When do you know you’re getting better?

[AMdisillusion]

Hey all, I’ve been doing well on my journey for a few months now. I’ve abstained from all social media and thoroughly vetted everything I watch on tv to avoid triggers. My therapist recommended the last one for at least a while. I really want to be able to watch my favorite shows but some of them contain moderate nudity to more sexually explicit. I wouldn’t say that this has been a trigger in the past but I’m worried that it could be now as I’ve gotten used to not partaking in this kind of material. Am I better off never watching shows like game of thrones ever again? Or is there a feeling that I’ll know when I’m ready and grown enough to handle it? Are there any other triggers that I should be cautious of that I haven’t already mentioned?

 

[tawwab1]

If I were you, I wouldn't go back to it. You know yourself best, and it sounds like you found it easier to recover by avoiding those shows.

 

[UnholyConfessor]

Not a very helpful answer I know, but only you can answer this. The important part is being honest with yourself. Speaking from experience, there have been countless times where I've fooled myself into thinking I was alright to do something and it led to a relapse. I think that if you have any doubt, any at all, you should err on the side of caution.

 

[tawwab1]

Have you ever noticed that people past a certain age are way more careful with the foods they eat? You don't ever see an old person with advanced diabetes saying, "Maybe one day, I'll be ready and grown enough to eat fried Oreos again." They just accept that they have to change their lifestyle. Why not look at it that way?

 

[Meshuga]

Am I better off never watching shows like game of thrones ever again? Or is there a feeling that I’ll know when I’m ready and grown enough to handle it?

On the one hand, it feels depressing thinking about how you might never get to enjoy certain things ever again. I'm sure you watched GoT for more than just the nekkid parts. And FOMO is definitely a thing. On the other hand, when you think about what that kind of media does to you, you're missing out on what? Nihilism, for me. Maybe I have an extreme reaction to eroticism, and it's not intuitive- I really don't understand it, but that's where my brain goes. I sulk off to stare into Nietzsche's abyss. That said, I've gotten to a point where I could handle the surprise trigger every now and then, but I don't make it a habit to watch something if I know a trigger is likely. Some shows like to push that kind of content more than others.

Are there any other triggers that I should be cautious of that I haven’t already mentioned?

Social media scrolling is the big one, but you have that mentioned. Boredom, and stress, are huge. Keep yourself positively engaged, and work on processing stress instead of "taking the edge off" with porn.

Hang in there, you got this.

 

[Life_of_Socrates_777]

There are better things in life, my friend. I know it sucks to leave some things behind but that shit ain't worth it. Plenty of other joys out there, wholesome things that enable your flourishing. Speaking from experience, the triggers are always gonna trigger; and the second-to-WORST mind that you can be in is, "I got this". (The first-worst is, "Fuck it".) Just don't go there, and enjoy your new life instead. My 2 cents.