Is this good or bad ?

Hello Xander. First of all, congratulations or reaching 23 days. Imo, the greatest benefit we get from quitting is using the extra time to improve ourselves. What I'm saying is you gotta make an active effort to improve your life. ANd if you replace p with other addictions, you're not gonna see results.

 

There is nothing wrong with you Xander_. In fact there is something more right with you than there was 23 days ago. You are learning new things about yourself and gaining self-control and motivation. You are definitely in the process of changing the sort of person you are.

But these changes don't necessarily need to be awe inspiring or earth shattering. For some people they have been so suppressed by their addiction that any change feels like a miracle to them and for some achievements become extra significant as part of their way to increase their motivation. What ever it is, people say and claim a lot, but these things are only relevant to them. The only true thing that we all share at the end of the journey is kicking the PMO addiction. And that is more significant and more life changing than anything else.

You are 23 days in. You have a good strong streak behind you, but you are not out of the woods yet. It is very common during this chaotic phase to have dreams about P. This is your brain rewiring its relationship with it. Ignore the dreams, they aren't significant and will go in time. Instead, keep extra vigilant for surprise attacks, lies, urges. You addiction is in its death throes and can be unpredictable. Keep doing what you have been doing, revisit your list of triggers and motivations. Reinvigorate your resolve.

You are doing well and you are doing it right.

Good luck.

 

Count yourself lucky. You are 17 and although you have been doing this since you are 12 that is only 5 years and I imagine that although it has become an addiction, it is a relatively new addiction compared to some. I had my addiction for 30 years. In that time the addiction can really mess with your head. And being in my 40s my brain is not so resilient and elastic as it was in my teens.

You have some time to go before you are safe. It is usually best to aim for 3 months - 90 days - and see how you feel after that. But if the most you are feeling is some urges and some unwanted erections it would suggest that your brain is responding well will recover very well.

If that is the case then there are 2 things to keep in mind. First, don't get lulled into a false sense of security. I could be completely wrong about what I say about you. Only you know for sure so keep on battling the urges and keep that goal of 90 days in your head and heart.

Second, while yo are making this change in your life, consider what other areas you would like to change too. Do you want to learn something new? Or experience something new? Give yourself a challenge and work towards it. You've done 24 days of no PMO. What would you achieve if you practised the guitar for 24 days or drawing for 24 days or running/mountain-biking/diving.

The world is waiting for you. Go and get it

 

There's some very good advice in this thread.

I just would like to reiterate some of it. Don't get cocky. I'd say unless you're in triple digits, the worst may still be yet to come. My strongest urges were around day 50. Sometimes I would have to shut my laptop, put down my cell phone, and immediately leave the house or I knew I would relapse. Be ready for the unpredicatable and unprecedented.

Also, resisting the strongest urges will produce the most positive change. Keep that in mind.

Finally, try not to compare your reboot to others. We're all different. You're doing it right, and you're seeing changes. That's all that matters.