Jamie, a 32-year-old engineer from Michigan, finally confronted his decades-long struggle with pornography following his father’s funeral three years ago, when he realized he had become emotionally paralyzed. This personal crisis led him to Relay, a specialized recovery app developed by students from Brigham Young University that leverages community support and therapeutic tools to help men break free from compulsive digital consumption and “gooning” subcultures.
The Breaking Point: From Emotional Numbness to Recovery
For Jamie, the addiction began at age 12 and escalated into a cycle of “all day” sessions fueled by stress and anxiety. The intense dopamine rushes provided by hardcore content eventually resulted in deep psychological lows, including suicidal ideation and the near-collapse of his romantic relationship. After his partner issued an ultimatum in March, Jamie turned to Relay to regain control.
The app operates on a subscription model, charging $149 annually for comprehensive access. It integrates a multifaceted approach to recovery, including:
- Expert-led video sessions with certified therapists.
- Daily reflective journal prompts.
- Live group sharing sessions to foster accountability.
- A “Live Milestone” ticker that tracks collective porn-free streaks.
With over 110,000 downloads, the company reports that 89 percent of its user base is male, highlighting a specific demographic crisis in digital intimacy.
The Mormon Vision: Turning Personal Struggle into a Global Tool
Relay CEO Chandler Rogers, 27, co-founded the platform in August 2021 after his own years-long battle with explicit content. A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Rogers met his executive team at BYU. He describes the current state of pornography consumption as a “modern epidemic” that erodes confidence and isolates a whole generation of men.
The platform recently expanded its reach through a partnership with the nonprofit “Fight the New Drug” for the “November Project.” This initiative has already secured 28,000 participants committed to abstinence. Rogers emphasizes that the app allows users to choose a faith-based path, integrating concepts of “sexual purity” and “spiritual vitality” for those who view their recovery through a religious lens.
AI Erotica and the Rise of the “Goon Cave”
The challenge facing recovery apps is intensifying as technology evolves. In June 2025 alone, the top five adult websites in the U.S. generated nearly 2.2 billion views. Relay’s leadership is specifically vocal against the normalization of AI-generated erotica. Chief of Staff Nels Schulzke recently criticized OpenAI’s decision to permit erotic chat sessions, arguing that such technology programs users to believe machines can satisfy human emotional needs.
Understanding the “Gooning” Subculture
A significant portion of Relay’s mission involves dismantling the “gooning” phenomenon—a subculture where individuals engage in marathon masturbation sessions, often using multiple screens in “goon caves” to achieve a trance-like state of numbness. While participants like Josh, a young man from Arizona, describe these sessions as a form of “therapy” or intense physical pleasure enhanced by substances, Relay’s founders argue these behaviors prevent men from feeling “whole” or “integral.”
The Science of Compulsion vs. the Freedom of Pleasure
The medical community remains divided on the classification of porn addiction. Dr. Marc Potenza, an addiction psychiatrist at Yale University, notes that while “compulsive sexual behaviors” are viewed as impulse control disorders, the American Psychiatric Association does not officially categorize porn use as a clinical addiction. Potenza warns against “overly pathologizing” a behavior that the majority of the population engages in without significant impairment.
Conversely, the adult industry views the anti-porn movement as a “war on pleasure.” Performers like Kazumi argue that state-mandated ID verification laws and apps like Relay are symptoms of authoritarian governance. She suggests that porn is often a scapegoat for deeper psychological issues regarding self-control and personal agency.
Legislative Pressure and the Future of Digital Content
The debate coincides with a massive legislative crackdown. Currently, 24 U.S. states and the UK have implemented age verification requirements, causing traffic to major sites to plummet in those regions. Sixteen states have declared pornography a public health crisis. Furthermore, political frameworks like Project 2025 have labeled pornography as psychologically destructive as illicit drugs, signaling a potential shift in federal enforcement.
For users like Jamie, who is now over 240 days porn-free, the political and clinical debates are secondary to the personal results. He credits the community aspect of Relay with saving his relationship and his mental health. “Hearing the stories of others,” Jamie says, “I’ve realized for the first time ever that I’m not alone in this.”
