Welcome Bryan it’s nice meeting you. There are probably 20-25 of us (that I know of) here recovering from the same thing. It is definitely possible with effort!
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Day 97. Struggling today. Dating sites are a trigger.
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Power down the devices.
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I’m completely ignorant to this illness. I’d like to ask a question if possible
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Go for it.
Is there such thing as healthy masturbation?
I was incarcerated for 10 years 4 months. That’s an easy one to understand I’m sure.
My wife and I have been apart while in recovery and well. … I’ve gotta take care of business from time to time.
I don’t really see it as interfering with my life.
My wife wouldn’t like it. So I don’t tell her. I know she does once in a blue moon.
I don’t feel it’s hurting her or me. I don’t like lying about it. That’s the only time it seems problematic
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What is fap?
Hey @SobeeDad, I think there’s plenty of medical studies that have shown masturbation to be a perfectly healthy activity for many people – most even, but that’s not the case of those of us who identify as porn or masturbation addictions.
For me it was a physical chemical reinforcement of the habit of using porn as an escape and coping mechanism. It created the addiction for me I think. Being addicted to porn without masturbation is possible for sure, but when your brains developing while you’re addicting to porn and jacking off or, yes, fapping – never liked that word lol – then the consequences last quite a while.
When masturbation and watching porn becomes an essential part of every day, and it’s the most exciting part of the day, when you start planning your schedule around it, and worst, when you start escalating (worse and worse content, stuff that’s hard to acknowledge watching after the fact), that’s when it starts to run your life.
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Agree with @TheJK
Masturbation is something that probably isn’t a problem for most. I learned from an early age to substitute it for meaningful relationships. It’s taken years of therapy and just plain hard work to develop the life I now have with my wife and family.
All I ask is that you think carefully. You say “I’ve gotta take care of business”. Is this true? Is this something you absolutely need or is it something you can you walk away from?
I hid my habit away for years although my wife knew exactly what I was doing. I lied about doing it or how frequently. My addiction thrived in secrecy.
Just be honest with yourself and you’ll know if it’s a healthy activity for you.
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Just to encourage someone out there not to give up. I have fallen couple of times after creating this thread but I always manage to pick myself up. Here I am at 224 days. The battle is not over yet but it’s definitely getting easier.
Cheers guys!
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Way to go, thanks for sharing!
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Nice! I’m on 228. We’re basically sober twins!
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I just noticed that I posted on a different thread basically this exact same statement like 23 days ago…
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Yes, sober-twin. We will soon throw our 1st-year birthday party 
, what do you have in mind? I have never gone this far in the fight.
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It’s fine. It shows your heart is pure and consistent. I have been absent from TS and all social media for a while that’s why I never saw or responded to the previous one. I’m privileged to have a great sober-twin like you.
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How have you been brother?
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Doing ok, just hit 90 days yesterday. A
Couple of hiccups but digging deeper into recovery.
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This is really encouraging thanks for sharing!
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thanks! I think what most people have been doing here on TS is a traditional ice cream party for 1 year sober.
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