The Pausing Porn Podcast
The Pausing Porn Podcast is a recovery-focused show for men who want to stop using pornography and rebuild their lives. Host Mark shares his own story of breaking free from problematic porn use, along with the recovery lessons, science, and practical tools that helped him. He also created Etio, a porn recovery app designed to help listeners understand urges, handle triggers, and make progress beyond simply counting streak days. Episodes are honest, conversational, and aimed at giving men a real, non-judgmental space to work on lasting change.
Episodes
I’m Back and I Built a Porn Recovery App
After a pretty long 9-month break, I’m finally back.In this episode, I talk a bit about why I stepped away, what the last few months have looked like, and something I’ve been working on behind the scenes.I finally built the app I’ve talked about wanting to make for a long time.It’s called Etio, and the first version is now live.Right now, Etio is focused on one thing: helping you get through urges
Your 2026 Playbook to Quitting Porn Addiction (Complete Recovery Guide)
In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I walk you through exactly what I would do if I were still addicted to porn in 2026. This is a complete recovery playbook based on lived experience, science-backed strategies, and what actually worked for me to build a life free from porn.We cover how to build a strong recovery community, why accountability matters, how to stop white-knuckling urges and
Addiction vs Fulfillment
In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I talk about the real difference between addiction and fulfillment and why this mindset shift can completely change your porn recovery journey.I break down what addiction actually is using both a clinical definition and a simple idea that helped me understand my own compulsive porn use. Addiction is not just about watching porn. It is the progressive na
Choose Your Hard
Quitting porn is hard. But staying addicted to it is even harder.In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I talk about why relapse can feel like the easy option in the moment and how it actually makes life more difficult over time. I break down what really happens after a relapse, how urges get stronger when we act on them, and why porn is often a way to escape stress, anxiety, or discomfort r
The Truth About Penis Size: What Porn Never Told You
In this episode I break down one of the biggest lies porn teaches men without ever saying a word. If you grew up watching porn like I did, you probably developed a completely distorted idea of what the average penis size is and what women actually care about in the bedroom. This belief is not based on reality. It comes from years of repetition and comparing yourself to porn actors who represent th
The Recovery Inbox: Should You Tell Your Partner Everything?
In this episode of the Pausing Porn Podcast, I am starting a new monthly series called The Recovery Inbox where I answer your questions directly on porn recovery. Today's question comes from someone in a recovery community on Reddit asking: should you tell your partner when you relapse?I share my honest take based on lived experience and what I have learned in my recovery from compulsive porn use.
Is Porn Addiction Real? What Science and Recovery Say
In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I dive into one of the biggest questions in recovery — is porn really an addiction. I explain what the World Health Organization classifies compulsive porn use as, I share my personal experience with compulsive porn use, how it meets nearly every sign of addiction like loss of control, craving, tolerance, and withdrawal, and why I believe porn can still
How Porn Changes the Way You See People
Porn does not just change your habits. It can change the way you see people.In this episode, I talk about how porn conditions your brain to objectify women instead of building real attraction and connection. You will learn what sexual objectification really is, how it is different from healthy attraction, and how it quietly shows up in your daily life.I also share my own story of how this looked f
Why I Started The Pausing Porn Podcast and Where It’s Going Next
This episode is a little different. I take a step back to share who The Pausing Porn Podcast is really for, why I started it, and where it is heading next.I talk about the mission behind the podcast, the free recovery guide Nathan and I are creating, the plans for building a supportive recovery community, and our long-term vision to create the best porn addiction recovery app in the world.If you h
What Counts as Porn? Defining Your Boundaries in Recovery
Most of us think we know what porn is, but I’ve learned that what counts as porn has changed more in the last decade than in the last century. In this episode, I talk about what actually qualifies as porn today and why your personal definition might be the reason you keep relapsing.I’ll walk you through both the obvious and non-obvious types of porn, from videos and OnlyFans to dating apps and soc
What Is an Urge? How to Frame the Right Mindset in Porn Recovery
In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I talk about one of the biggest challenges in recovery, which is your urges. I’ll explain what an urge actually is, what it feels like, and I’ll also walk you through how I learned to sit with urges instead of fighting them and how that mindset shift completely changed my recovery. By the end of this episode, you’ll see that urges are just messages from
If I Relapsed Today, Here’s Exactly What I’d Do
Relapse is one of the hardest parts of porn addiction recovery. For years, every relapse left me feeling weak, hopeless, and ashamed. I thought it was proof that I was broken. But today, if I relapsed, I’d respond completely differently.In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I share exactly what I would do if I relapsed right now. You’ll hear how my old cycle of secrecy, shame, and distracti
The Night I Learned How Lonely Recovery Can Be
In this episode I share one of the hardest parts of my recovery journey from porn addiction: the loneliness and shame that kept me trapped for years. I open up about confessing to my partner in 2020, relapsing the very next day, and how secrecy drove me deeper into isolation. I talk about the cycle of guilt, why shame fuels disconnection, and how my early attempts at support often left me feeling
Should You Masturbate In Porn Addiction Recovery?
Is masturbation relapse, or can it actually be part of recovery? In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I explore one of the most debated topics in the NoFap community and porn recovery space. I look at the arguments against masturbation, the potential benefits that science points to, and what healthy masturbation can look like when it is practiced with intention. I'll also share my pers
Why Willpower Will Never Beat Porn Addiction (And What Actually Works)
Have you ever promised yourself, that was the last time only to relapse hours later? If so, you’re not weak, you’re human. In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I break down why willpower alone will never set you free from porn addiction, and what science says you need instead.We’ll cover:Why almost everyone starts recovery with willpower (and why it fails).The science of dopamine, stress,
Social Media and Porn Addiction: What You Need to Know for Recovery
Social media is one of the biggest double edged swords in recovery from porn addiction. It can help by connecting you to supportive communities and inspiring content, but it can also trigger relapses, drain your time, and keep you stuck in old cycles.In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I break down the role social media plays in recovery, both the benefits and the risks. I share my own st
Your Porn Addiction Recovery Is in Your Own Hands
In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I talk about one of the most important lessons I’ve learned in recovery. Change doesn’t happen from knowledge alone, it happens when you take action. For years I thought reading, learning, and planning would be enough, but nothing shifted until I actually started applying it. I’ll share parts of my own story, the role accountability played, and why step
My Top 3 Benefits of Living Porn Free
In today’s episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I share the top 3 benefits I’ve experienced since gaining a life free from porn. While everyone’s recovery journey is unique, I dive into the powerful changes I noticed in my mental health, my friendships, and how I use my time. Living porn free doesn’t just remove a habit, it creates space for real growth, connection, and purpose. If you’ve ever won
Why Your Porn Tastes Escalate Over Time
Have you noticed your porn tastes change over time? Sure you have. If you are anything like I was, you've probably been consistently seeking novelty for awhile now. There's a reason for that by the way.In todays micro episode, I discuss why your porn tastes have changed over time. These are the reasons why some of you find yourself watching porn that does not align with your values, or may
Do Porn Blockers Really Work?
Have you heard of them yet... porn blockers? These are they apps, software's, browser extensions, or router filters that are made to prevent you from accessing porn. Sounds like an easy way to recover right? In a perfect world you could install porn blockers on all your devices and you'd never be able to watch porn again. If only it were that easy.In this micro episode of The Pausing Porn
Is It Possible to Recover From Porn Addiction?
I bet you guys have asked yourself this question many times in your recovery from porn addiction, "is recovery even possible"? In todays micro podcast, I'll be answering the question directly. My answer comes from both what science says, and my own personal story. Thanks for tuning in and I hope you enjoy.
It’s Time to Try Journaling in Recovery and Here is Why
Journaling can be one of the most powerful tools in porn addiction recovery. In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I share how journaling helped me stop hiding from my urges and emotions and start being transparent with myself. Giving journaling a chance gave me a space to process urges, slips, and feelings without secrecy while also helping me gain clarity in other areas of life. We will e
The Role of Self Acceptance in Beating Porn Addiction
In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast I kick off a seven day micro series with a short but powerful message about self acceptance in recovery. Many men believe they can only accept themselves after they quit porn or hit a long streak but the truth is waiting for perfection keeps you trapped.I share how shame held me back in my own journey and how learning to accept myself as a work in progre
The Real Reason You Keep Relapsing to Porn
Why do you keep watching porn even after promising yourself you would stop? In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast I break down the real science behind why your brain keeps pulling you back to porn. We talk about how dopamine rewires your habits, why willpower alone is never enough, and what it actually takes to create change in recovery. I share how I spent years doing the same things expect
The Truth About Porn-Induced Erectile Dysfunction and How to Fix It
Porn induced erectile dysfunction is becoming a growing topic in men’s health and sexual recovery. In this episode I break down what PIED actually is, how it happens, who is most likely to experience it, and what science and real life recovery stories say about overcoming it. We will cover the role of porn use, mental health, and lifestyle factors like exercise and sleep in erectile function. Whet
Why Counting Streaks Doesn’t Work in Porn Addiction Recovery
Is tracking your streak actually helping your recovery, or secretly holding you back?In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I break down why obsessing over how many days you’ve been “clean” might be hurting your progress. You’ll learn the psychology behind the Abstinence Violation Effect, how streaks feed shame and avoidance, and why true recovery isn’t about counting days, it’s about buildi
Finding Your Why in Porn Addiction Recovery
Most people in recovery focus on streaks, motivation, or just trying to avoid relapse, but very few stop to ask the deeper question: why do I actually want to recover? In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, we explore the power of finding your “why” in porn addiction recovery. I’ll break down what a real “why” looks like, how it keeps you grounded when motivation fades, and why surface-level
Understanding Porn Triggers: How to Spot and Manage Them
What exactly is a trigger, and why does it make quitting porn feel impossible? In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, we dive into the science behind triggers in porn addiction recovery. You’ll learn how external and internal triggers hijack your brain’s reward system, why cravings feel automatic, and how your emotional and environmental habits feed the cycle. I’ll walk you through the neuro
The Secret to Recovering from Your Porn Addiction
Is there really a secret to beating porn addiction? In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I break down one of the most common myths in the recovery space: that there’s a one-size-fits-all solution to quitting porn. From Reddit threads to overpriced guru courses, everyone seems to be searching for “the missing piece.”But the truth? There is no secret formula.I will share why your recovery ne
The Right Way to Bounce Back After a Porn Relapse
Relapsing to porn can feel like you’ve destroyed all your progress, but that’s not true. In this episode of The Pausing Porn Podcast, I break down exactly what a relapse is, why it happens from a brain-science perspective, and how to respond in a way that actually strengthens your recovery. You’ll learn how the prefrontal cortex and limbic system interact during a relapse, how shame and the Abstin
How Keeping Secrets Fuels Porn Addiction
Addiction thrives in secrecy and in this episode, I’ll show you why hiding your behavior only fuels the cycle. We talk about who to open up to, how secrets build shame, and why transparency might be the most powerful recovery tool you’re avoiding. Includes a practical reflection exercise at the end to help you take action.
The Truth About Guilt, Shame, and Porn Addiction
In this episode, I unpack how guilt and shame show up in recovery, and how they can quietly keep you stuck. I share my personal experiences and walk you through a simple reflection to help you let go of what you’ve been carrying. If you feel your porn addiction makes you a bad person, this one is for you.
Kicking Things Off: A Personal Look at Porn Addiction & The Plan Ahead
In this introductory episode, I share a brief personal experience with porn addiction and explain why I started this podcast.
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