Are you worried about your porn consumption? Things can get out of hand sometimes. Here are some methods to help you fight. We will take you through some quick tips on how to quit porn.
As the saying goes, the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem. Breaking an addiction is difficult. However, with the right support and over time, it becomes easier.
You might feel anxious and afraid when you think about how to quit porn for good and lead a happy life. However, rest assured that this phase won’t last forever. Find out more about overcoming addiction. Discover what awaits you when you succeed.
How to know if one is addicted to porn?
Recognizing addiction can be a sensitive and personal matter, and it’s important to approach it with care and understanding. I am here to offer guidance.
If you believe that you or someone you know may be struggling with addiction. It’s best to seek professional help. Consult with a qualified healthcare provider to ensure you get the help you need.
When it comes to determining if someone is addicted to pornography, there are several signs and symptoms to consider. It is essential to remember that the signs may not necessarily mean addiction. However, they could show behaviour that requires attention.
Obsession: Obsession with pornography can be a sign of addiction. It can take up a significant amount of time, making it difficult to focus on other aspects of life.
Loss of Control: Loss of control is a sign of addiction. If you can’t stop consuming pornography, even if it results in negative consequences, this could be a sign. Negative consequences include neglecting responsibilities or damaging relationships.
Escalation: Addiction can worsen over time. People may begin to require more explicit or extreme material to reach the same level of satisfaction.
Withdrawal: Experiencing intense cravings, or restlessness when attempting to cut back or stop using pornography may suggest a dependence on it.
Negative Impact: Pornography consumption can become an addiction. Signs of this include negative impacts on personal relationships, work or school performance, and overall well-being.
Failed Attempts to Quit: Previous attempts to quit have failed. This could be a sign of an addiction. If you have tried to reduce or cease watching pornography but have been unsuccessful, this may be a warning sign.
Self-diagnosis is not always accurate. Therefore, it is essential to consult a healthcare professional or a therapist for further advice. Those specializing in acceptance and commitment therapy and addiction are best suited for this. If you have any concerns, do not hesitate to reach out.
Quick Tips on How to Quit Porn:
- Believing you can break the habit is half the battle
- Write down your plan on how you will quit porn
- You need to get rid of all your porn
- Block all entry points for pornographic content
- Mindful meditation
- Take accountability and also ask for help
- Don’t aim to be perfect
It leads to individuals becoming extremely obsessed with their sexual desires and thoughts. The effects of such sexual addiction is pretty similar to what smokers experience with their habit.
A recent study states that around 33% of males aged between the age of 16-34 are addicted to high speed internet porn.
And this figure is growing every day as more and more people get access to the internet worldwide.
The main cause for this is, porn is everywhere you look. Pornographic content is now readily accessible at your fingertips. It is only a few clicks away from whoever is searching for it. This booming porn industry, in an attempt to make porn even more accessible to many, has set up several ads on the Internet that will lead you to the sites offering these services.
So if you are ready to find out how to quit watching porn or at least reduce porn, then read along for 7 actionable steps.
How to Know if You’re Addicted to Porn
If you are worried and saying to yourself – ‘I can’t stop watching porn’, then that is the least of the problems. All you need is to get an effective system like BlockerX – The best porn blocker.
Excessive use of porn leads to certain effects which is the main problem. Here are a few things to pay attention to in that regard.
- Lethargy and lack of motivation
- Chronic release dysfunction
- Declining interest in real partner
- Delayed release
- Brain fog and concentration problems
- Social anxiety and emotional numbness
All of these are significantly decreased along with less chances of erectile dysfunction when the person stops watching internet porn. Internet porn addiction causes these symptoms and conditions because chronic porn consumption alters the reward circuits in the brain from a chemical and structural standpoint, as explained by modern neuroscientists and researchers conducting various studies on this addiction.
We are all aware that quitting porn can be a rough road to go down on. There are triggers at every turn waiting to sabotage your efforts and such a relapse often threatens one’s self-esteem and belief in themself. Sometimes the struggle is just so long and relentless that it might seem like the easiest thing to do is just quit trying and continue to live life as a chronic porn consumer.
But, quitting porn isn’t all that complex if you take the right approach and stick to it.
With proper execution and determination, you’ll soon find yourself on the road to self-improvement. So here’s how to quit porn without having to deal with relapses every now and then.
The 7 Things to Do if You’re Wondering How to Quit Porn Forever
There’s a ton of information on this topic that exists on the Internet. But, most people just end up reading it instead of actually applying it in their life.
The truth is, doing this will only make things more difficult for you. What you need is a set of techniques that are guaranteed to work and help you out. So, read along and implement these tips and techniques with a fair bit of faith in this process, as well as yourself.
1) Believing you can break the habit is half the battle
The better way to go about this will be to start believing you can do it before you get down to the specifics.
Belief is a powerful driver of change. A great number of studies have shown that men and women who believe in themselves and believe that change is possible, have more success replacing addictions and entrenched bad habits than those who don’t believe they can change. Wanting to give up porn is key to being successful and it is the first step in this case. Often, you can be stuck in denial, and this will only hinder your progress.
Self-belief is one of the most important things you can have as an individual. It can make all the difference in your life when it comes to your self-esteem, motivation, and general outlook on the world.
After all, as William Arthur Ward said: “No man is as small as he thinks he is or as great as he thinks he could be.” Self-belief is a lot like that saying; if we think we’re capable of more than we currently are, then chances are we will eventually reach our full potential.
Accepting the addiction and believing you can give up, allows you the space to plan how to give up, as you can focus your attention, energy, and motivation away from the addiction itself towards efforts to break and combat the addiction. Always remember, change is possible. Humans are designed to adapt to change.
2) Write down your plan on how you will quit porn
A Harvard MBA study of graduates found those who wrote down their goals and a plan of action were twice as successful, than those who didn’t write down any goals. The sense of achievement when you tick off each action point will increase your motivation and help keep you on track.
Picture yourself achieving that goal, and what it would feel like to have reached your full potential. This can be a huge boost to the self-esteem of those who do it, and can have a huge impact on their lives.
This might seem like a small step, some might even find it unnecessary, but it is one of the most powerful actions you can take. Writing it down will not only lift off a huge burden from your chest but will also help you out things in perspective. Just by writing a list you’ll begin to feel in control. Think of all the reasons why you’ve decided to start this journey and plan out how you’re going to achieve the results you want.
Remember to not be vague, be as specific as possible with your goals and plan of action. And always consider what works for you best, and what doesn’t.
3) You need to get rid of all your porn
Next, you have to do what is called a “thorough sweep”. Make an effort to get rid of every single article of porn you have. Throw away every article or object, anything you have used as internet pornography, and clean out your computer and drive.
This is just a start, you may have to do a few thorough sweeps every once in a while. But remember, that’s completely normal. Anytime you find yourself going astray, just take a step back, read your goals and do another clean house.
4) Block all entry points for pornographic content
This means you need to install a porn blocker and accountability software like BlockerX on your smartphone, computer, and any other device you own. Unsubscribe from all porn websites, every provider you’re aware of. You are aware of how porn is coming into your life, block every channel that could bring you compromising content.
Sometimes just blocking porn is not enough. You might also need to avoid social media sites for a while. In order to avoid a relapse, it’s not just porn websites you need to stay away from.
You will come across several triggers places all over the internet. One wrong click and all your efforts will go down the drain. So, it’d be best if you spent some time away from social activities and networking sites like Instagram and Twitter.
5) Mindful meditation
Mindful meditation is a technique with a strong body of evidence and research to back its effectiveness. Over the Years, many ex-porn users say it played a significant role in their battle to get rid of the addiction.
Meditation raises dopamine levels by 65%, which can help addicts who always have low dopamine levels. This method of meditation focuses on being in the now, makes you aware of your thoughts and feelings, helping you accept and digest everything you’re feeling. Here’s how you do it:
Set aside at least 15 minutes of your day to sit quietly, breathe deeply, pay attention to your body, observing how you feel. It is non-judgemental but allows you to observe yourself. The discipline is to empty your mind and be aware, almost to foreground what you are doing. It separates your mind from your body and allows you to have insight into the way you are behaving and your porn use.
6) Take accountability and also ask for help
Make yourself accountable to a friend/ family member on a daily basis, with regard to your porn usage. It could be anyone you’re comfortable with. Pick a friend/family member you confide in and trust enough to keep you in check.
Anytime throughout the process of recovery, if you’re tempted or have sudden urges to watch, this is the person you turn to. If you want you can systematize that with the ‘Accountability Partner‘ feature in BlockerX Android.
People who set consequences in case of a relapse, often do better. If you consume porn induced in any form of content, set a consequence for yourself. You could make yourself do leg lunges, run 10 laps, give up your favourite snack or just pick up dog poop in the nearest park for a few hours. It is completely your decision to make, just ensure you abide by it.
Whatever the case may be, speaking to other people about your problem can really help you a lot. All it’ll do is make the journey easier for you if you can just decide to share.
7) Don’t aim to be Mr. Perfect
Overcoming a porn addiction is already a rough climb up the mountain, on an uncertain path. The journey is one that you make on your own, with self-belief and perseverance. You might want to do your very best at what you do, but that is only a common human instinct.
We strive to pass all our classes with the best grades, be the best on the team, and then beat ourselves up when we aren’t able to achieve it all. But this, race to perfection, often brings more harm than good.
Just make sure that you know what the situation is and how to deal with it. Jumping into the mess and trying to fix everything at once will leave you overwhelmed and stressed.
This makes this journey tougher than it has to be. Learn to accept the fact that you might relapse, you might even fail the first time. Make the commitment and push through till the very end.
It Gets Better from Here..
You’ll soon start desiring a normal healthy sex life and also want to get rid of the sex addiction as part of your relationship, as your porn addiction becomes a thing of the past and having a healthy sexual life. Remember to live your life in the real world and not in the world of porn, where everything is staged. Have the willpower to make the change and you’ll be happier, more successful, a better lover, and a great person!
Changing your life and joining a recovery program is a big step, but it doesn’t have to be the only step. You can also begin by taking small steps to change your situation and start your recovery. With each of these steps, you can build momentum and make progress as you work toward your goals and find a better way of 12-step group life
If you don’t personally have a problem with porn, hope this article helped you look at it from a different perspective. Also, if any of your friends are wondering how to quit porn, then you can guide them as well.
The best part there will be that, you will be able to relate to them at every step of the way.
The current generation’s view of porn seems quite one-dimensional. To be in better touch with reality, it’s always great to have a look at the other side of things. Just like how we try to spread awareness about the drawbacks of the other vices in society like alcohol, drugs and tobacco.
We encourage people to make better, more informed choices about the use of these products. Similarly, we need to start doing the same with porn.
Even if you personally don’t have a problem with porn videos free, you might know someone who does, and if you’re a parent, it’s good for parents to openly talk to their kids about it, to ensure it’s not something they mindlessly fall into at a young age with extreme minds.
At the end of the day, that should be the goal for all of us: To enjoy pornography mindfully, in moderation.
No matter how much you might want to come out of addiction, it’s important to remember that it will take time and patience. It’s also important to remember that you aren’t doing this alone. It’s important to remember that there are millions of people who have struggles with porn addiction, and millions of people who have found a way to overcome it.
There are programs, services, and people who can help you through your recovery journey. If you feel that you need help with your addiction, don’t hesitate to reach out for it. There are people who can help you to overcome your addiction, and get back on the road to a better life and be porn free.
Let us look into the Most Frequently Asked Questions !
1.What is the main cause of pornographic addiction?
Pornographic content is now readily accessible at our fingertips which is the main cause of pornographic addiction.
2. What does excessive use of porn use cause?
Lethargy and lack of motivation, Chronic release dysfunction, Declining interest in a real partner etc.
3. How does porn affect the brain?
Porn consumption alters the reward circuits in the brain from a chemical and structural standpoint.
4. Who is more successful in quitting porn, according to a study?
People who wrote down their goals and had a plan of action were twice as successful as others.
5. What is mindful meditation?
Mindful meditation is a technique with a strong body of evidence and research to back its effectiveness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, embarking on the journey to quit pornography is a deeply personal and courageous decision. It requires self-reflection, determination, and a commitment to your own well-being. Remember that change is a process, and it’s important to be patient and compassionate with yourself along the way. Set realistic goals, seek support from trusted friends or professionals, and consider adopting healthy coping mechanisms to replace the time and energy previously spent on pornography.
Embrace self-care practices, such as exercise, mindfulness, and pursuing meaningful hobbies, to help fill the void left by pornography. Remember that relapses may happen, but they do not define your progress. Each setback can serve as an opportunity for growth and learning.
Stay focused on your goals, celebrate small victories, and believe in your ability to overcome this challenge. With dedication and perseverance, you can reclaim control over your life, restore healthy relationships, and cultivate a fulfilling future free from the grip of pornography.