Hi there,
People of all ages watch porn for lots of different reasons. While it can be easy to access porn, there are age restrictions in place and these are there to protect young people.
One of the reasons porn has an adult rating is that it shows sex in an unrealistic and sometimes dangerous way. If you do watch porn its important to remember that what happens in these films isnt like real sex.
Watching porn can become addictive so its really positive that youve recognised this and want to stop. There are a few things you could try by yourself, or you may prefer to talk it through with someone you trust and ask them to help you.
Often when people are trying to stop doing something they distract themselves by doing other things they enjoy. This could be listening to music or playing a game, anything that is safe and helps you think about something else. Find out more about porn addiction.
Being in a routine can make it difficult to break a habit, so maybe you could change the order in which you do things. You may also want to spend more time around other people to allow less time by yourself when you may be tempted to watch porn.
You could talk to someone in your family about having a filter put on the devices you use, to stop you being able to access porn and other websites that you deserve protecting from. You may feel comfortable telling them you have watched porn and want to stop, or you may prefer to just say that youre worried you might see something you dont want to.
If youre still feeling unsure about what to do, you could talk about this with a ChildLine counsellor. They would never judge you, they are there to support you and help you decide what feels best for you.
Take care,
Sam
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
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