impact the mission of Fight the New Drug.

Article: Don’t think Women Struggle with Porn? Read Stories from 5 Who Have

Article: Can Women Get Addicted to Watching Porn?

Podcast: CBC Ep. 97: My Experience Being a Girl Addicted to Porn for 13 Years

Madi's Podcast: Sisters on the Frontline

The following podcast episode contains discussions about child sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised.

When Kristi McVee became a police officer in Australia, she quickly realized how prevalent child sexual abuse was, leading her to want to teach both parents and children about cyber safety and how to protect children. Her organization, Child Abuse Prevention and Education Australia (CAPE-AU) seeks to provide an education for parents and caregivers around child sexual abuse protection and prevention. 

In this episode, Kristi discusses the prevalence of child abuse in the rapidly developing digital age, the impact of pornography on children, and stresses the importance of frequent conversations about digital safety between parents and children.

Article: Parents—If You Don’t Teach Your Kids About Sex, Porn Sites Will

Podcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 87: Lisa Frost

Conversation Blueprint: Let's Talk About Porn

Visit: Child Abuse Prevention and Education Australia (CAPE-AU)

Kristi's Book: Operation KidSafe:A Detectives Guide To Abuse Prevention

This episode contains discussions of child sexual abuse and sex trafficking. Listener discretion is advised.

Sage is a passionate anti-exploitation advocate whose interest in women's rights and healthcare led to her work as the Director of Impact for the Malouf Foundation and Executive Director of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation. Sage and her team engage in programs and initiatives that confront sexual exploitation through education, advocacy, prevention, recovery, and healing.

In this episode, Sage joins us to discuss sex trafficking—what it is, how it happens, and what we can all do to confront it. We also discuss ways trafficking can occur that may differ from typical assumptions, for example through the camming industry.

Access OnWatch training, Raise, and more at https://www.malouffoundation.org/education.

Article: How You Can Spot, Prevent, And Report Human Trafficking

Podcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 89: Elizabeth Smart

Visit: The Malouf Foundation

Visit: Elizabeth Smart Foundation

Visit: Onwatch Training

Julie Whitehead's Book: Shadowed

As humans, we have an innate desire to connect with others and form meaningful relationships. However, hundreds of studies show that porn can negatively impact our relationships, including how we see others and connect with those around us.

In this episode, we hear from experts Dr. William Struthers, Dr. Jill Manning, Dr. Freda Bush, Dr. Philip Zimbardo, Dr. Jason S. Caroll, and Heidi Als Ringheim on the ways porn impacts how we see, treat, and connect with others.

This episode is part of our Truth About Porn series. Truth About Porn is a current, ever-growing database dedicated to research on the harmful effects of pornography. Learn more at https://truthaboutporn.org/.

Video: Philip Zimbardo, Ph.D., Truth About Porn

Video: Freda Bush, M.D., FACOG, Truth About Porn

Video: William Struthers, Ph.D., Truth About Porn

Podcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 94: Jill Maning, Ph.D.

Article: How Porn Can Negatively Impact Love and Intimacy

Sex trafficking shares a variety of symbiotic connections with porn.⁠ Often they’re one and the same. ⁠Even in the production of mainstream porn, sex trafficking can still occur—and it happens more often than most people think.⁠

As long as there’s a demand for porn—especially porn that is extreme, abusive, or degrading—the porn industry will continue to meet that demand. ⁠Consider before consuming, and help Stop The Demand for sex trafficking.⁠

In this episode, we hear from experts Donna M. Hughes, Valiant Richey, and Mahri Irvine, Ph.D., who share the science and connection between the porn industry and sex trafficking.

This episode is part of our Truth About Porn series. Truth About Porn is a current, ever-growing database dedicated to research on the harmful effects of pornography. Learn more at https://truthaboutporn.org/

Episode resources:

Video: Donna M. Hughes Interview, Truth About Porn

Video: Dr. Marhi Irvine, Ph.D. Interview, Truth About Porn

Video: Valiant Richey Interview, Truth About Porn

Podcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 96: Valiant Richey

Article: How Porn Can Fuel Sex Trafficking

Over the last decade, an overwhelming amount of science and research has come out on the topic of pornography and its effects on the viewer. Hundreds of studies by experts show how consuming porn develops neuropathways that can change our brains and impact people individually, including how it can be habit-forming, become an escalating behavior, change how we view others, and even impact mental health.

But the good news is that we can retrain or rewire our brains to return to a healthier state! In this episode, we hear from experts Dr. Simone Kühn, Dr. Donald Hilton, and Dr. Andrew Dohm, who share the science behind porn’s impact on our brains.

This episode is part of our Truth About Porn series. Truth About Porn is a current, ever-growing database dedicated to research on the harmful effects of pornography. Learn more at https://truthaboutporn.org/

Episode resources:

Video: Donald Hilton, M.D. Interview, Truth About Porn

Video: Simone Kühn, Ph.D. Interview, Truth About Porn

Article: How Porn Can Become an Escalating Behavior

Article: How Porn Can Change the Brain

This episode contains discussions of sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised.

Rachel was first exposed to pornography at seven years old and went on to develop an addiction to porn for the next thirteen years. Despite getting treatment for anxiety and depression as a young girl, she never felt like she could tell others about her struggle with porn because it was something that "girls didn't struggle with." Rachel discusses the shame she felt from being a girl struggling with porn, how being exposed to violent pornography from such a young age caused her to later be desensitized to an abusive relationship, and why she now encourages people to talk about their struggle in order to break from the shame that so often keeps them struggling.

Article: Why Fighting Porn Must Include Fighting Shame

Video: How I Realized I Had A Porn Problem: Myuniqe's Story

Podcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 52: Katelyn