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What happens when something you turn to for pleasure slowly starts shaping the way you see yourself, your relationships, and the world around you?

In this reshare from Wake Up with Marci, I sit down with Marci Hopkins to share a part of my own story that changed the direction of my life.

On the outside, things were going well. I had good grades, friends, and plenty of opportunities ahead of me. But privately, I was struggling with porn addiction, constantly chasing pleasure, and becoming increasingly dissatisfied with what I already had.

Then one day, walking down the street in my early twenties, I had a realization that scared me. I could suddenly see the kind of man I was becoming, and I knew I didn't want that future.

That moment led me to question everything I thought I knew about happiness, fulfillment, and what it actually means to be free.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why porn can be especially difficult to quit, including the three factors that make it so accessible and habit-forming
• How to recognize the difference between toxic shame that keeps you hiding and healthy remorse that helps you change
• What I learned about happiness and neuroplasticity through Buddhist philosophy, and how it changed my approach to recovery
• Why trying to empty your mind during meditation can actually reinforce self-judgment, and what to practice instead
• What partners often misunderstand about porn addiction, and why understanding the behavior doesn't mean excusing the harm it causes

If you've ever wondered why changing a behavior can feel so difficult, or why getting what you want doesn't always make you happy, I think you'll find something valuable in this conversation.

Explore the Unhooked app: https://unhookedapp.co

🔵 Want to break free? Join Unhooked Academy now: https://www.unhookedacademy.com/

Timestamps:

00:00 Jeremy's Story: When Porn Addiction Became a Problem

03:32 Welcome to Wake Up with Marci

05:36 How Jeremy's Porn Addiction Started

08:00 When Porn Began Taking Over His Mind

10:00 The Moment Jeremy Saw Where His Addiction Was Taking Him

12:16 Porn, Alcohol, and Other Forms of Escape16:52 How Porn Changed the Way Jeremy Viewed Women

20:06 When Does Porn Become a Problem?

22:29 The Three A's of Porn Addiction

24:32 Why Porn Can Be So Difficult to Quit

25:45 Understanding the Shame Cycle

29:22 Healthy Shame vs. Toxic Shame

31:27 Moral Shame and Moral Dread

33:19 Trauma, Insecurity, and Filling the Void

35:58 Searching for a Different Kind of Happiness

38:25 How Buddhism and Neuroplasticity Changed Jeremy's Life

41:22 Mindfulness, Meditation, and Recovery

43:51 Meditation as a Gym for the Mind

46:18 Why Meditation Isn't About Clearing Your Mind

47:13 Recovery Is More Than Sobriety

49:10 How to Practice Mindfulness in Everyday Life

52:16 How to Start Meditating

53:03 Building a Practice of Gratitude

55:34 What Partners of Porn Addicts Need to Know

57:35 Porn Addiction as a Coping Mechanism

58:31 Where to Find Jeremy

59:06 You're Not Alone

01:01:29 Jeremy's Closing Message