J's Story

       Pornography is something that none of us can escape. We find it on the internet, on billboards, and at grocery stores as we are in line checking out. I found it when I was younger than 10 and typed something wrong into my search bar.  My friend J had a similar experience. She stumbled upon pornography in the 7th grade while playing on the computer with her friend. And like many, many other young children her curiosity spiked. She kept coming back, no matter how hard she tried to stay away.
       All the way through college this addiction followed her. "I hated it with every fiber in my being. I hated myself with every fiber in my being. I hated how angry I was, how withdrawn I was from other people, and how horrible I felt all the time. It was a short-term satisfaction traded for a lifetime of guilt." She writes.
      J did everything she could to get rid of this addiction, but nothing seemed to help, something kept pulling her back in. While still in college J met the man of her dreams. They got married and as she put it "I... was in the clear. Everything was smooth sailing" ...until one day the desire to go back was too strong. "It only takes two seconds" she writes. "[A]gain, the cycle of thinking I was a terrible person, feeling guilty, all that all over again. But this time I was married and I felt approximately ONE MILLION times worse. I had someone else I had to be accountable to, and I couldn’t hide my secrets. I wouldn’t hide my secrets. SO. I began the process again."  
     I love J and admire her bravery in telling the world about her fight with pornography. Visit her blog to read her full story and to hear how it is going now. She does an amazing job at offering hope and encouragement to those who need it.
   
For those who struggle with this addiction, you are not alone and there are people around you who want to help.  Follow J's example and get help. It is possible to change. If you know someone who struggles, let them know they are loved and are worthy of that love.