A former adult content creator who felt burnt out by the explicit nature of her work has revealed how she transformed her OnlyFans page into a platform for mindful healing, dramatically increasing her income in the process.
The Burnout That Sparked a Change
Flora, a US-based sex worker in her twenties, began creating explicit videos on OnlyFans at the end of 2020. She quickly found herself performing a wide range of acts, from masturbation and using toys to offering the 'girlfriend experience', all driven by client demand. However, after just two years, the work began to feel like an obligation. She was earning between £4,471 and £7,452 each month, but the toll on her mental wellbeing was severe.
'It really starts to affect your mind and how you relate to your own body and sexuality,' Flora told Metro. 'Once something that’s meant to be sacred and personal starts getting monetised and taken for granted, it becomes depressing.' Feeling at the end of her rope, she made a radical decision: to cover up and abandon explicit content entirely.
A New Purpose: Building a 'Bridge' Away from Porn
Flora launched a new OnlyFans account with a completely different mission. Instead of catering to sexual fantasies, her goal became to sell mindful content aimed at reducing male subscribers' loneliness and decreasing their desire for extreme pornography. Her approach includes:
- Filming live streams and videos focused on yoga, breathwork, and meditation.
- Reading bedtime stories to subscribers.
- Sharing personal journal entries to model vulnerability.
- Creating 'eye-contact' videos where she stares directly into the camera, offering affirmations.
'I’m trying to attract people stuck in this dark, toxic cycle to give them what they need,' she explained. 'I’m like: "Hey, maybe you were looking for a connection and you need a hug instead of this porn video?"' She does offer some nude content, describing herself as a 'bridge' from full-on porn to intimate connection, believing an initial draw is necessary.
Quadrupled Earnings and a Loneliness Epidemic
The response has been overwhelming. Flora's monthly earnings quadrupled to between £15,000 and £22,000 as loyal fans sought a healthier alternative. She attributes her success to a widespread 'loneliness epidemic' among men.
This is supported by data; a survey of 21,000 people by escort directory Vivastreet found that 24% of those using escort services hire a sex worker purely for company. Furthermore, 65% of sex workers report being hired for companionship appointments that didn't involve sex.
'These men come to us and share their stories—they’re all just lonely,' Flora says. 'They go to work, come home, go to bed, then do it all over again... They think: "I have to go on OF and pay for girls to pay attention to me so I can feel something."'
Teaching Self-Love and Moving On
Flora is clear that she is not a therapist. Instead, she offers a positive alternative mindset. Her ultimate aim is for subscribers to no longer need her service, and she celebrates when they unsubscribe after finding healing.
'I have a lot of fans who come to me and say I don’t need to be here anymore, and they go on their merry way,' she explained. One subscriber thanked her in a message, writing: 'With your help, I learned the deepest part of why I go to porn, it’s to avoid the emotion of not feeling love. Now I’m learning how to cope with it.'
Flora's family supports her new direction, with her father expressing pride. 'What I do is beautiful, and it’s great, and I love it,' she smiled. 'It’s been really good to go from being burnt out to feeling like I’m living in my purpose.'
The Bigger Picture: Men, Loneliness and Seeking Connection
Flora's story highlights a broader issue of male loneliness. Michael, a 47-year-old finance worker, told Metro he first booked an escort in January 2023 after his divorce, not for sex but for companionship. 'I just wanted some company to be honest,' he said, describing how loneliness was taking a toll on his mental health.
'There is still stigma around male loneliness,' Michael added. His meetings with sex worker Gigi Patsy became a source of comfort and a safe space to talk. 'Meeting with Gigi makes me forget that I’m alone and helps me vocalise how I’m feeling. It’s still not a sexual thing for me.'
Both stories underscore a growing demand for connection over physicality in a digitally isolated age, pointing to a significant shift in why some people turn to services within the adult industry.
