Tackle the habit before it gets out of control. Porn is an
addictive habit like any other that can quickly spin out of
control.
Steps
- Recognize that porn is especially more addictive than most bad
habits because of the hormonal influences within you, and therefore
you will only break the habit if you truly want to and are willing
to work at it.
- Make note of your source of porn! Is it the internet? A DVD
collection?
- Put space between you and your source, for example: put your
computer in a family room rather than in your bedroom. You can also
block your frequently-visited sites by editing your hosts file, on
a Windows system. Editing a hosts file
- Get rid of what you have! Scratch DVDs with a pen or paperclip
before throwing them away. Tear up magazines. Delete the files and
empty the trash.
- Take note of the situations that tempt you the most and also
put space between you and them. If it is certain music or video
game, put it away for a while. You may need to steer clear of the
pool with the lovely sunbathing ladies or young handsome men for a
few weeks. You will probably be able go back to normal once you
break your addiction.
- Start a new good habit to replace the porn habits you have
ritualized.
- It can also help to track your progress. For every day that you
go without it, make a mark on the calendar. Try to keep a long
string of marks.
- Reward yourself after meeting a milestone - a month, six
months, a year.
- Give yourself positive internet things to do. Join a forum
about something, fill your bookmarks with pointless games to play
when you feel tempted.
Tips
- Talk about it with people you can trust and know will
understand and ask them to hold you accountable. The vast majority
of people are involved with porn in some way but are ashamed to
admit it. Many times porn habits thrive on secrecy.
- Avoid being alone late at night.
- Recognize situations where it happens. When you're bored? Hurt?
Angry? Alone? Tired?
- If you have a feeling your parents are suspicious of you, talk
to them privately and explain the problem and your plan. It is much
better than answering the question "Do you have something you want
to tell us?"
- Do not watch the Lifetime made-for-TV movie Cyber
Seduction: His Secret Life. This movie shows an incredibly
inaccurate and fictional account of what a pornography addiction
can do to a child, as well as ineffective ways to get over such an
addiction.
- If you can, download a program that blocks all porngraphic
sites.
- It's not rare, so don't get so sad about it. On the other hand,
that isn't an excuse to watch porn.
Warnings
- Never pressure someone for sex because you want to give up
porn. In fact that will make you worse off.
- Never allow yourself to feel guilt over being tempted. Everyone
is tempted.
- Pornography is illegal to watch under the age of eighteen in
most states. In others, it is twenty one. Be aware of these laws
when indulging in it.
- If you feel like you have a problem, don't make excuses for
yourself. Modern thinking will tell you that morality is subjective
so you can continue to do things(like watch porn) and be no worse
for it. Remember if you admitted you had a problem with porn, don't
rationalize your problem. Confront it.
