Consider Before Consuming

Because of neuroplasticity, our brains constantly change in healthy ways that help us learn and complete tasks more efficiently. Yet, supernormal stimuli such as porn can trigger measurable changes that can influence our lives in unhealthy ways. This episode is a part of our Get The Facts series, where we explore the research on a specific topic  surrounding porn’s harms to help you be more inform...

Trigger Warning: This interview includes frank, explicit, discussions about rape, sex trafficking, and suicide ideation that may be triggering to some. Listener discretion is advised. Jane Doe grew up in Washington state with a loving family, never expecting that she’d be victimized by one of the largest trafficking schemes to date in today’s mainstream porn industry. Twenty-one days after her 22n...

Most young people are getting at least some of their education about sex from porn, whether they mean to or not. This is especially concerning, considering how wildly unrealistic and toxic porn can be. This episode is a part of our Get The Facts series, where we explore the research on a specific topic  surrounding porn’s harms to help you be more informed and more empowered with the facts. You ca...

Trigger Warning: This interview includes frank, explicit, discussions about rape, sex trafficking, and suicide ideation that may be triggering to some. Listener discretion is advised. Jane Doe grew up in Washington state with a loving family, never expecting that she’d be victimized by one of the largest trafficking schemes to date in today’s mainstream porn industry. Twenty-one days after her 22n...

Many porn consumers use porn as a self-soothing technique when they’re feeling lonely or depressed, but research suggests that porn may actually fuel mental health issues, rather than help them. This episode is a part of our Get The Facts series, where we explore the research on a specific topic  surrounding porn’s harms to help you be more informed and more empowered with the facts. You can find...

Trigger Warning: The following podcast episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual violence. Listener discretion is advised. Did you know that pornography can actually deeply impact the way we view and treat those around us? Just ask Rus Funk, an advocate dedicated to advancing gender, sexual, and racial equality for over 30 years. One of his biggest projects is a curriculum called, What’s Wro...

When a person is suffering from an addiction or compulsion, their stress response and their addiction can become intertwined in unhealthy ways, thus creating an unhealthy coping cycle. This episode is a part of our Get The Facts series, where we explore the research on a specific topic  surrounding porn’s harms to help you be more informed and more empowered with the facts. You can find our Get Th...

In this episode of Consider Before Consuming, we talk with Ryan Werner, a Co-Founder of Fight the New Drug and the Head of Partnerships at Pinwheel. Pinwheel is a tech company that exists to put humans in the driver’s seat of technology by developing a therapist-backed smartphone for kids. Listen to Ryan talk with podcast host Garrett Jonsson about the creation and evolution of FTND, why he believ...

Porn is incomparably more accessible and more extreme than anything available before the internet. A couple of ratty old centerfold magazines found in the park are nothing compared to the hardcore, high-definition videos that minors have access to today. This episode is a part of our Get The Facts series, where we explore the research on a specific topic  surrounding porn’s harms to help you be mo...

Like most moms, Sally did her best to protect her son, Smith, from experiencing the harmful effects of pornography. She used filters and parental controls, but Smith found a way around it. Smith’s porn consumption escalated without Sally and her husband’s knowledge, and by the time he was 11, Smith says he was consuming porn five to seven times per day. Listen to Sally tell podcast host, Garrett J...

For people whose partners consume porn, feelings of rejection, mistrust, anger, and shame are unfortunately common. This episode is a part of our Get The Facts series, where we explore the research on a specific topic  surrounding porn’s harms to help you be more informed and more empowered with the facts. You can find our Get The Facts articles and the sources for the claims made in this episode...

In this episode of Consider Before Consuming, we talk with Chris Yadon, the Managing Director of Saprea. Saprea is an organization that exists to liberate individuals and society from child sexual abuse and its lasting impacts. Chris has been working with Saprea since 2015, is a sought-after speaker, and has been invited to give presentations nationally and internationally. Listen to Chris talk wi...

Research indicates that porn consumers can become desensitized to porn, often needing to consume more porn, more extreme forms of porn, or consume porn more often in order to get the same response they once did. This episode is a part of our Get The Facts series, where we explore the research on a specific topic  surrounding porn’s harms to help you be more informed and more empowered with the fac...

Trigger warning: The following podcast episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse and sex trafficking. Listener discretion is advised. Kathy is a wife, mother, author, writer, and advocate who survived being sex trafficked. Kathy’s goal is to fight for those who are still victimized by sex trafficking, and mentor survivors transitioning out of exploitation. Kathy has developed a trauma-...

Trigger Warning: This episode includes frank, explicit, discussions about sexual exploitation, rape, and sex trafficking. Listener discretion is advised. Sex trafficking shares a variety of symbiotic connections to pornography. Even in the production of mainstream porn, sex trafficking can still occur—and it happens more often than most people think. This episode is a part of our Get The Facts ser...

Trigger Warning: This discussion includes frank, explicit, discussions about pornographic content, suicide ideation, and abuse that may be triggering to some. Listener discretion is advised. Laura grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania but had a challenging childhood. She experienced childhood neglect, and from a young age, porn was normalized in her life. Her warped understanding of love led her...

Countless studies consistently show that porn consumers tend to struggle in their relationships. From poorer relationship quality to an increased likelihood of cheating, research suggests that porn plays a major role in fueling unhealthy relationship dynamics. This episode is a part of our Get The Facts series, where we explore the research on a specific topic  surrounding porn’s harms to help you...

This week’s podcast guest, Alex Diaz, has experienced how porn can negatively impact relationship satisfaction and relationship stability, especially in his marriage. During this conversation, Consider Before Consuming host Garrett Jonsson talks with Alex about how his porn consumption distorted his understanding of healthy sex, how it contributed to sexual dysfunction, and why he decided that reh...

When it comes to the topic of porn, one of the most common questions is whether or not it can actually be addictive. According to many addiction experts, it absolutely can be. This episode is a part of our Get The Facts series, where we explore the research on a specific topic surrounding porn’s harms to help you be more informed and more empowered with the facts. You can find our Get The Facts ar...

Candice Diaz is a wife and mother, and now, she’s also an advocate for couples who have been impacted by porn. She and her husband have personally experienced how porn can disrupt couple intimacy and relationship harmony, and she aims to be a voice of hope for people whose self-worth is impacted by their partner’s porn habit. During this conversation, podcast host Garrett Jonsson and Candice talk...

Trigger Warning: This discussion includes frank, explicit, discussions about pornography consumption, and suicide ideation. Listener discretion is advised. Like most adolescents today, Smith was exposed to porn well before the age of 18. His porn consumption escalated without his parents’ knowledge, and by the time he was 11, he says he was consuming porn five to seven times per day. His porn cons...

Trigger Warning: This discussion includes frank, explicit, discussions about pornography, sexual exploitation, and rape. Listener discretion is advised. Aaron Crowley was accidentally exposed to porn at the young age of nine when he walked in on his older brother and his friends looking at it together. From there, Aaron’s porn consumption escalated while it perpetuated false expectations about sex...

If you’re an endurance athlete, chances are you’ve heard of James Lawrence, the “Iron Cowboy.” He broke multiple Guinness World Records early in his triathlon career, but his feats didn’t stop there. He went on to complete arguably the most impressive endurance challenge ever by performing 100 full-distance triathlons in 100 days. James is an anti-trafficking advocate, and has used his platform to...

In this episode of Consider Before Consuming, we talk with Kristen Jenson, the Founder and CEO of Defend Young Minds, an organization dedicated to empowering children to be resilient and screen smart through developing tools for parents, professionals, and community leaders. Kristen is the author of Good Pictures Bad Pictures, a book used by people around the world to facilitate healthy and age-ap...

Cassidy Brown is a student and an influencer. At an early age, she was exposed to porn when a friend showed it to her unexpectedly. After that, she developed a natural curiosity about sex, and while she didn’t feel comfortable talking with her parents about it, she turned to porn to learn about sex and sexuality. From there, her porn consumption escalated to the point that it fueled anxiety, shame...