A very interesting article

ichabodcr · Aug 31, 2015

Hi Everyone,

http://www.theguardian.com/culture/...ntist-who-believes-addiction-is-not-a-disease

I've found myself reading this article about addiction, turned out to be very good food for thought. It's about addiction to substances, but really everything resonates quite strongly with porn/fap addiction as well!

Enjoy!

IGY · Aug 31, 2015

For some reason, your link didn't work. Try this one: http://www.theguardian.com/culture/...ntist-who-believes-addiction-is-not-a-disease

I think he is arguing semantics to be honest. He says I wouldn’t say disease. I would call it disorder. Or even the adjective, “pathological”.

lyad3618 · Aug 31, 2015

IGY said: ↑

For some reason, your link didn't work. Try this one: http://www.theguardian.com/culture/...ntist-who-believes-addiction-is-not-a-disease

Well I think he is arguing semantics to be honest. He says I wouldn’t say disease. I would call it disorder. Or even the adjective, “pathological”.
Click to expand...

Hi Igy, I think that the term 'disease' somehow disengages the addict from personal accountability, that making it a disease leaves the 'cure' or 'kicking the habit 'out of their control'
and thus victimizes the addict. I use the quoted text below as the example I found:

"There is this idea that the addiction label is the only thing that is going to save them and stop them from being blamed and denigrated as addicts by society. They feel that if it is
a disease, they don’t have to feel that burden or shame, because it’s not their fault. It’s hard to pull the rug out from under that without causing some upset."

ichabodcr · Sep 1, 2015

Hi Guys,

I've corrected the link in the original post, it works now, sorry about that.

IGY, I think that the semantics bit applies to addiction to substances and people going into rehab like "patients", not that much in relation to fapping.

In my opinion the bits from the article that relate strongly with porn addiction and the "nofap" world are sentences like these:

...probably the fact that addiction includes a very strong compulsive property, so when people have been addicted to something for some period of time, the psychological process moves from impulse to compulsion.

And that also involves in part, brain changes. The parts of the brain that become activated when craving is triggered by cues changes. So there’s something going on that makes it hard to stop for very good neurological reasons.
Click to expand...

I think the one above is a very good explanation of how porn grips onto our brain, and why it's so hard to get rid of the "habit". And if you think about it it's almost scary how this applies in the same way to any kind of addiction, substances, gambling, you name it.

Also, the next paragraph describe very well the winning attitude towards getting out of it.

..the best way to combat addiction is through setting different goals for yourself and setting your own goals. “I want this for my life, I don’t want that, I want to change.” That kind of self-perspective change and self-development of future goals and orientation is critical.
Click to expand...

.... who is telling you what to do? Are you telling yourself what to do, or are you being told? If you’re being told what to do, you fall into a position of helplessness or disempowerment, which makes it hard to develop this head of steam, this effortful strength and self-control and willpower. I mean really, a lot of it is about willpower to master this thing, to take it in hand and change it. The best way to combat addiction is by setting goals for yourself.
Click to expand...

I've been fighting this for almost a year now, I'm doing well at the moment, but I can't say I'm out of it yet. What I've discovered in this time is exactly what's described above. You need different goals, you shouldn't simply focus on not fapping. It doesn't work long term. The fact that not fapping frees up a lot of time and energy helps of course, but figuring out what to do with time and energy is the big deal for me!

I'm a keen amateur photographer, and I find this passion of mine to also have an analogy with what I'm trying to say regarding the nofap challange.

Most photographers pick up the camera out of curiosity for the "toy" itself. Especially guys. The "toy" phase lasts for a while, and the sheer pleasure of playing with photography gear is enough for a lot of photographers to last a lifetime.

Nothing wrong with that, but at some point in time the realization that cameras are only tools, like a pen to a writer, has to kick in, and that's when the real research begins. You realize that photography becomes like a megaphone for your other interests, your passions, or things in life you're somehow involved into.

If you're an "empty box", you've got no real interests, you're not involved in anything... well.. I can't see how you could still get satisfaction from photography in the long run, and it's very likely you'll just keep "playing with gear" or end up hanging up the camera!

Photography can be what motivates you to look into things, passions, interests. It can be travelling, getting involved in a social project and volunteering, sports, any form of art, whatever! It can be a virtuous cycle that ends up improving your life 360°. I'm not saying it's easy, it's bloody hard to take this from a simple idea into reality, but I feel that this is the way forward, and though it was worth sharing with you people.

I find this to be a strong analogy with nofap, replace fotography with "not fapping" and I think the sentences above still work.

I've taken a lot of good advice and motivation from this forum, and I'm hoping someone would benefit from this in the same way!

Good luck folks!

Log in

A very interesting article

ichabodcr Fapstronaut

IGY Guest

lyad3618 Fapstronaut

ichabodcr Fapstronaut

Share This Page