Madi Prewett, a Bachelor alum and host of the Stay True podcast, has courageously opened up about a deeply personal struggle she overcame. In a recent episode of her podcast, Prewett, 29, shared her journey with what she called “sexual sin,” revealing how she fought an addiction to porn and masturbation that began when she was a young teenager.
Through faith and support from her religious community, she found freedom from these struggles that had plagued her for nearly a decade.
A Personal Battle with Addiction
Prewett confessed that her addiction to porn and masturbation started in middle school, a time when she became curious about sex through the media. “This has been a struggle,” she admitted. “This has been a huge part of my testimony, something I’ve struggled with since middle school.
And thankfully, by the grace of God, and by the power of Godly community and people around me, I have been free from porn and masturbation for — I don’t even know — 10 years.”
She described how the addiction “enslaved” her, making her feel bound by shame and guilt. Despite her deep faith in Jesus, she struggled for years to break free from this cycle.
“No matter how much I loved Jesus, I could not shake that sin,” she said. “I could not break free from porn and masturbation. And I would beat myself up, and I would be bound by shame.”
The Beginning of the Struggle
Prewett reflected on how her interest in sexuality began at a young age, largely influenced by what she was exposed to in the media. “I had already had moments of being curious about things and having certain feelings, or wondering certain things, or fantasizing about certain things [that] I had not told anyone,” she shared. “I had not pursued to do anything about that, but I was curious.”
At age 13, a pivotal moment occurred when a friend introduced her to an “extremely inappropriate” TV show. The show, which involved sexual relationships and nudity, sparked a deep curiosity within Prewett.
“My body started feeling things that I had never felt before, and I started wondering things that I’d never wondered before,” she recalled. “And then desiring it and wanting it.”
Soon after, Prewett began searching for porn online and started masturbating. “I thought that was something only guys struggle with,” she confessed, which led to intense feelings of embarrassment and isolation. This struggle continued for years and started to affect her relationships, where she pushed physical boundaries and lived in secrecy.
The Impact of Religious Upbringing
Prewett discussed the lack of clarity she felt about sexuality during her religious upbringing. While she knew that “sex was a big no-no,” she didn’t have clear guidance on other aspects of sexuality, such as porn and non-intercourse sexual activities.
“I didn’t have clarity,” she explained. “Those were the gray areas of this whole purity thing that I was not clear on, that I was not certain about.”
This uncertainty led her to push boundaries in relationships, going further than she knew was right. “I found myself continuing to push boundaries and continuing to go further than I knew deep down in my heart that I wanted to go or that I knew I should go.”
Finding Freedom Through Confession
Prewett emphasized how confessing her struggles to God and others played a pivotal role in her recovery. “Confessing to God and confessing to other believers is what set me free from the addiction to sexual sin,” she shared.
“As soon as I said the thing that I was so scared to say, I immediately felt free. Immediately, something shifted. Something happened when I spoke what was in the dark, and I brought it into the light.”
While Prewett acknowledged that her journey wasn’t without continued struggles, she found that bringing her sin into the light and sharing it with others created an environment where she could be held accountable and supported. “Obviously, that doesn’t mean I went from that moment and never struggled again — absolutely not.
I continued to struggle. But as I brought it into the light and I brought other people into it, I then created an atmosphere where my sin was brought into the light, people were aware of it, and they then could hold me accountable.”
Madi Prewett’s journey of overcoming a 10-year battle with porn and masturbation addiction is a powerful testament to the power of faith, confession, and community support. Her story encourages others facing similar struggles to seek help, embrace their faith, and find strength in bringing their challenges into the light.
Prewett’s openness and vulnerability provide hope for anyone who feels trapped by their own struggles, showing that recovery and healing are possible with the right support.
