himself from friends, family and fraternity brothers for countless hours when struggling with this addiction. Inherently, this isolation from the real world presents obstacles to one’s ability to grow in the tenants that Beta Theta Pi and other social fraternities promote, like leadership development and campus and community engagement. For the sake of realizing the full potential of a fraternal experience, brothers should take it upon themselves to step in if a brother’s pornography habits are affecting his relationships and career prospects. He may already be knee-deep in a cyclical battle that he cannot win on his own. LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX For so long, society has kept unnecessarily quiet on the topics of sex and porn, and without good cause. After all, a number of fraternity members have never lived in a world without readily available internet porn; therefore, discussions on this issue should be as prevalent as with traditional addictions, like alcohol and drugs. Betas have an obligation to one another and to those we meet to aid in each other’s preferment. If pornography is a personal struggle that needs to be addressed, consider finding a chapter brother, advisor or close friend or family member to talk to as a first step. Other options for education on this topic include
Gary Wilson’s research found at the website, “Your Brain on Porn,” 5 or Reddit’s NoFap support group of nearly 50,000 members, which can lend support for those seeking to “reboot,” a six to 12-week period of abstaining from porn (and for some, masturbation and other sexual contact) to begin restoring the brain to its original factory settings. If the idea of no orgasms for up to three months is intimidating, take a deep breath — it is possible. BREAKING THE SILENCE Pornography has permeated societies for centuries, from the Kama Sutra to celebrity sex tapes. The reality is, growing evidence shows that excessive viewing of hardcore porn has the potential to rewire the human brain in similar ways to hardcore drugs. Those who compulsively reach for an X-rated video instead of spending time pursuing a real relationship interest or time with chapter brothers, friends or family may have a problem. Fraternal organizations should take a mature position, break the culture of silence and openly discuss this matter in a manner that may improve the lives and relationships of their members. — Justin Warren, SMU ’10, justin.warren@betathetapi.org 1 Online MBA, “The Stats on Internet Pornography” 2 Fight the New Drug, “The Effects of Pornography” 3 Aviel Goodman, “Addiction: definition and implications” 4 Reddit, “No Fap,” www.reddit.com/r/nofap 5 Gary Wilson, “Your Brain On Porn,” www.yourbrainonporn.com
Addiction // porn
prolonged exposure to
pornography An exaggerated perception of sexual activity in society Diminished trust between intimate couples The abandonment of the hope of sexual monogamy Belief that promiscuity is the natural state Belief that abstinence and sexual inactivity are unhealthy Cynicism about love or the need for affection between sexual partners Belief that marriage is sexually confining
@flickr/AJ1008
www.betathetapi.org
29