Hello I got on here because I have been trying to stop for a while now and I need help. Does anyone have any tips on how to start to evenually quit for good?
Greetings! To be honest, I really feel what helps is to find motivation, or a reason why you want to quit. Give yourself a goal. Write it down and keep it somewhere where you will have access to it. That way when you ever have any urges or a tough time, you could always look at that. Also, making a journal helps too. Lastly, this forum is full of helpful people who are all struggling through the same thing we are. Finding an AP, or a buddy helps too.
Practically speaking, I've found a very useful tool that I think would be great to use in accountability conversations (I recommend finding an accountability partner or two), here it is briefly: It's called the 3 circles model for addiction (you can google it). The Inner Circle lists your Addictive Behaviours - those specific behaviours that are destructive and that you're wanting to eliminate from your life. They've become uncontrollably compulsive and destructive to ourselves and others. The Middle Circle is your Slippery Behaviour. These are all behaviours that aren't necessarily wrong in themselves, but they're unwise because they have a triggering effect on you, and in the past often lead to the inner circle behaviours. They're environments, thoughts, feelings and behaviours that have the potential to lead you into relapse. (This Slippery Behaviour idea is the most valuable part of the model for me...because we don't typically go from being strong to suddenly binging; usually there was some triggering behaviour that we engaged in before we fell back into addictive behaviour) The Outer Circle is your Recovery Behaviour. These are environments, thoughts, feelings, specific healthy behaviours you are cultivating in your life to create health, wellness, peace of mind. It's a great idea to literally draw your three circles (large circle, then smaller one inside that, then smallest one inside that), then go through the exercise of listing behaviours, thoughts, feelings, environments in each as described above. That helps to identify what for your specifically are Slippery Behaviours, and also helps you focus on the positive behaviours you're trying to cultivate. Godspeed, Steve
Exercise works for me find anything to do stay out of the house. Its hard to mastarbate when your out in public lol
