Why You Relapse: The 3 Hidden Reasons Men Fall Back Into Porn
🎙️ Why You Relapse: The 3 Hidden Reasons Men Fall Back Into Porn
Most men think relapse is random — or worse, that it means they’re “broken,” “bad,” or “addicted forever.” In this short, power-packed teaching, counselor and coach Zack Carter breaks down the real reasons high-achieving Christian men keep turning back to pornography, even when life is going well.
Zack explains the three forces that drive relapse — Relief, Reward, and Response — and shows how emotional triggers, environmental cues, and even positive events can quietly pull you back into old patterns. More importantly, he gives you a clear, actionable plan to replace porn with meaningful habits that build strength, purpose, and momentum.
If you’ve been stuck in shame or confusion around relapse, this is five minutes that will finally give you clarity.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
Why most relapses aren’t caused by weakness — but by predictable patterns
How negative emotions like stress, loneliness, and boredom trigger urges
How positive emotions like excitement, success, and celebration can also lead to relapse
Why your environment (rooms, sounds, routines) trains your brain to expect porn
How Pavlov’s experiment explains your own automatic urges
A simple exercise to build a weekly “replacement plan” that actually works
The exact strategy Zack uses with clients to break Saturday-night patterns
How to shift from coping with life to living the life you actually want
📘 Free Book for Men Who Want to Grow
Get Mark’s free book “7 Traps That Keep Christian Men Stuck”
👉 https://escapethecagenow.com/subscribe/
🎧 Prefer audio-only? Listen here:
https://escapethecagenow.com/podcast
📚 Mark’s Books
Escape the Cage and Lion Devotions
👉 https://escapethecagenow.com/books
Lion Counseling Merch
Faith-forward, strength-focused apparel for men
👉 https://escapethecagenow.com/merch
📞 Want help breaking free for good?
Book a free 20-minute consult with our team:
👉 https://escapethecagenow.com/call/
💬 Comment below:
Which healthy activities help you replace urges with real purpose?
Share one thing you’ll add to your schedule this week.
About the Lion Counseling Podcast
The Lion Counseling Podcast helps high-achieving Christian men overcome anxiety, anger, trauma, porn use, burnout, and relationship struggles using EMDR-informed counseling, practical psychology, and biblical wisdom. Each episode blends honest conversations, evidence-based strategies, and Christ-centered insight to help you rise, heal, and lead with strength. New episodes drop every Tuesday.
Most men think relapse is random — or worse, that it means they’re “broken,” “bad,” or “addicted forever.” In this short, power-packed teaching, counselor and coach Zack Carter breaks down the real reasons high-achieving Christian men keep turning back to pornography, even when life is going well.
Zack explains the three forces that drive relapse — Relief, Reward, and Response — and shows how emotional triggers, environmental cues, and even positive events can quietly pull you back into old patterns. More importantly, he gives you a clear, actionable plan to replace porn with meaningful habits that build strength, purpose, and momentum.
If you’ve been stuck in shame or confusion around relapse, this is five minutes that will finally give you clarity.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
Why most relapses aren’t caused by weakness — but by predictable patterns
How negative emotions like stress, loneliness, and boredom trigger urges
How positive emotions like excitement, success, and celebration can also lead to relapse
Why your environment (rooms, sounds, routines) trains your brain to expect porn
How Pavlov’s experiment explains your own automatic urges
A simple exercise to build a weekly “replacement plan” that actually works
The exact strategy Zack uses with clients to break Saturday-night patterns
How to shift from coping with life to living the life you actually want
📘 Free Book for Men Who Want to Grow
Get Mark’s free book “7 Traps That Keep Christian Men Stuck”
👉 https://escapethecagenow.com/subscribe/
🎧 Prefer audio-only? Listen here:
https://escapethecagenow.com/podcast
📚 Mark’s Books
Escape the Cage and Lion Devotions
👉 https://escapethecagenow.com/books
Lion Counseling Merch
Faith-forward, strength-focused apparel for men
👉 https://escapethecagenow.com/merch
📞 Want help breaking free for good?
Book a free 20-minute consult with our team:
👉 https://escapethecagenow.com/call/
💬 Comment below:
Which healthy activities help you replace urges with real purpose?
Share one thing you’ll add to your schedule this week.
About the Lion Counseling Podcast
The Lion Counseling Podcast helps high-achieving Christian men overcome anxiety, anger, trauma, porn use, burnout, and relationship struggles using EMDR-informed counseling, practical psychology, and biblical wisdom. Each episode blends honest conversations, evidence-based strategies, and Christ-centered insight to help you rise, heal, and lead with strength. New episodes drop every Tuesday.
Creators and Guests
