day one.

[BOFIS]

I'm a 15 year old male, and have been addicted to porn for years. I have been trying to quit for over a year now, but nothing has really worked. My longest streak is only 15 days, which feels pitiful compared to some other streaks I've seen on here. In the past few months I haven't even been able to get past 7 days.

But this is where that all changes. I just relapsed a few hours ago, and now I am angry. I am angry at porn, at my brain for constantly craving and begging for dopamine. All I want to do now is absolutely destroy my porn addiction, and become who I want to be. School year is ending in a week, and I will spend all summer trying to quit. My goal right now is 10 days. 10 days. That seems pretty daunting right now, but I know if I organize my arsenal right, I should be able to do it.

Please give any kind of advice and tips on quitting.

 

[Asdor22]

It's great to hear you are trying to quit porn. I think a streak of 15 days is a good start, as well as a show of resilience and your inner motivation.

I understand that you are angry at porn and your brain having cravings, but I think it is important to remember that your brain did not aim to make you addicted, but rather could not recognize the difference between porn and sex. No one ever told me that watching porn will make me miserable, so I try to empathize with myself. So, what works for me is to transfer the feeling of anger to compassion and motivation, aiming to get out of the rut I never intended to fall into.

Some helpful tips & tools when it comes to working with addiction and improving your life overall are:

1. Waking up/going to bed at the same time every day
2. Working out and meditation
3. Following a healthy, simple, and tasty diet
4. Reading philosophy/books that allow you to work in skills you desire
5. Switching social media that have too many potential triggers with a good book of whichever genre you enjoy the most
6. Use a porn blocker - if you have iPhone, screen time already has a built-in porn blocker called "Content & Privacy"

To explain why I listed tips for self-improvement as well: I believe that if a person is trying to quit porn, but does not change the habits surrounding porn to healthier ones, it is easier to fall back into the habit. This is due to the fact that small positive tweaks in your daily life give you motivation and allow you to prioritize a healthier version of yourself.

Lastly, here are some helpful links: What is porn addiction? Rebooting from porn addiction. NoFap lingo. Panic button. Urge Surfing. Chaser effect.

 

[BOFIS]

Thanks dude! Will definitely try all of these, and that's some really interesting advice on how to manage emotions.