Madi, a former porn consumer, shares her struggles with shame and isolation. She emphasizes the importance of opening up about such issues to find support. The podcast delves into normalizing conversations about porn, empowering women to speak out, and finding joy amidst struggles.
Women struggle with porn in silence due to shame and societal misconceptions.
Connecting with others and seeking help can break the cycle of porn consumption and shame.
Deep dives
Breaking Free from Shame and Isolation
Maddie recalls her early exposure to pornography at 13, feeling shame due to conflicting beliefs, and struggling in silence as a woman in a world that often associates porn issues with men. The cycle of temporary relief from problems through porn consumption lasted for years, fueling shame and isolation. Overcoming this cycle required mindfulness to understand underlying emotional triggers and seeking connection with a trusted adult for reassurance and guidance.
Empowering Recovery Through Acceptance and Communication
Maddie shares her journey of self-discovery and coping mechanisms, highlighting how self-esteem and body image issues influenced her porn consumption. By recognizing the impact on her mental health and joy in everyday life, she emphasizes the importance of replacing harmful habits with positive activities and fostering open communication with trusted individuals to combat shame and promote healing.
Advocacy for Women's Voices and Supportive Messaging
Through advocating on platforms like Sisters on the Front Lines, Maddie fosters conversations around porn's harmful effects and recovery journeys, particularly focusing on women's experiences. She encourages women to seek connection, understand their worth beyond physical appearance, and embrace the beauty in the recovery process as a shared, empowering journey.
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.
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