The start of my journey

[Lifedoesn'thavetosuck]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to this kind of thing. I've never been on any forums or sites similar to this one but recently (and by recently, I mean, over a year ago) I realized that I have a serious issue with pornography.

It started slowly when I was a young kid. Probably around 11 or 12. It has slowly but surely, become something more than just an activity to take the edge off or to simply pass the time. My recent porn habits have also started to worry me as they're becoming more and more unhinged.

I'm afraid of reaching a point where I won't be able to see myself in the mirror again without an intense and scorching sense of shame and guilt.

I naively thought that once I managed to get into a romantic relationship all these problems would suddenly go away but I was wrong. If anything, the addiction is still present in my life without no signs of stopping.

Therefore I've decided to try again and stop this cancer from spreading and to maybe get to a point where my emotions and feelings don't have to be regulated through masturbation and porn.

I'd appreciate of y'alls input and advice on what helps you get through this addiction and how to avoid intrusive thoughts and triggers.

Thank you,

 

[Le Petit Prince]

@LongSault has provided you with some solid advice here.

A fourth step could be to start a physical exercise regimen, perhaps some cardio or weight training. That's a source of healthy dopamine surges, compared to the poisonous input you get from pornography.

Good luck.