As an addict in recovery, I start to realize things about myself and just how often I try to use outside resources to numb myself. Or, I guess just to get that little rush of dopamine.
It isn’t just alcohol or drugs. I’ve realized I just have an addictive personality. And as crappy as it feels to admit this, I’ve always struggled with a p*rn addiction.
I feel like it’s affected my relationships in the past in regards to intimacy. I always feel this overwhelming guilt and shame afterwards, and even when I’ve been sober from substances, that’s one addiction that has always remained. Besides nicotine.
I honestly have been on and off this app over the last few years, so I can’t even remember if I mustered up the courage to admit this in the past. If I did, I don’t remember any advice.
If you have struggled with this, any tips or pointers would be greatly appreciated.
Much love 🫶🏼
I’m sorry if this topic is inappropriate or not allowed. Feel free to delete if it’s not.
Not at all inappropriate to admit something like that, an addiction to porn is just like an addiction to anything else. And there are lots of us here that are dealing with that exact same thing. I’m really new to here. And all I can really say is that you already have the skills to overcome the porn addiction just like you did with your other addictions. It’s all about one day at a time, figuring out the triggers, figuring out where it all stems from, and it shows like you’ve already started figuring some of that out. Out. So good for you for coming out and admitting it and know that like everything else you’re not alone. There are lots of us here
One piece of advice I could offer is something that has worked for me because of where my troubles lied was getting completely off dating sites. They were always the beginning of the rabbit hole and I would just keep diving deeper into it. So it’s something that I had to completely pull back from. Not just deactivate the accounts or anything but delete them completely. Get rid of it to avoid that temptation. By there. That’s something that would work for you or not I don’t know. All the best to you, have a great day and hope to see you around here again. Stay strong
Not at all - porn addiction (sometimes called PMO: porn, masturbation, orgasm) is an addiction just like any other addiction, and it damages time and relationships and health just like other addictions.
Addiction to porn, masturbation, and sex is relatively common but many people feel ashamed or afraid to talk about it. It is a good first step to reach out for support.
Neal has a list of sex / porn / love addiction support and recovery groups here:
Personally I joined www.SA.org to find some mentorship and guidance every week, specifically about recovering from sex / porn / lust. It has been very helpful to be in a room with others in recovery from this condition. At first I worried that I would be the odd one out because my addiction is porn and not physical visits to sex workers, but it turns out that (A) the basic problem (addiction to false, hollow sexual acting out) is the same (and the toxic effect on relationships is the same), and (B) almost half the members of the group are just like me, where their addiction appears in the form of acting out to porn.
If you search “porn”, “PMO”, “masturbation”, or similar terms here on Talking Sober you will find many related threads, and contributions from many members. Have a read around and you will hear about the paths they’ve followed in their search for sobriety.
