How'd you guys feel about minors enjoying-

There’s LOADS of nuance in this topic so this is going to be more like. surface-level for both length and my sanity

If a minor wants to consume adult media, there really isn’t a lot you can do there. Especially if they’re a teen because that’s going to be the age they want to start exploring this content (and admittingly, it is a little unreasonable to expect every single teen to refrain until the moment they turn 18! Not to mention there’s different views on this all over the world!) 

My advice would be that, if you continue to consume this content, do so privately and not within a community for the game. If you’re public about it, you’re not only setting yourself up for harassment or worse but also endangering the adults around you who could get in real legal trouble (I know there’s a grey area for fictional content but in these matters I think it’s better to lean on the side of caution). Also be self-aware and think critically about whatever messages this media is sending you. You don’t want to accidentally internalize some harmful viewpoint (though granted! That’s advice good for everyone, not just minors)

It really does depend on the media but if you're talking about strictly-adult oriented content that that's just... awkward, to say the least.

if it specifically says 18+ or for adults then not for minors; and adults in that fandom are going to expect there to be only adults in that fandom

if its something like in the us where it has a 17+ rating (M rated games, R rated movies) I think depends on both the media and the person (as two different M rated games can be drastically different in content from each other)(also for R rated movies in the us you have to be 17+ to see alone, under 17 can only go with a parent/legal guardian so it isnt that no one under 17 can watch [which is different from 18+]; some 17+ media i think is more suited to 18+ but i wont share which ones they are) theres also the factor of what the minor's legal guardian(s) think of that media

early exposure to adult media can absolutely mess with your mind as others have said. it's a sentiment i would very much like to echo.

op, i was in a very similar boat, although probably younger at the time. when i was 12 or so, a friend had introduced me to a very explicit visual novel that sunk its teeth in deep and irreversibly messed with my mind and development as i grew older. it's been 9 years and i still think back and wish i had a way to tell my younger self, "no don't do this! this is a terrible idea with lasting consequences!" but i can't. none of it felt like a big deal at the time, but looking back i'm able to see all the damage immersing myself in that and similar media at a young age caused.

age ratings exist for a reason, both to protect those below and above them.

Thanks for everybody giving in their opinions so far! I’m not going to state what the VN in question is, buuuut I want to hint some things about it; first, it’s supposed to be an 18+ (albeit a little raunchy) title with an emphasis on body horror, and second, the character I fell in love with in the first place is the love interest(?) whose ending I find heartbreaking the most. aand yeaaaah I’d definitely need to steer clear from it until I get older lmao. It’s slowly making me real uneasy after finding out what happened to my favorite character in their route and even if I wanted to explore deeper topics in media, so that I can apply it to my characters.

Next best thing I’d probably ask my psychatrist to NOT be obsessed with it and let it go anyways.