Plagues and Toxic Secrets

One of my most memorable birthdays was the year that we discovered my daughter had lice.  I spent my day treating and combing out her long hair, cleaning and vacuuming the house and cars, washing all of her bedding and laundry, and bagging up the stuffed animals.  I was utterly exhausted!  I also became overwhelmed with the fear that we wouldn’t be able to get rid of the lice and live like a normal family again.  I was so consumed by these fears that I couldn’t enjoy my birthday dinner or birthday cake.  But a little voice in my head kept saying to research about lice and the lice life cycle.  I began my research and found that the knowledge I gained would empower me to fight the plague of lice. 
 

Although the fight against lice is very different than fighting pornography, there are some similarities.  One is that we can become so afraid of pornography that we are immobilized by fear and try to avoid thinking about it and acting.  Another similarity is that many of us keep the fact that pornography has made its way into our homes a secret.  When we had lice, we didn’t want anyone to know about it, so we wouldn’t be socially ostracized.  Users of pornography often keep this secret from their spouses and family members.

To overcome plagues, we need to become empowered by knowledge and seek help.  There are many resources such as https://fightthenewdrug.org/ that we can turn to.  We also need to stop keeping secrets that are harmful, such as pornography use.  There are some secrets which are good like a surprise birthday party.  But many secrets are toxic and can tear marriages and families apart.  Take steps to let go of toxic secrets—go forward towards a healthier you and more intimate relationships.