This is a very touchy subject and I want to be clear on this: There is no shame in this horror alone. I believe one of the main stigmas around this sin is that it is put on a different pedestal than any other sin or wrong that is in the world due to the objectification of people. However, many people don't know why porn is wrong, for there can be many objections to this notion that porn in itself is not a horrible wrong, but I object to that theory. It has been proven that some parts of the brain of porn users are not connected and are less active in these parts of the brain.
It has also been said that porn destroys relationships, as 90 percent of people have said that porn has caused problems in their relationships, and 86 percent say that porn has destroyed it. I want to actually tell you, from firsthand experience, that porn is a drug, and a very potent one at that. It makes you feel numb, and it provides a false sense of feeling that lasts for about 3 seconds, and then you're back to yourself, or if you're lucky, back to normal in the sense of your mind. Porn can cause social anxiety, depression, brain fog, memory problems, and sex addiction (no brainer there). It is full of lies, the actors in the scenes perform scenes after lathering their bodies up for 45 minutes, it fulfills your newly created fantasies, and it desensitizes you to the point where sex is no longer sacred to you, it is just a happenstance of life, and you are okay with glorifying someone else's body by watching it. May I add that porn is also the leading cause for human and sex trafficking, so in that, be reminded that you are unknowingly supporting the unjust cause of human life being sexual assaulted.
Now am I here to bash you, the reader? By no means, however, I am writing this in order to convict you, and hopefully allow you to change your minds on some things. Now the first step in defeating addiction is to not desire (truly) to do a certain habit anymore. If you still have desire, it will more times than not come back up and haunt you. With that being said, I have some steps that I had acquired on my journey that I believe will help you with your walk as well. So as I write these steps, I want you to at least give them consideration in incorporating them in your daily life in order to beat this savage drug forever.
1. The Rubber Band Technique
The rubber band technique is a very highly effective technique that they use at addiction and recovery centers, so why not incorporate it here?
All you do is buy a couple of rubber bands that you can get at a local dollar store for about 90 cents, and you put it around your wrist. Every time you have the thought to watch porn or you feel tempted, just snap your wrists as hard as you can. This trains your brain to associate pain with thoughts of pornography, and will lessen your thought processes of porn.
This technique has a 98 percent success rate, so if you have any doubts, well, dispel them right now.
2. Call Someone
I know what you're saying, this sounds very obvious. But, as easy as it sounds, many people allow their appetites to take over instead of thinking to talk to someone or to call a friend. I have friends to this day that if I feel tempted or if I'm thinking about it, I will call them and we'll talk for a while or we'll go out to eat.
This technique can be really effective if you use it well, and you will have to use it, because you can't beat this alone.
3. Identify Environments
This is kind of a gimme as well. If you know that you feel real tempted when you are in the shower or in the bathroom, DO NOT BRING ELECTRONICS IN THERE. This world is very disconnected but connected, and as my substitute teacher once asked me, "Why in the world do you need your phone in the bathroom? That's weird." Anywhere you feel tempted, change up your patterns. Sleep in the living room, don't bring your phone in the bedroom, all these things matter in order to take a step.
4. Substitution
This is by far the most important step. If you do not take anything away from this post, I hope that you get the idea of substitution, which is simply replacing porn with something productive or positive, such as reading or working out.
Anything that gets you out of the habit and gets you to replace that time that you had with porn doing something else, that is the point where you want to be at.
As you leave this post, I want you to know that you are loved, and you do not have to face this alone, for it will get far worse if you try to face it alone. I just hope that you would take this into consideration, and try to go live in freedom forever. Let's go beat this thing forever (no pun intended)!
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