Has it become a habit or is fapping an addiction for you?

This is really interesting man.

I too believe that I had a habit rather than an addiction.

When I read stories from many users on this forum, much of the time I couldn't relate. I never experienced "urges" to watch porn or jerk off in the middle of the day, or as soon as I woke up or whatever. For the majority of my week, I didn't think about porn or fapping at all, so it's obvious that it doesn't have a hold over my mind the way I've seen many people describe.

However, I always jerked off at the same time every week, religiously. Friday nights were the only nights where I was home alone, so they became "my" time. I got into the habit of jerking it every Friday night after I was done with everything else (Reading, Xbox, TV etc). The thing is, if I ended up going out on a Friday night for drinks or something, I didn't miss the time I would usually be spending jerking off. I didn't sit in the pub with my friends having a good time thinking "damn I wish I was at home in a darkened room with my dick in my hand watching some weird stuff on the internet".

There were times when my social calendar was full and I'd be out every Friday night for weeks on end, and you know what, I never once thought about porn or fapping or how I "missed" either of them.

To me, this proves that (in our cases) porn and fapping were a product of environment and boredom rather than a full blown addiction, or an addiction at all for that matter.

It's reassuring to think that all I need to do to avoid this awful habit is make changes to my environment.

Saying that, it's also kind of worrying to think about how many guys here are convinced they're porn addicts when maybe they've just fallen into bad habits.

 

There are really only two factors in determining whether or not a behavior is an addiction:

1) You continue the behavior, despite negative consequences, and
2) you have repeatedly tried to stop, but keep returning to it.

When you say porn "doesn't hold you back", I don't quite believe you. If it doesn't hold you back, then why are you trying to quit?

Habits become habitual for the same reasons addicts become addicted--the repeated behavior creates a neuropathway that gets stronger with each instance of acting out. Your decision to cut off your access (getting rid of your Kindle) and doing positive activities instead (reading and swimming) are first two recommendations for most PMO addicts.

I'm totally glad you've found a way to start addressing this issue--I just think it needlessly complicates things when breaking it down as a habit vs. an addiction.