For some parents and grandparents today, their high school relationships were “sweet” and innocent. While this was not the case for everyone in previous generations, today, the dating landscape has dramatically shifted. In current culture, many girls' ideas of relationships are informed by rom-coms at a time while their male counterparts are watching porn. Relationship and sexual expectations couldn’t be further apart. If you listen to pop culture’s take on pornography you will hear, “Porn is absolutely not problematic” and sometimes even described as “healthy.”  Cultural narratives insist, "Everyone watches porn and if you don’t like it, you are the one with the problem.”  With easy access and early exposure most young people have seen and many habituate pornography. Young men are more than twice as likely than young women to habituate porn.  So how does it impact relationships? Can pornography destroy a relationship? How does porn affect you and/or your partner’s mental health and attitudes about sex? Has your partner insisted you watch porn?  What role does porn have in changing intimate relationships and sexual expectations?  How does your partner feel about themselves when you watch porn?  Is everything as “peachy” as the media and the porn industry would have you believe?  In today’s 7 On Sundays episode, you will hear from Nicole. She shares how pornography changed her sexual relationship with her first and long-term boyfriend and made her feel like she was never enough! RESOURCES: If you or someone you love is struggling with porn addiction please find a certified sex therapist. https://www.aasect.org/referral-directory  Book: The Porn Trap by Wendy & Larry Maltz   TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction: A Warning for Mature Audiences 00:51 Nicole's Story: The Impact of Porn on Relationships 04:21 The Unhealthy Dynamics of Nicole's Relationship 09:19 The Role That Porn Played in Nicole’s relationship 12:17 The Mental Health Impact of Dating a Porn Addict 16:44 Can You be a Porn Addict 21:52 The Pressure to become a Porn Star 25:21 Exploring the Depths of Consent and Coercion 30:04 Reflecting on Relationship Dynamics Beyond the Bedroom 32:20 The Cultural Normalization of Pornography and Its Effects 35:40 The Quest for True Connection Beyond Physical Attraction 38:07 Career Aspirations and Moving Forward Post-Breakup 40:03 Addressing the Challenges of Porn-Induced Expectations in Relationships 54:23 The Journey Towards Healing and Self-Advocacy 56:25 Final Thoughts and Resources for Further Understanding