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How to Use Devices In a Healthy Way

Discussion in 'Success Stories' started by alphakadabro, Sep 17, 2020.

  1. alphakadabro

    alphakadabro Fapstronaut

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    I have been talking to many people here on the forums and I am seeing some common themes.

    #1. Guy relapses to Youtube
    #2. Guy relapses to Instagram
    #3. Guy relapses to Tinder
    #4. Guy is alone and bored in bed at night doing things on his phone that he knows will lead to temptation.

    The first three examples are pretty obvious. During early days of recovery don't use Youtube, Instagram or Tinder. At least 14+ days, but preferably 30+ or 90+. If you need something on Youtube, download it for later while in-public with your screen visible to others, and watch it when you want to.

    Q: What about Netflix?
    A: It is best to avoid it for 14+ days. Many titles are going to bring temptation and lead to chaser effect relapses and/or self-sabotage (i.e. browsing in places we shouldn't and hoping to "accidentally" see something we shouldn't).

    After 14+ days, when you have strength over your urges, you can watch family sit-coms and other non-sexual TV shows and movies. If you see a sexual scene then immediately skip past it. If your heart is beating fast immediately get away from the computer and don't watch any videos for 24+ hours. I have found that even a few hours later, I am hyper-sensitive to sexual content I accidentally saw and I can't focus on the plot of the show. So I advice to skip watching videos that entire day, and maybe the next day, as well. If there is a series that you really like, but it features suggestive content - that is a hard no, you cannot watch it.

    It is important to have a strategy for abstaining from recreational usage of our internet-devices during moments when we are most vulnerable. For most guys that is when they are alone and bored.

    It is unavoidable to be alone and bored sometimes, and during those moments, we must be offline. This is especially important during the early days of recovery.

    This means we can use smartphones and computers under two circumstances:

    1) When in-public or with friends/family and when our screen is not hidden and is visible to others.

    2) When we are doing professional, academic or productive work.

    To further illustrate the point. I will preemptively answer some common Q&A.

    Q: Can I play games on my computer?
    A: Yes, but only if the door is open, the curtain is open, and there are other people around. This is for at least the first 14-days. So when you are alone in the house, or if you live alone, you can't play games for 14+ days.

    Q: Can I watch Netflix?
    A: Same as above. Download movies ahead of time - when not alone - and then watch them later when you are alone.

    Q: Can I do anything else that I want on the computer when I am alone?
    A: No. No R-rated content, no music videos, nothing with nudity, sexual or suggestive themes.

    The basic idea is to use our devices as a means to an end for productive and skill-building purposes.

    Q: What should I do for entertainment?
    A: Entertainment should be social and offline, as much as possible. We should use our devices for tasks which cannot be completed any other way (i.e. email, online shopping, etc.). We should not rely on them to entertain us when we are bored. This always leads to temptation, self-sabotage and relapse.

    Q: Can I read books on my Kindle or Nook?
    A. Devices with a very singular function, like tablet e-book readers are fairly safe. Just don't use the browser function. I highly recommend reading books, even ebooks.

    Q: What should I do if I feel temptation and my heart starts beating quickly when I am on a device?
    A: Usually there are two phases. First, we notice the suggestive content and have a few moments to guage our reaction. When you have gone 30+ days, or have strong willpower and weak cravings, you can feel the temptation pass. The second phase is if the temptation doesn't pass but becomes stronger. At this point, you start feeling sexual movement in your body, your breathing changes and you become paranoid wondering if other people are around to see you. This rapidly escalates into impulsive relapse behaviors. What you should do is immediately step away from the computer or close the browser and put down your phone. Physically walk away and do not return for the rest of the day.

    Obviously we need our phones, but you need to wait as long as possible before using it again. Ideally, at least a few hours. I recommend avoiding watching any further videos for 24+ hours.

    To recap: Use your devices for professional, academic and productive purposes only, or as much as possible.

    For recreation, sex and entertainment we should be social with other people, as much as possible.

    Q: I know professional means for work and academic means for school, but what is a productive purpose?
    A: A productive purpose helps you achieve your measurable goals. Examples: language learning, independent study, reading, Chess, writing or journalling, creating art or music, compiling spreadsheets to track your weighlifting progress, making and printing recipes for cooking, and so on.

    If you want to talk more, you can always send me a PM or write on my profile.
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2020
  2. Thank you so much sir, i found it very helpful and unknowingly (as i was wasting a lot of hours on YT ) Also , recently due to instagram made me relapse . I took a firm line and deleted instagram.
    Also i would like to suggest that you can download "app Block " from the play store and it is very helpful
    Lets fight this villian together !!
     
  3. Adam_714

    Adam_714 Fapstronaut

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    Yeah that's good, I mean you gotta start off by "not being complacent"
     
    alphakadabro likes this.
  4. alphakadabro likes this.
  5. Reborn16

    Reborn16 Fapstronaut

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    All solid advice!!

    I keep trying to think of my laptop and phone as just tools.

    Luckily these days I use the computer enough for study, so any excess time I'd rather spend on real life activities or just chill outside.

    I used to spend hours on my phone - but I've convinced myself (rightly or wrongly) that it's a terrible habit for my eyes - and that put me off it...

    It's just so much easier to avoid excess media use all together - at least until we're in a better mindset.
     
    Venkat19 and alphakadabro like this.
  6. alphakadabro

    alphakadabro Fapstronaut

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    Asgardian36 likes this.
  7. grffn

    grffn Fapstronaut

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    Thanks. Your point about not using devices for entertainment spoke to me. Great post.
     
    alphakadabro likes this.
  8. luna luna

    luna luna Fapstronaut

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    I think that definitely right.. and in addition to what you said, I think we gotta avoid fantasies.. I've tried that once and had great result..
     
    Captain! likes this.
  9. PMO addict1

    PMO addict1 Fapstronaut

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    thanks man ..thats some great advices... It solved almost all of my doubts ..... But I have one more question.. If u dont mind answering. I have been asking to everyone but couldnt get convincing amswer.......... its that... When ever i see attractive women on T.V , Shows or movies.. I feel lusty on them... and due to It In my last streak of 5 months.. I have been avoinding everything all together... which makde me weird in fornt of others.. because I refused every plan of going to movies with friends. or watching a show with family because even a glimpse of beautiful women triggers me ( I m talking about only normal scenes... nothing Sexual at all)...So in this streak I am not avoiding any trigger I watch despite having luaty feeling.... because I dont want to be like alien in this world....... and now i am on 60 days... with facing all those triggers..but still get lusty feeling everytime any hot women come in movie...... So I want to ask Is my approach right.??? I have gone 2 months like this way.. and didnt gave in.. But I feel dopamine would have rushed in brain.... Sould I keep going like this or go back to Avoinding everything... like before ???? please answer . sorry for long question ... .. Thanks
     
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  10. alphakadabro

    alphakadabro Fapstronaut

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    You should keep going like before. You don't need television, movies or social media to live a happy and fulfilling life. Tell your friends that you think it is boring and you prefer to do something else besides sitting down and watching a screen.
     
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  11. PMO addict1

    PMO addict1 Fapstronaut

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    But as the result of not facing trigger .. whenever I face them accidently i relasped because it cause huge arousal.. but when I keep facing them throughout the streak.. Its intensity become less.

    ..Every actress or good looking women is a trigger for me & last time I relapsed watching an News channel anchor... because i didnt see any women on tv for 5 months.. and when I saw her It made me relapse ....ur thoughts ???
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2020
  12. alphakadabro

    alphakadabro Fapstronaut

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    What do you mean by relapse? You saw the TV anchor and then what exactly did you do?
     
  13. Comfortablydumb96

    Comfortablydumb96 Fapstronaut

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    I really needed to read this post. Thanks a lot.
     
  14. PMO addict1

    PMO addict1 Fapstronaut

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    I got huge urge to masturbate .. then I fapped to her ... and after that I wet on to porn and since then it took 8. month of huge binge to start again
     
  15. alphakadabro

    alphakadabro Fapstronaut

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    You need to read my post about changing your environment. You need to create a habitat around you in such a way that fapping to PMO is literally impossible and/or extremely inconvenient.
     
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  16. PMO addict1

    PMO addict1 Fapstronaut

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    Okk .. :)
     
  17. RobW

    RobW Fapstronaut

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    I’d suggest deleting social media and games from your phone, look at your triggers, make a simple check list of them, then try and alter your surroundings to avoid them.
    A trick I was given by my therapist was to have an elastic band around your wrist. If you are watching a tv show and feel the urge just snap the elastic band on to your wrist for a short sharp shock out of the current thought process.
    This might work for you.
     
    PMO addict1 and alphakadabro like this.
  18. Asgardian36

    Asgardian36 Fapstronaut

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    hey man! Its a good advice.....most folks here underestimate how triggering media can be. All your advice is on point. Good post!!!

    Were there any close moments in your current streak? how did you manage to not relapse when hit with urges?
     
    alphakadabro likes this.
  19. For Netflix, I look up the parents guide IMDb to avoid nudity and sexual content. TV and movie ratings can be a bit misleading (I once saw a PG-rated nudity movie), so it’s important to look up what content is in there. I do this with all TV shows and movies before I watch them.

    For YouTube, do restricted content mode and have porn blockers.

    Uninstall Instagram and Tinder. Guaranteed relapse if you use those sites.

    If the addiction is really bad, get a image blocking software. Like Pluckeye or something.

    Remember, self control is key.
     
    alphakadabro likes this.
  20. akshay thakur

    akshay thakur Fapstronaut

    I found your points really helpful I will start following them from now on.
     
    alphakadabro likes this.

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