Have you ever noticed that social media is literally flooded with hypersexualized content? At times, it feels impossible to avoid whether or not it’s Instagram or TikTok being jammed down our throats. There’s one main reason, and that’s OnlyFans.
I’m going to dive a little deeper into this unfortunate trend that’s affecting and reshaping relationships, mental health, and men. I will also share some tips and strategies to regain control of your life and mindset.
Understand why this is happening. Access used to be more complicated. You had to find magazines in your stepdad’s drawers, some sort of Frederick’s of Hollywood or Victoria’s Secret catalog, or go to a dirty bookstore. But now we can get on the internet and find this kind of content. Especially after 2016, when OnlyFans launched, the situation got out of hand.
With OnlyFans, people are monetizing their bodies and their audience. Sexual content is everywhere, and parasocial relationships are being developed with the creator, producing a more personalized experience. Making this worse, the algorithm is jamming this hypersexualized content down everybody’s throat. The algorithm rewards content that gets engagement and keeps you scrolling. Men can just stay at home on their computers, and this can prey on male insecurities and loneliness.
The OnlyFans situation is dangerous. Financially, it’s risky because you shouldn’t spend your money that way. There’s a lot of free stuff online. It’s also bad mentally because it desensitizes the brain and creates unrealistic expectations. You end up less satisfied with relationships and interactions. A third reason is that overexposure to this type of content causes dopamine production from unproductive reasons. Also, OnlyFans-type platforms are dangerous because you can lose self-respect and feel bad about yourself. It’s a simp culture with desperation.
Here’s what you should do. Break the algorithm. Do a detox and stop consuming social media. Delete apps that you have a propensity to go to. A lot of times, you’ll click out of boredom. You have to be disciplined and diligent to get this algorithm changed.
Break the cycle by going out into real-world activities, cultivating new hobbies, meeting new people, and investing in your fitness. Fitness will help you build and strengthen your mind and help you focus on personal growth. Instead of using time and energy on social media, invest in an educational platform like Skillshare or read books. You can listen to audiobooks or go to a workshop.
You can also cultivate better relationships because parasocial relationships will leave you longing for more and trick your brain into thinking you have friends or relationships. It’s dangerous. You need to live your life and explore out from behind the screen.
