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    « Urban Exile: The Silence of the Lambs | Main | Live from Catalyst West and... »

    April 22, 2009

    Anne Jackson: Battling Porn Addiction

    Last week, blogger and author Anne Jackson stopped by the Out of Ur offices. Anne runs the popular blog FlowerDust.net and recently published Mad Church Disease: Overcoming the Burnout Epidemic with Zondervan.

    Anne began struggling with an Internet porn addiction at a young age. To help us with our ongoing conversation about dealing with addictions, Anne spoke to Skye and Brandon about her journey and what the church can do to help others in her situation.


    Anne Jackson on Battling Porn Addiction from Url Scaramanga on Vimeo.

    Posted by UrL Scaramanga on April 22, 2009



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    Comments

    The power of this scourge is unbelievable. I appreciated her comments and information. As a pastor I do tend to view this topic as a male issue and I guess I didn't realize it was also a larger issue among women as well.

    Posted by: ALove at April 22, 2009

    I greatly appreciated this video. As a young Christian woman who has grown up in the church, I have struggled with an addiction to porn and erotic stories. I have always felt alone in this, as porn is almost always spoken about as a male problem. I am grateful that Anne stepped out and made this issue known so that more support for women can be made available.

    Posted by: StrugglingWoman at April 22, 2009

    I am glad that Anne is speaking out about this and that CT is willing to share her story. Another important point is the great, great harm that it does when youth pastors and spiritual leaders of all kinds label this as "primarily a man's problem." It is NOT anymore, and that kind of church approach to this issue is pushing young women into deeper guilt and fear, instead of emboldening them to seek guidance, grace, and accountability in their Christian community.

    Posted by: D.D. at April 22, 2009

    It’s great that Anne found her strength in the church, while others may be able to turn to their spouses, friends or family. But the important fact to note here is that this is an addiction and we are learning that all addictions are related in many ways with respect to brain chemistry.

    Medication is playing a larger and larger roll with respect to treating these addictive conditions as we learn more about the science, genetics and DNA of each illness. As a psychiatrist it’s important to match the treatment not only to the disease but also to the value system of the individual.

    Posted by: Dr. Dale Archer at April 23, 2009

    As a recovering porn addict, I can so relate. As a man it shocks me that there are so many women with porn addictions becuase I was also raised in a conservative Baptist church where sex was never discussed except in the vaguest of terms. I guess it shocks me because pretty much all the women I know find porn disgusting.

    Even though I have not been physically unfaithful to my wife, my porn addiction nearly tore my marriage apart. I say I am recovering because after three years of fighting it, I am still struggling with it, but I can't confide in my wife since she finds it disgusting that I would even have a struggle with it in the first place. I attend a weekly acountability group with other men that share my struggle and that helps a lot, but I fear that I will never be able to be truly transparent with my wife because she is so disgusted by my addiction. It has been incrediblly hard to recoginze that I am not my addiction--and fight off the feeling that she is disgusted with me.

    Posted by: Andrew at April 23, 2009

    I appreciate Anne's openness and transparency in discussing a very real issue. She's put the cards on the table when it comes to women and porn. Yes, it is a problem. And, yes, it will become more pervasive since many of today’s girls have almost unlimited online access at very young ages. Christian women, in particular, have such shame about their fascination with the images that they have seen … and the powerful emotions that have been awakened. The ones I talk to are horrified that they have become addicted so easily.

    Let the conversation continue. Let the healing begin. He is able.

    Posted by: Linda Stoll at April 24, 2009

    I need to say, when first recovering - i was NOT in the church. I would have never felt safe to discuss this in a church or with Christians...and that is a problem. One I am passionate about helping redeem BY talking about these issues, and others, so openly.

    Posted by: anne jackson at April 24, 2009

    Thanks for opening this can of worms for women in the church! That's a topic we write about on our blog quite a bit:
    http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2008/05/08/not-just-a-mans-problem-women-and-porn-addiction/

    Posted by: Luke at April 29, 2009

    Thank you Anne! I have tried to go to friends in the church, however, they either don't take me seriously or they don't know what to say to me. I have been struggling continuously with this issue for over 35 years. When I first became a Christian I was able to be free for a few years, but it rears it's ugly head whenever I feel out of control or helpless. I don't know what I would do if my husband was disgusted. I have confessed it and we pray sometimes together about it. I don't know where else to go . . . but at least I know that there is help on the internet (ironic).

    Posted by: Laura at July 21, 2009

    We all know we live in a sex-soaked society. So why do Christians continually stick their heads in the sands and pretend it’s not a problem?
    When polled anonymously, over 50% of pastors admit to struggling with pornography. If our pastors are struggling in such great numbers, how much more are our laymen? Is there any hope of victory over this sin?
    I would like to introduce you to a book which will release next month that deals with pornography and men in a very frank and direct manner. The title is ‘Real Sex Doesn’t Come from a Website: The Rewards of Pursuing Your Wife’ by author Andrew K. Fox.
    If you would like to read the first chapter in the book you can a the website www.realsexrewards.com.
    I would love to hear your thoughts and comments on the book. tomtrimble@realsexrewards.com

    Posted by: Tom at August 4, 2009

    As a single, never-married born-again man who has struggled with attraction to pornography, in a way I am reassured that some women share my struggle. I trust there is a woman out there who understands my weakness and will not condemn me out of hand as a pervert, since she has been there too.

    Posted by: John at August 13, 2009

    I am really great to see somebody talk about women and pornography addiction. Men are lucky, we have all the support that we need. Women do not. Thank so much to Anne for speaking out!

    Posted by: Stop Pornography at June 22, 2010

    you are ammazing to me my school if fill of people who watch porn and i am so frustrated with them but you are fight of porn and that is good that stuff can mess with ya so remmember fight and keep on fight porn is digusting and stupid and kids are watching it to so do not ever stop tgrying and a good way to stop watch porn is getting hobby or for that mater collect sea shell or go to the spa daily ok bye..

    Posted by: jaha walgern-bell at June 23, 2010

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