I don't think it is useful to compare yourself to others. Not the ones who have it worse or better. Does not matter in the end. The only thing you can compare yourself to is your past self. Am I feeling better / improving myself compared to yesterday. Of course some people had it easier than you. But does that change your situation in any way. Take responsibility, because no one else will do it for you, or will care much. Is it easy, no. But what else can we do? We have to stay busy with something during this lifetime.
I think what you're saying has to deal with the type of thoughts we produce. It's scientifically proven how thoughts shapes us and our destiny. So if a person X is doing pmo but doesn't think negatively about it and person Y who does pmo but also welcomes negative side effects more by thinking about them, plays a role. Person y will indeed suffer more and will in turn gets more side effects even if both the person are doing pmo in same quantity. So let's quit pmo but even if we relapse let's focus on our goals only not the negativity.
We are who we built ourselved into. The more pain, the more gain. I fight my wars. I was in the pool of shit for decades, completely fucking everything. Also on drugs. Cigarettes. Alcohol. Porn. PIED. ED. PE. Low confidence. Bad looks. Virgin. All that shit - I murdered. And Im the last mofo standing from all that. Do the same and stop being a joke for yourself. Heads up. Soldier on.
We are fuc_d up clowns for sure, no denying. But we are assured that " we " are not our addiction. Underneath the layered years of pmo accumulation, there resides our true selves....Ours is a silent killer. If we confessed of alcohol, drug use, over-eating, obsession with elephants; take your pick- most would be sympathetic and hopeful of our recovery. If pmo is cited, head for the exit, you vile, degraded moron (ie. degenerate). If you think about, for this site and a few others like it, to actually exist, is a blessed oddity in itself. From that- perhaps you( we ) can take some solace.