BraveCo Podcast 180: Addiction Series with Nate Larkin: The Hidden Battle Every Man Faces & How to Overcome It
Aug 18, 2025
In this insightful conversation, Nate Larkin, founder of the Samson Society and author, shares his journey from battling porn and sex addiction to finding redemption. He explores the deep pain addiction causes in relationships and how isolation exacerbates struggles. Larkin emphasizes the necessity of community and authenticity for recovery, recounting how vulnerability transformed his life and marriage. Listeners will find hope through his candid reflections on overcoming shame and the power of brotherhood in healing.
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Early Exposure And Secret Shame
- Nate discovered Playboy at age 10 after his mother died, which triggered guilt and a lifelong secret struggle with pornography.
- He hid the habit while building a reputation as the “Christian kid,” and the secrecy deepened the problem.
Porn As A Learned Soothing Strategy
- Pornography became a default distress-management strategy that automated into compulsive behavior over time.
- Moving from still images to immersive moving images increased reward-system activation and accelerated addiction.
Seminary Escalation And Rock Bottom
- While in seminary Nate first saw hardcore porn in a Times Square peep show and rapidly escalated his seeking behavior.
- The addiction eroded his emotional connection with his wife and culminated in an encounter that convinced him he had hit bottom.
