In my case it’s both. For most of my life, I used the internet to play games, keep in touch with friends, and do schoolwork. It was a great resource. If I ever had a question about anything, just a few clicks away were hundreds of answers. I used it to find out what color clothes would match a new jacket, how to get a boy to ask you out, and how to make a birthday cake. The internet has always been a blessing to me. It was not until recently that I discovered it could also be a curse.
My boyfriend’s porn addiction started because he opened up his home computer, and what popped up was what his older brother had been “enjoying”. That was the beginning of his eight year attachment. And I fully believe that the amazing, high tech, high speed internet we all know and love only fueled his dependency, giving him (and all the other people out there struggling with the same problem) practically unlimited access to all the videos and pictures they could ever want. A quick Google search told me that there are roughly 260,000,000 “adult” web sites on the internet. Whether or not that actual figure is true, even that estimate goes to show that there is an excessive amount out there.
But even in this situation the internet is also a blessing. When I found out my boyfriend was suffering from his addiction, the first thing I did when I got home was look up “how to deal with partner’s porn addiction”, and so much information popped up right at my fingertips. I read through the various websites, sent him some links so that we would be on the same page, and went to bed feeling much better about the situation. In no way was I happy; but having a little more information to arm myself with was comforting. I knew that we were not alone, that hundreds of people had gotten through this, and that we could too. In the past week, whenever we have had questions about how to deal with this new aspect of our relationship, we have looked online for the answers. I think that it has started us off on the right track to heal.
That is why the internet is my favorite technology. Even in rough times or with issues you don’t want all your friends to know about, one can seek support and answers on the internet. You can even offer support to others in the same situation; that is why I started this blog. My boyfriend and I have a long journey ahead of us. I know that it will not be easy, but the resources and support we found online have given us hope.