I’ve been watching porn for 2 years, and I’m having thoughts about getting rid of it. However, I also like to play video games, so my mind is playing tricks such as saying, “porn is like a video game.” I’m not addicted to video games because I rarely play because I don’t really have time. So am I actually addicted because I am confused at this point
Do you really want to quit but you cannot? Is it keeping you from doing basic things and negatively affecting your life?
The most easy way to find out if you have a dependency on something, is to leave that thing for a month. Then see how you react on this void.
I use simple rule. If you want to do less or don't do it at all and you can't stop or do it less then you are out of control and you are addict. It can be applied on anything.
Simple-headed approach (yeah, my specialty): Stop using today. If you can’t stick with that, consider yourself addicted. (Some might argue it’s more complicated than that, but what’s the difference?) Or, if you abstain for some time but then revert to occasional use, what’s the point? What good does that do you? Using porn is a lose-lose proposition. You lose if you get addicted. And you win nothing by “occasional use” except the opportunity to want to use more and more, which becomes (duh…) addiction. Welcome to the party.
I would say you know you have a problem when the PMO is negatively affecting your life in some way, yet despite this you still can't stop, or you can't cut your usage down to a level where it is no longer negatively affecting your life.
If you need it 24/7 I think it's obvious you have a serious problem. Of course no one can PMO 24/7. We sleep, eat, leave the house, and do many other things in a day. But I presume you mean the majority of the time you're awake you're PMOing? Or you spend a large amount of time everyday PMOing? Yes that is definitely addict behaviour. It wouldn't even have to be everyday for it to be addict behaviour. I define addict behaviour as not being able to stop when you start. So not PMOing once for like 5-10 minutes and then stopping, and that's you done. No when you start PMOing you edge, binge, and this goes on all day, or multiple times in a day, or even lasts days. This is addict behaviour.
It's an addiction then, went through the same thing, until you are willing to fight the urges, you wont be able to rewire your brain out of it, oh and you'll need at least 90 days for the rewiring so thats the starting point.
No, that’s an exaggeration. I mean I constantly have urges for it all day. Even after orgasming, just after an hour, I have urges for it again.
That's the chaser effect. After doing it once you want more and more and more. It's also addict behaviour. Someone goes out and has a beer with their dinner, then they go home. An alcoholic has a beer with their dinner, by night the alcoholic is steaming drunk. Because the alcoholic got a taste for the alcohol and just wanted more and more and more, so they drank more and more and more, and ended up steaming drunk. This is an addict. Your behaviour and desire to PMO is the same as the alcoholics desire to drink. You're an addict. Please don't take offence at me calling you a PMO addict. I am a PMO addict to.
it happened to me with alcohol too, I went from drinking it regularly to drinking it two days a row, after that I was like this will turn into a addiction if I dont stop now!
It's all been said above, if you want to quit because you keep having the same negative results but can't and are stuck in this cycle you're addicted. For me, I can go 6 or 7 days convinced I've got it beat this time. And then I am unbelievable horny and give in so easily. Then I go through the low self esteem and self loathing all over again. I know I'm addicted. I love it while I do it and hate myself later. I haven't been able to fight it for more than about 10 days in a few years. Anger is a bad side effect of this addiction.
If you have account on this forum and able to post a thread, I assume that you need help to break free from porn addiction because you feel like it has been problematic for you.
Don't even think about it mate, ditch the porn, no question. However many thousand people on this site are testament to the damage it can produce. Addicted or not it is poison for you.
How long can you go without relapsing? If you can only ever last under 21 days, you have a very serious addiction. If you can go without for a full 30 days, then you may have the resources to then go a full 90 days, which shouldn't be a problem if you're not addicted. If you can't achieve that, you do have an addiction. Prove it to yourself that you can get past the three thresholds of 21 days, 30 days, and 90 days with no P or MO. Ninety days is a good threshold for breaking the addiction in serious fashion if you had one to begin with. Log your progress here. Good Luck! .