Hi. I try to quit porn, but i have problem with fantasies. It looks like my fantasies are like some kind of substitute of porn, and i fell like i am not rebooting becouse of it. I will write two scenarios. 1. First one is scenario with "sexual cooldown mode" when i dont watch porn, dont masturbate, and dont fantasize. It is hard time for me, when i am in this mode..but on other hand i fell like this is right path. I just have to stay strong, and everything will normalize. 2. Second scenario is like constant strugle. I dont watch porn, dont masturbate, but i fatasize a lot i have boner etc...I fell like i am "sexualizing my brain",and despite i dont watch porn i am reaching out intentionaly for fantasiesm, and in some way i use them like a tool. I can do this for hours and i fell like my brain is burning It is quite simple how to stop watch porn. You just have to stop watch it. It is hard, but path is celar and you know what to do. But what in case of fantasies? It is much harder just to block them. How to manage this topic?
You should just ignore the thought immediately when you feel like you are starting to fantasize and try to focus on other things.
You have hit the nail on the head! This is exactly what you are doing. You are finding another way to get your dopamine fix. You must not harm your reboot like this. You need to distract your mind. Anything will do tbh: books; TV; music; playing a musical instrument; sports; working out; engaging with a hobby; prayer... It is whatever you can put in your brain instead of something sex-related.
I have had similar experiences. Acknowledge the fantasy, inquire about what you are thinking or feeling or needing that led you to fantasy, focus on doing something else and imagine the fantasy being gone.
I believe I understand where you come from, but. I wouldn't paint dopamine as the bad guy. Eating food, lifting weights, crossing things off of your to-do-list also produces dopamine. Problem with porn is that it's a super stimulus and it produces way too much dopamine for brain to handle. You are just staring the process. Trying to get everything done from the beginning can be too much a struggle. Sinking into sexual thoughts for hours every day wouldn't be productive for anyone. But in my opinion no one should try to push every sexual though or an image out of their head. For some this journey is short. They quit porn and masturbation and go on with their lives. Then you have the majority, like myself, who need years to beat the addiction. So I would suggest taking small steps. If you can go three or even five months without porn, then try to let go of the fantasies of you think they're a problem. Meaby you find out that only certain type of images are harmful to you. NoFap is very flexible so what works for me doesn't necessary work for you.
I know this "passing out" technique...and sometimes it work, but sometimes i am like stucked, and glued to this fantasies...or maybe this "using as tool" behaviour. I am like on "no porn mode" and second part of me cheat, or try to pretend that fantasies are ok. It is wired, becouse i write it right? I write about this, so i know all this..but it is only like one level. On orher level i fell like my body, brain dont agree for this. It is like i want to want, but dont really want. It is mixture of fear, fear of disapointment or failure..Im am doing something i want to do something, but i am not really ready to do it, and to accept that this part of my life will end. like something is stronger. And this fantasies are not just fantasies..i dont know where it comes from. I am like some genius porn screnwriter..i am amased of how creative this proces is. I am mading up some completly new scenes. I dont saw this before on screen, or in movie. It is like my own brain/pornhub, but someone else is using it. Like some other part of me.
