Yeah let's keep it up!
It's amazing how similar the triggers are.... Exactly the same, I'll start thinking/fantasizing about real women but that is a definite trigger for me.
I actually came online just now to post about this. I caught myself thinking "I am horny" a few times. But no, I was not horny I was having an urge craving etc. in the very very early stages. Maybe you are like me, I have a very strong imagination. I was surprised to get a text message from a girl, it was fairly platonic but I thought "I am horny" and my mind starts almost fantasizing about her, it feels real but then it's like wait this isn't real! That was happening in my mind. All thats real was the text I received, and it was non sexual.
For me I need to recognize the thought "I am horny" is often not accurate, what I am feeling is not just natural physical horniness... it is in large part also the beginning of an urge to fantasize a whole bunch about sex, which is a huge trigger for me for PMO and other nonsense (I developed some fetishes from the porn, that I am working to unwire from).
This doesn't mean I will turn down all sexuality, just to learn to separate actually having sex with a girl from a weird urge to need sex right now, which is not natural. Porn messes up the natural brain wiring and sexual process. Connection, socializing and even paying attention to the others persons feelings are a natural part of sex (even if it is casual, people use alcohol to get around this imo). This '' I need sex right now feeling" is not natural I reckon. In a natural setting, what if your partner is sleeping? What if no one is around? etc. plus a girl never does exactly what you imagined, even if they want to be accommodating, any interaction between two people just doesn't work like that, googling whatever you want whenever you want.
( this may be known and probably all over this site I am just sort of thinking as I write and putting some thoughts down)
So a part of this rewiring is going to be to have healthy sexuality that is CONTROLLED. And again for me, real sex with a woman is fine, just not fantasizing about it like crazy and coupling this with a healthy awareness and healthy even fear of the addiction to make sure watch oneself and not get swept back into it. (Being aware of and ready for the chaser effect for example which derailed my very first reboot).
That is a great attitude, improving ourselves and that will carry over into our relationships with women or our future wife and is very cool.
For example, I never thought I could be excited about this but I am.....
I am actually getting excited about having actual healthy ways to cope with stress! I literally consciously visualized being upset having a shit day and doing healthy things to feel better after. This is not the sort of thing I thought would be exciting but visualizing it really motivated me. For example, I had some triggers tonight and I went and did a short super late workout, since I figure that is a super powerful way to fight a craving (workouts change brain chemistry, it can't be stopped no matter how strong the craving is, so i figure if I workout it HAS to at least weaken the craving no matter what). So I had this short workout, and then did a late night swim for a looonnnggg time until I was exhausted, I practiced holding my breath and stuff and felt like I was on drugs after (but in a natural good way lol). It actually feels really good to be like "man, this would be pretty cool to be doing this consistently, doing fun healthy things for excitement and having habits thoughts and a lifestyle that is just healthy and happy.
Many sorry this post got long! Let's both keep up the good work!