Addicts

Struggling with porn addiction recovery? Tell us what helps and what slows your recovery.

21's picture

the KEY of recovery in my case

I'm a 25-year old male. I found this site somehow by searching for information about serotonin (THANKS to GOD for the fortune).

As I read, I found there is a lot bigger picture about how things are working then I expected. A picture of reward system and addiction. A picture that can explain my experience with my urges, sexual desire, orgasms, and hangovers after them. So I gained more knowledge about how my brain works.

Marnia's picture

Note to porn visitors about this site

Just to clarify, this site is not about repressing sexuality (that is, trying to avoid orgasm out of fear, because it's "sinful" or dangerous). Nor is it about swearing off masturbation forever. Men who choose to overcome porn addiction have taught *us* that stopping *both* masturbation and orgasm for an extended period makes it easier to quit. This makes sense because anything your brain associates with its addictive, super-stimulating "reward" (porn/masturbation) can trigger intense frustration.

Marnia's picture

Norman Doidge on pornography and neuroplasticity - worthwhile reading

cover of bookThese pages of this recent book (The Brain That Changes Itself) by psychiatrist Norman Doidge are very relevant to porn addiction, and also, if you keep reading, to how and why oxytocin (connection with others) can help reset the brain:

For more on the book: http://books.google.com/books?id=XvPHiN61mg4C&pg=PA108&dq=%22the+brain+t...

Marnia's picture

General remarks

Here are some thoughts from several men who have overcome porn use:

The first step (I know this is cliche) is recognizing you have a problem- knowing that your chronic masturbation to porn has adversely affected your life and relationships.

It took me multiple attempts (and I learned from each attempt) but I have now been masturbation and porn free for six months.

My Way Back to a Normal Life

hi everybody,
i don't know where else to post this, so i just do it here. i apologize for my english - it could be bad sometimes, because i am not a native speaker.

so enough about that - i am here, because i am addicted to porn. this realization came roughly one week ago.

Challenges with anorexic partner

Just to start I've only been in recovery for 4 months and abstinent for the same from all forms of porn, sex, masturbation. During my intensive recovery the notion of healthy sexuality is being introduced as normal and something to work on/toward. The issue is, obviously, that my partner has to be comfortable too. Unfortunately (from my narrow perspective) she is unwilling. Not just unwilling but pretty aggressive about just that. Her counciling may have something to do with it. From my perspective there are two things I see. I have caused great harm during our relationship.

My Home Sex Videos

Hey,

First - thanks for this web site. Ordered the book.

My story is similar to so many. About a year ago I lost most of my sex drive and could not get an erection with a partner. Which was a shame because I had many attractive and willing partners. It really made me feel like I was "missing out on life."

Anyway...

I lust after my mother-in-law - what is wrong with me?

I have serious issues and need help. I am constantly fantasizing about my mother-in-law, even though I have a beautiful wife.
I constantly MB over images of her, I've made photoshop images of her, and even posted pics of her on sex forums (I usually delete them a few minutes later) - even resorting to posting her pics on webcam users, and watch them M, pretending I am her. I always feel terrible afterwards. What the hell is wrong with me?

My Own Thread

Hi, I am 18 years old and I am looking to break my bad habit of watching porn. I go introduced to it around the age of 13 and have been addicted to it ever since. I am talking about internet porn of course (the only kind I know). I have read all of your articles on psychologytoday.com and they make so much sense(the high and lows, dopamine, the guilt afterward). I want about this past week without masturbating or using porn because I was inspired by those articles. But then yesterday I started to watch a few clips and than today I failed to prevent myself from masturbating while watching.

It's coming together, but more to figure out.

Greetings. I recently joined up here after reading several of the articles on this site. And I have to say, thank you. It has opened my eyes to a few things.

First some relevant history. I'm happily married for 27.5 years now. But I've also masturbated on average daily since around eleven. My wife and I have sex around one to two times a month on the average, assuming no other problems get in the way of it.

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