Porn addiction: What you can do about it
Porn can be harmless if used right. But if you’re addicted to porn, it may have many negative effects. Love Matters has some tips to help you get over your porn addiction.
- Find out of you’re really addicted
We are all naturally sexual and need release from time to time. Watching porn on occasion is not necessarily a bad thing. But when it begins to put your work adn relationship at rist, you have a problem.
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Let go of your shame
Shame is not a useful feeling when dealing with porn addiction. It can even become your worst enemy. If you’ve accepted your addiction, put your shame aside and seek help.
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Make sure your addiction isn’t rooted in an actual health problem
If you are absolutely unable to control your addiction to porn, you should find out if your addiction is rooted in real health issues. Drugs, alcohol and some mental health disorders, as well as hormonal imbalances, can lead to a hyperactive sex drive. You should speak with a doctor if you think this may be your problem.
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Figure out what needs to change
Once you accept your problem, you need to figure out what exactly you want to change. You may have to quit porn altogether, or you may be happy with simply altering how and when you watch porn.
For instance, if the amount of time you spend watching porn is the issue, you may be able to solve the problem by lessening the amount of time you spend on porn. Or perhaps you might want to watch porn only on weekends, or just with your partner. Once you’ve figured out what you want to change, you then have to figure out the best way to integrate that change into your life.
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Deal with the root causes
If you want to kill the tree, don’t trim the branches, cut the root! Find out what is at the root of your porn addiction. Porn addiction is often born out of boredom – if you solve your boredom problem by spending more time engaging in other activities, the porn problem may vanish.
Loneliness also tends to drive people to excessive porn use. To change that, spend more time with friends and family, or divert your energies into having romantic relationships.
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Clean up your environment
Environment is often a major factor when it comes to unhealthy relationships with pornography. Try spending more time with people who have a positive influence on you, and find hobbies and activities away from the computer. In the meantime, clear your hard drive of all potential distractions.
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Expect that it will take time
Unless your problem is very mild, it’s going to take time to fix. Don’t expect instant results, and then become discouraged when you fail. Be patient and persistent. It may help to tackle your addiction in stages, lessening your porn usage more and more over a period of time.
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Deal with one transitory craving at a time
A good way to combat your porn addiction is to deal with it one craving at a time. Whenever you feel a craving for porn, walk away from the TV/magazine/computer, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and remember what you feel like after a porn session. Remember the disappointment, shame or disgust, and channel your energy to something else.
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Avoid negative reinforcements and triggers
If you focus closely on your behaviour, you may find that you have certain triggers that lead you to view porn. It may be an alluring advertisement, or something as simple as coming home from work. Pay attention and figure out what you’re doing when the desire arises to view porn, then do your best to avoid those triggers or replace them with a different response, such as taking a shower or reading.
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Seek more satisfying sex
Porn addicts come in all shapes and sizes; many have partners. One way to kick a porn addiction is to make your sex life more satisfying, which can help pacify your urges to view porn. If your sex life is a stale routine, change things up – try new positions and new locations!
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Get help
If your attempts to break your addiction don’t work, you should consider consulting a professional to find out what other solutions may be available. A doctor or counselor may be able to help you find a solution, or at least refer you to someone who can.
Are you addicted to porn? Did this article help you? Leave a comment below or reach us on Facebook or our discussion board.
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Recent Comments (36)
i hav been addicted 2 porn
i hav been addicted 2 porn movies and i have been musterbating for last 5yrs.help me 2 avoid this and what problems can i face when keep addicted.thank you
Sabastian, addiction is much
Sabastian, addiction is much more than just watching porn movies all the time. If
you cannot function without watching a porn movie then that might be a problem. If you want to stop watching porn you might want to start by getting rid of all the porn material you have, books, video or any other material. Read more here https://lovematters.co.ke/news/8-signs-youre-addicted-porn
There might be no videos on…
There might be no videos on your but someone can Google on the Internet
Thank you for your input Jay…
Thank you for your input Jay, we appreciate it.
Me 2 i was addicted to porn…
Me 2 i was addicted to porn but i will cut out my root to kill the addiction
Hi stephen, thank you so…
Hi stephen, thank you so much for your feedback and we are glad that you learnt something something from our article. As we mentioned, don’t harm the branches. Have a great weekend and stay safe!
Iam porn addict… i have
Iam porn addict… i have tried severaly to get ride off watching porn and almost all the time i watch porn it get me arouse till i masturbate. a day four to five masturbation. what is you help. cause i really have to stop watching and giving myself the sort of masturbation.
Hi Bukola, as you mentioned
Hi Bukola, as you mentioned watching porn can lead one to masturbate more than usual but that does not mean you are an addict. You just need to cut down on watching porn and that might help you reduce on the number of times you masturbate. get more information here https://lovematters.co.ke/news/masturbation-top-five-facts-part-2
What can I do to avoid…
What can I do to avoid watching this porn
Hi Jowl, thank you for…
Hi Jowl, thank you for getting in touch and asking a great question. This article provides all the necessary information required for you to curb this habit if you feel you are suffering from an addiction.
Avoid using any electronic…
Avoid using any electronic for a day and see if it works
Hey Catherine, thank you for…
Hey Catherine, thank you for this tip.
When we ask question you dont
When we ask question you dont have answer. we got ignored and it boring but why?
Hi Buhari, sorry if you feel
Hi Buhari, sorry if you feel that way but we strive to respond to every question. So kindly inform me which one was not responded so we can get right to it.
I found my partner watching…
I found my partner watching porn and touching herself. Does this mean I dont satisfy her?
Hi Kelly, people masturbate…
Hi Kelly, people masturbate for various reasons including stress or when their partners are always. It is not possible to tell what your partner’s reason is but you can consider talking about this with her to find out what her reasons are. Check out the following article for additional information;- https://lovemattersafrica.com/making-love/ways-to-make-love/masturbation-myths-busted
I have been addicted to porn…
I have been addicted to porn and oftenly masterbate will this affect my future relationship with my wife?
Hello George, this will not…
Hello George, this will not affect you in future. If you are however, addicted to masturbation where masturbation and porn takes up time that you should have otherwise used for other productive activities like school or work, then you need to make some changes so that you don’t loose out on such activities. If porn leads to masturbation, you need to begin by making changes that will help you avoid porn. Taking each day at a time and eventually you will have better control. Have a look at the following article;- https://lovemattersafrica.com/making-love/ways-to-make-love/i-am-addicted-to-porn-and-masturbation
I usually watched porn for I…
I usually watched porn for I to feel better. Does this means l am addicted.
Hello Peter, is porn getting…
Hello Peter, is porn getting in the way of your work, are you spending so much time watching porn, or is it affecting your relationship? If this is the case, you could be addicted to pornography. Have a look at the following article for additional signs;- https://lovemattersafrica.com/making-love/porn/8-signs-youre-addicted-to-porn
I have been watching for…
I have been watching for about 5yrs and sure I will cut the root
Hello Maia, thank you for…
Hello Maia, thank you for sharing with us! Good luck and have a wonderful week ahead! Stay safe!
I have really tried to stop…
I have really tried to stop watching porn,every time I promise myself not to watch again,I eventually watch it and musterbate,I really want to stop all this.
Hi Malaika, thank you so…
Hi Malaika, thank you so much for reaching out to us. If you are absolutely sure you want to stop, you should know that it will not be easy. This is because sex leads to the release of endorphins which is better known as the pleasure hormone. Second, pornography and masturbation have now become part of your arousal template which is the total amount of thoughts, activities, stimuli, smells etc. that arouse a person sexually.
To stop watching porn and masturbating, you will need to identify the things that lead you to doing these things like seeing something, or just boredom. Also, when you get the urge to watch porn and masturbate occupy yourself with another activity.
Please note that it could take you 21 days to 6 months to work on this and it might not work. If you are really committed, try, and find a counselor or a therapist to help you through. Good luck!
Am a highschool student and…
Am a highschool student and can’t stop masterbating and porn …I’ve tried to google how to stop it but in vain pls help me
Hello Charan, thank you for…
Hello Charan, thank you for reaching out to us. If you are absolutely sure you want to stop, you should know that it will not be easy. This is because sex leads to the release of endorphins which is better known as the pleasure hormone. Second, masturbation has now become part of your arousal template which is the total amount of thoughts, activities, stimuli, smells etc. that arouse a person sexually.
To stop masturbating, you will need to identify the things that lead you to masturbate like seeing something, or just boredom. Also, when you get the urge to masturbate occupy yourself with another activity.
Please note that it could take you 21 days to 6 months to work on this and it might not work. If you are really committed, try and find a counselor or a therapist to help you through. Good luck!
noobody is ssuposed to watch…
noobody is ssuposed to watch porn
Hi, thank you for your…
Hi, thank you for your feedback. Why do you feel this way?
Thank you very much for your…
Thank you very much for your guide i’ll be able to help my colleague,he’s the reason why am seking help and am sure it will impact him positively???
Hi Joy, thank you so much…
Hi Joy, thank you so much for your feedback we appreciate it. Please feel free to look through our website to find other articles that may be of help.
Don’t forget this habits are…
Don’t forget this habits are demonic,u need Christ to fight this battles
Hello Mbechy, thank you for…
Hello Mbechy, thank you for your input and feedback.
I’ve been masturbating for 3…
I’ve been masturbating for 3 years and I feel I should stop yet I don’t know how it’s so hard
Hi John,
If you have made…
Hi John,
If you have made a personal decision to stop masturbating, believe you can do it. If you had become addicted to masturbation, find other things to distract yourself especially things you like, or try out new things. In case this does not work, talk to a counsellor or sex therapist.
Is masturbation harmful to…
Is masturbation harmful to our health and what are the effects of masturbation???
Hi Emmanuel,
No,…
Hi Emmanuel,
No, masturbation does not have any know health effects. As long as you masturbate in moderation, you are good to good. Nothing wrong with a good thing!