porn is the only thing that gives me dopamine

Man i know how you feel.... the shaking of the legs and that beating heart sucks you into a hole.
Keep trying man you need to reboot give it your best
Posting here wont be able to give us full control of you only you can do that dont give in too it, its a trap.

 

Please list the impacts if you get caught surfing porn at work.

Porn might be an "excitement" to you (all of us been there), but its also slavery. It's also your "executioner", it tortures you and leads you to think real life is not exciting.
One can completely miss its life staying in front of a computer.

How is real sex for you right now? Any mates?

 

I understand.

The main hitch about porn is that since it is always accessible, it creates a supply/demand situation on the drain of dopamine. While you're engaging in the activity, your brain is fed dopamine and all is well, sun is shining etc. But the very state of self guilt so many people go through is directly a drain meant to drag you back into the habit. Creating a lower sense of self being that requires a 'kick' to feel alive again.

Your brain is holding the dopamine tap at gunpoint pretty much.

I personally write down a log of what irritates me, the time/date for self comparison etc. post-engagement and it helps lift somewhat a small burden off my shoulders. If you can seperate it from your mind, it becomes a battle of keeping yourself occupied defensively as opposed to being constantly attacked by the dopamine drain, and is a teeny bit more navigatable, but still a bit of a black hole in your pysche in that until you get in under control and sealed up, it's a battle to feed your brain enough occupating activities not related to PMO to not relapse.

 

I saw gardening been used as therapy with heavy drug users. It teaches US to be patient, constant, to observe little changes Daily... All things needed to fight our enemy. It is less silly than it could appear. Keep it up. And the contact with earth has something... Special. I always feel mode alive and connected with everything after such activities.
And as you saw, boredoom brought you to a new hobby. Boredoom is foundamental to develop creativity, just do not fall seeking fast and useless rewards. Cheers!

 

There are positive boosts from not giving in. Knowing I could slip but I dont is a great boost. My wife doubting me but me knowing I havent is another. As is going ti bed at night feeling clean and wholesome.

 

That doesn't mean only porn gives you dopamine, other activities release dopamine as well, it's just that watching porn releases an unnatural amount. So even if you were not addicted you'd still get a higher dopamine rush than doing other activities... Its sad​

 

With sex i've noticed the initial dopamine rush is higher than with porn, but it doesn't last as long as there's less novelty (you can't change partners like in porn)

 

Yeah, sounds pretty basic to me in that you need to slowly start integrating new hobbies and habits into your life. I was this way for many years. I greatly enjoyed miniature war games, assembling and painting the figures and then gaming with them, but as the pmo addiction started to take hold of me I slowly lost interest in the figures. At the time I never knew why, but I know now. Exercise has been another big thing for me and really has helped in many areas of my life, other than just physical health.

A coach/trainer/community leader/generally amazing guy in my town runs a drug recovery program called Addicts to Athletes. It mainly focuses on drug addicts (because our town has a rampant issue with them), because he used to be one as well, but he works with anyone who just has general struggles in life. I've been very very tempted to go to him about my porn addiction, but I feel good enough about myself that I don't want to think about it unless it's to say how far I've come and where I have came from.

What I was going to say about his program though, is that after the meetings he holds, they do some exercising, as the goal of the program is to replace addictive habits with exercise. Many of the successful people, including himself, in the group have gone on to run marathons and ironman triathalons (for those wondering what they are, they are both very long distance races, requiring a major dedication to complete them).

So long story short, find other things in life, even if they seem like they don't give you enjoyment now, because you have to break yourself away from the over-excitement porn gives you. It sounds like your on the right track, but I notice you frequently reset your tracker, so just stay strong and remind yourself that you're bigger and better than porn wants you to be.