Addressing Addiction

I started watching porn in secondary school. It was “normal” – all the guys were doing it. We openly talked about it. I started getting bored of “regular” porn and began watching various genres. This increased my sexual appetite over time.

This led to my first experience with an escort when I was 20. It was exciting and satisfying. I had an income and could afford it on a semi-regular basis. However, I would always feel slightly guilty about it. Porn and masturbation would make me feel better. It was a vicious cycle, which I also thought was “normal” because I knew that my friends were doing it too.

We think that when we get a partner, we will stop this and everything will be okay. We don’t realize that porn can be an addiction like any other. A partner will likely not be able to fulfill our sexual desires fueled by porn. My counsellor pointed out that because of this, there are many cases of husbands and fathers continuing to watch porn and seek escorts in secrecy. When these men are caught, marriages are dissolved and relationships are ruined. There is also a high chance of STDs, some of which are incurable. Porn also teaches us to view women as sex objects. How can we be a good son, a good father, a good boyfriend, a good husband, a good uncle, then do this in secrecy?

Besides this, there are other reasons such as religion which is incompatible with porn, masturbation and prostitution. This is an underlying truth in all faiths. Rediscovering God played a huge role in my journey to curb this habit.

Porn is the root of many problems in society today. It is not “normal”. Porn kills relationships. Porn kills love. My counsellor came up with individualized methods for me to curb watching porn. There is no “one-size fits all” method. There is no quick fix. It takes time to reprogram our brain and revert back to the healthy person we once were. Why do we watch porn? We all have different reasons which require different solutions.

Six months on, I have not visited an escort. I find that reprehensible. The thoughts are still there, lying dormant in my mind. Porn is just a view clicks on a smartphone away. But I know how to deal with such thoughts now. Seeking help has made me a better person, and has enabled and empowered me to get rid of this terrible habit. I am grateful to SCC and my counsellor for this.

– Client J, 2018

There is no quick fix. It takes time to reprogram our brain and revert back to the healthy person we once were.

But I know how to deal with such thoughts now. Seeking help has made me a better person, and has enabled and empowered me to get rid of this terrible habit.

I am grateful to SCC and Joseph for this.

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