When Porn Becomes a Coping Mechanism

Ryan Ridgway is a mental health educator and former addiction support specialist from the UK. In this episode, he talks about his 20-year struggle with pornography use, OCD, and substance abuse. He explains how porn became his main way to cope with stress and mental illness, how that habit slowly took control of his life, and what recovery has looked like since. Ryan also discusses the connection between porn and self-esteem, body image, and mental health, and why honest conversation about these issues matters.

Episode Resources:

• Article: Watching Porn May Be Negatively Impacting Your Mental Health
• This episode is sponsored by Relay: CBC Listeners get 40% Relay in November with code FTND40
• Follow Ryan on Instagram

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