Madison Prewett, known for her appearance on the 2020 season of "The Bachelor," has spoken publicly about overcoming a years-long addiction to pornography and masturbation that began when she was just 13.

According to the Christian Post, the 29-year-old reality television alum shared that through faith, accountability, and spiritual community, she has found healing from a struggle that once left her feeling isolated and ashamed.

Prewett revealed her story on a recent episode of her podcast, "Stay True," where she opened up about her early experiences, the secrecy surrounding her addiction, and the steps that ultimately helped her gain freedom. She said the habit began after watching a television show with nudity and sexual themes while in middle school.

Triggering Moments Sparked Early Curiosity

At the age of 13, Prewett recalled watching a program that led to unfamiliar and confusing feelings in her body. That moment of curiosity soon evolved into searching the internet for pornographic content and developing a habit of masturbation.

She said she never told anyone about it because she felt ashamed and assumed these issues were ones only boys faced. Living in secrecy, she believed, only made her more vulnerable to negative thoughts and behaviors.

Raised in a religious household, Prewett explained that she lacked guidance around how to manage sexual desire within the context of her faith. She did not fully understand the expectations surrounding purity, which contributed to her internal conflict and guilt.

Reality Star Struggled With Boundaries

As she grew older, Prewett said these struggles impacted her romantic relationships. She described how it became difficult to enforce physical boundaries with partners and admitted to pushing limits she believed she would avoid.

Prewett said that despite her deep Christian faith, she felt trapped by her behavior and unable to break the cycle on her own. The emotional toll of secrecy and perceived failure weighed heavily on her sense of self-worth.

Appearing on "The Bachelor" in 2020, Prewett made headlines for her stance on waiting until marriage to have sex, revealing her commitment to abstinence during the show—an effort, she now says, shaped by years of personal struggle and growth.

Turning Point Through Spiritual Community

Prewett credits faith and community support for the transformation in her life. She emphasized that confessing to God and trusting individuals was a key part of the healing journey for her.

“As soon as I said the thing that I was so scared to say, I immediately felt free,” she said, describing the moment she first opened up about her experience. Though she noted that the process was not without setbacks, she stressed the importance of accountability.

Before her marriage, she relied on what she called “accountability buddies” to help her avoid falling back into harmful patterns. This transparent support system played a major role in maintaining her progress over the years.

Statistics Reflect Broader Christian Challenges

Prewett estimated that she has been free from pornography and masturbation for around a decade. Her testimony comes as new research shows that she is far from alone among people of faith who battle similar issues.

A 2024 Barna study titled "Beyond the Porn Phenomenon" found that over half of Christian respondents reported viewing pornography. Among Christian men, that figure reached 75%, and among women, it was 40%.

Prewett said transparency and confession helped her let go of shame and experience freedom. She believes that speaking openly about her experience allows others to feel less alone in their struggles.

Leaders Share Similar Stories of Struggle

Kay Warren, wife of renowned Saddleback Church pastor Rick Warren, has also spoken about her past with pornography, revealing that her addiction stemmed from being sexually abused as a child—something she hid for years.

Warren said the abuse resulted in serious mental health challenges and a sense of being divided between an outward identity of goodness and hidden feelings of guilt and confusion. She spent years in therapy to rebuild her emotional well-being.

While Warren acknowledged she has made significant progress, she admitted that some emotional wounds may never fully heal in this life, pointing to faith in eventual spiritual wholeness as her source of hope.