The Lord of the Rings Challenge

very good bro, thank you, i also thought that you were minimizing the problem. well, ironically, i don´t think masturbation is the problem here, masturbation as a solo act, no. masturbation to porn, yes, that´s incredibly dangerous.

the problem is for most people, the link between porn and masturbation is super entwined, like 2 faces of a coin. so for the sake of things, it´s better to get rid of both. plus masturbation drains the body and mind of vitality, it´s not a good behaviour.

but i find in your words, a little safety about the "no porn" streak, but truth is you´re only 2 months sober from erotica, so the addiction is still very alive. bear in mind, in a basic level, erotica is still high stimulation, it doesn´t matter if society see it as "a lesser evil". If we´re not careful porn subs can easily hijack us, and activate the porn dopamine receptors that we have.

so i think you should be alert on all levels, masturbation and lustful content. althought on the most explicit one (hardcore) you´re doing a great job. Keep going!!

 

don´t beat yourself up bro , in the beginning is always hard. so do your best, improve each time you slip, or each time you feel close to slip

 

Try to calm yourself down bro, do meditation, go for a walk, breath, etc. first calm down, then talk to yourself. racionalization doesn´t work if you feel like a bulldozer.

another very important thing is: do not feed lust in your head. as soon as you spot a lustful thought, desingage from it, come back to reality, focus on the present moment. don´t dwell in those thoughts because they will drag more thoughts of the same kind, making urges appear.

another good thing is cold showers. take them daily, they will pump your blood, alertness, and reduce urges

 

Congratulations bro!! breathe the free air



Now let´s go destroy the thing that you carry . Good luck!!!!

 

Checking in Fellowship

Sleep more hours today, because i felt my sleep was lacking and, now, althought i feel a bit sleepy for oversleeping , i feel overall better, and with very little anxiety .

Another very busy day ahead, so i´m gonna hit the grind . Before i leave, here´s my reboot read for the day, the continuation of the science behind porn addiction.

Have a great day brave Companion!! . Checking out.


"Your brain on porn", page 55


"Are We Really Talking About Addiction Here?

Some psychologists and clinicians outside the addiction-neuroscience field claim it is a mistake
to employ addiction science to understand behaviours like compulsive gambling and out of control
consumption of internet pornography. They argue that addiction only makes sense when talking about
substances like heroin, alcohol or nicotine.

This view often finds its way into the media. But the latest
research into the nature of addiction contradicts this. You may not be aware of it but addiction is
perhaps the most extensively studied mental disorder. Unlike most disorders in psychiatry's bible, the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5), addiction can be reproduced at will in laboratory
animals. Researchers then study the causal mechanisms and resulting brain changes right down to the
molecular level.

For example, they have discovered that same molecular switch (protein DeltaFosB) initiates key
addiction-related brain changes (and thus behaviours) in both chemical and behavioural addictions.
These kinds of discoveries are the reason that addiction experts have no doubt that both
behavioural and substance addictions are fundamentally one disorder.

Already, some seventy brain studies on internet addicts reveal the presence of the same core brain
changes seen in substance addicts. If internet use itself is potentially addictive, then obviously
internet porn use is too. Indeed, in a study entitled, "Predicting compulsive Internet use: it's all about
sex!" Dutch researchers found that online erotica has the highest addictive potential of all online
applications (with online gaming second). This makes perfect sense because addictive drugs only
cause addiction because they magnify or inhibit brain mechanisms already in place for natural
rewards, such as sexual arousal.

In other words, existing internet-addiction brain studies (many of which include internet porn
use) already indirectly establish the addictiveness of internet porn as a matter of hard science."