Made It Two Years Without Watching Porn By Doing This

Yes, I wish I can totally ditch them. I started using super power saving mode on my phone which basically only allows you to make calls, send messages and open whatsapp. Which is nice.

 

The main thing I picked up from this is the idea of turning hard mode into easy mode, so I think you're onto something with that aim.
Maybe it's worth just having a more connected device away from normal access ie for internet but not as accessible as a normal phone. Like visiting the library back in the day to use the computers, or having a communal landline with itemized billing.

 

Yes ultimately it's better to simply not want to access unhelpful stuff, even if it is available, although there is even not wanting to do it but doing it anyway. A dumb phone could lead the brain to decide to go and buy a paper to find chat lines, for example.
So, a good idea to minimise risk, coupled with experience in choosing options better than the unhelpful one.
I'm not quite there yet myself but getting better at this game.

 

I've definitely considered ditching the tech at times.

I've somewhat scaled down, living without a TV is great, and currently having my phone on greyscale drops my use time significantly. Just because we can doesn't mean we should right?

I have wondered, what if I pick up a trade or any job that isn't requiring a screen, then throw out all my screens at home. It sounds refreshing to me. But I also see the perspective of learning to live with temptation.

One of my early issues with PMO was staring at women in public. I tried two approaches. Avoiding women in public, and being amongst them but practicing a look of 'acknowledgement' rather than a 'stare'. The latter worked for me, as it was like a muscle that needed slow training over time.

I wonder how much tech do you ideally see in your life? Would it be needed for work or hobbies?

If so, perhaps slowly introducing it back into your lifestyle would be training that mental muscle to use a screen for a specific purpose, and then get back to what you value most.

 

That lifestyle sounds ideal in many ways. Trading the busy work you weren't fulfilled with for something minimalist. Having greater real world connections. All would go a long way to rebooting I imagine!

I quoted the dating part only, because it's a common theme for rebooters to avoid dating until 'recovered'. However, many would say that dating would help the reboot process, allowing the brain to slowly rewire to the real thing.

If you're not dating already, you may want to try adding it as an element of your reboot, rather than a reward for some day down the road.

 

Hi Islandtime,

I think your idea of living off grid is a good one, I have an off grid cabin on acreage in Canada and there are less temptations while I am out there. I do have a phone though with data, however my phone plan is one with very limited data so its not possible to watch porn on it.

Good luck you can do it!

 

Yes, what I call the 'biological look' or the first and natural one. Staring doesn't help.

 

I can feel what you feel because I was used to feel the same! What I have found out is to learn how to solve the root of the problem rather than curing the symptoms! Here is a TED talk I have discovered where there is a world class life coach Tony Robbins explains the reason why we are addicted to a certain things like Pron!

 

I'd like to, but my profession is electronics, so it's not happening anytime soon. My next phone will likely be a litephone, my next computer will probably lack USB ports as well. Whatever I can do to increase the friction is what I'm doing.

Congrats on making it as long as you did. Those accomplishments shouldn't go without acknowledgement.

 

I have discovered meditation to be a good way out of this. When I meditate, I try my best to lose all focus resulting in me having to re-center my thoughts. Doing this consistently helps me re-center my thoughts and trains me to take control of my thoughts and my subconscious mind. I believe, over time, this would translate into my everyday life & will help me control emotional outbursts and also help me maintain control over my bad behavior impulses. It is all about focus and willpower which can be developed over time by doing this consistently.

 

But we must be careful not to become fundamentalist. I think one of the big things in the West (both weakness and strength) is to be able to choose, although you're only suggesting non-access for yourself.
The best part for me is when I see porn or other adult websites and think 'We all want to continue the genes, we all want love, and this isn't it'.

 

May I ask, What was your frequency of masturbation during those two years of being porn-free?

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I can't believe the post and the answers!
everyone solution to the problem is to runaway !!! Running away from any problem is never a good solution! Yes, i have tried not to use said "electrionics", that doesn't work! Stop fooling yourselves!
You're problem will be solved when you have your phone, internet, and all the available possibilities to watch porn and masturbate to it and you say NO !
I know very a few people who done that and they had the best possible life after that!
If you try to just runaway, it always catch you! It will finally find you and fuck you up!
I know! It's hard. It's not just hard, its very hard. So many fall and never get up!
Unfortunately there is no sugar cookie method to stop PMO. You have to go against your own brain. The battle to PMO is one of the battles that fought and never talked about. When you win there is no one there to congratulate you, there is nobody to pat you in the back and say well done boy! But after winning you're are not a boy you used to be anymore, you come out as a man. And after that life is all HARD. But i tell you, You will like doing hard thing because you are a man. Not a fucking pussy you are right know!
Runaway as much as you want.
You will only win when you say NO !

 

I tried ditching my cellphone for a couple of months, and the moment I got it back I relapsed immediately, I think there are two reasons for that:
1- when you ditch your electronics, you stop controlling yourself, since there are no possible way you are going to get porn, you see no reason not to think about all the movies you watched before, and you feel no guilt also.
2- your habits of using the cellphone or the laptop remain unchanged, like when you learn how to ride a bike, it does not matter how long you stop riding it, the moment you ride one, you will remember instantly how to ride it.

 

@Islandtime - how are you connecting with the internet to post this thread? Are you using computers at the library? Is it tricky / tempting for you to be online when you're doing this?