You Shall Not Pass!!!!!

It's all gonna be ok. Whatever I end up with, it is what it is.

The truth is, porn wasn't even any fun anymore. I couldn't even get it all the way up for porn the last couple of years of it. It was just a habit, and one that was damaging me.... had done a lot of damage to me from which I may never fully recover.


I am occasionally slightly tempted. But then I remember Gandalf. It's not worth it.
 

Oscar40

Active Member
had done a lot of damage to me from which I may never fully recover.


What do you mean when you say "I may never fully recover "?

It’s a common and erroneous belief that addiction equals “harm” to the brain, or that addiction is caused by “damage” to the brain.

First of all: There is no solid theory so far that porn "damages" you permanently.

I advise you to get rid of those misconceptions and misconceptions so that you continue to have a successful "reboot".

There are a few things to consider here perhaps:


 
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The "damage" is re-enforced neurological pathways. It's not physical damage like a physical injury. It's learned reactions that you don't want ... and unlearned ones that you do.

I get that it is not physical damage. But it is not working the way it should. It has been misprogrammed. And that is an issue to be dealt with.
 
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Phineas 808

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
The "damage" is re-enforced neurological pathways. It's not physical damage like a physical injury. It's learned reactions that you don't want ... and unlearned ones that you do.

I get that it is not physical damage. But it is not working the way it should. It has been misprogrammed. And that is an issue to be dealt with.

I think it is physical damage (in addition to the other concerns), in that due to the flood of dopamine during escalatory use, there's a desensitization that occurs to dopamine receptors being 'fried' from overuse. This is damage in the truest sense of the word, and hence the need to escalate into constant new genres, and the unnatural desensitization to life and normal enjoyment. The disconnect between the brain and normal sexual response is also physical damgage.

Nonetheless, thank God that the brain can change and heal itself!
 

Oscar40

Active Member
I think it is physical damage (in addition to the other concerns), in that due to the flood of dopamine during escalatory use, there's a desensitization that occurs to dopamine receptors being 'fried' from overuse. This is damage in the truest sense of the word, and hence the need to escalate into constant new genres, and the unnatural desensitization to life and normal enjoyment. The disconnect between the brain and normal sexual response is also physical damgage.

Nonetheless, thank God that the brain can change and heal itself!


This is damage in the truest sense of the word, and hence the need to escalate into constant new genres,

This is curious. In the 16 years I've been using porn I've never escalated to weird genres. All my life I have seen the same thing.

Reducing it has served me well. That's why I'm such a disbeliever in "permanent damage" as stated @Ive Swornoff
 

Oscar40

Active Member
The "damage" is re-enforced neurological pathways. It's not physical damage like a physical injury. It's learned reactions that you don't want ... and unlearned ones that you do.

I get that it is not physical damage. But it is not working the way it should. It has been misprogrammed. And that is an issue to be dealt with.


It's okay.

However, what I do not share with you is that you say that " "I may never fully recover ". Calm down: I have used more porn than you in my life, even today I still have my videos and photos, but reducing its consumption (once or twice a year) has helped me a lot and I cured myself. Which means that if I have been able to cure myself that I still use porn, with greater reason that you will cure yourself 100% that you are much stricter with the situation.
 

Blondie

Respected Member
Oscar, if you can't be encouraging on someone's else's thread, you shouldn't say anything at all. Period. It's ridiculous to be arguing over this when we're all here to encourage each other.

We all have different ideas and philosophies about getting over porn, which is okay and to be expected in a place like this. Funny thing is you don't even think Your Brain on Porn is legitimate and say most of it is not "scientific." Which is your opinion and you're free to have it it - matters not to me.

However, almost everyone here thinks that book has changed their life and basically thinks it's more or less scientific. So arguing about this in a forum that has that preestablished belief is the equivalent of walking into a catholic church during Mass and arguing with the congregants that they're all are going to hell and the Pope is Satan himself.

It's just rude man.

Best
 

Oscar40

Active Member
Oscar, if you can't be encouraging on someone's else's thread, you shouldn't say anything at all. Period. It's ridiculous to be arguing over this when we're all here to encourage each other.

We all have different ideas and philosophies about getting over porn, which is okay and to be expected in a place like this. Funny thing is you don't even think Your Brain on Porn is legitimate and say most of it is not "scientific." Which is your opinion and you're free to have it it - matters not to me.

However, almost everyone here thinks that book has changed their life and basically thinks it's more or less scientific. So arguing about this in a forum that has that preestablished belief is the equivalent of walking into a catholic church during Mass and arguing with the congregants that they're all are going to hell and the Pope is Satan himself.

It's just rude man.

Best


Hello.

My goal is for people not to suffer and to restart calmly, without so much paranoia, without the pessimism of believing that "they will never be cured".

The problem is that I see a lot of hypochondria and paranoia in these forums, apparently it does more harm to people than good.

The idea is that people restart with humor and calm, as Gary Wilson himself once announced.
 

Oscar40

Active Member
which is okay and to be expected in a place like this. Funny thing is you don't even think Your Brain on Porn is legitimate and say most of it is not "scientific."


The "Your Brain On Porn" website has been very important to me too, I could say it opened my eyes and taught me that excessive sexual stimulation and a "masturbatory" sex life with porn can negatively affect the ability to sexual response of a person, mainly a man.


For me, it is one of the most important reports in recent years.

However, despite its good utility, much research is still needed.

I don't primarily debunk the Your Brain On Porn website, but what I do debunk are the misunderstandings that the guys on these forums make about the research that is annotated in "Your Brain on Porn."



The idea is that people here are calm.

People often come here scared, believing the wrong things. I believe that my duty in the forum is to advise people to be calm. I consider myself capable of doing so because:


1. I grew up without internet porn. I was always an adult user.

2. "Somewhat" affected me in spite of it.

3. I am older than most here (I am 40 years old).
 
Sorry, I've been absent.

I've actually been doing pretty well. But I do have a confession and a warning.

After a little over a year, with no ... really viable options, I wanted to test something. I wanted to see if I could still get turned on.

You see, I'd gotten to the point where even porn couldn't give me a solid erection. This is when I realized I had a problem.

So, after a little over a year of zero porn, I purposely ... this was not an accident or a slipup ... tried a porn video ... to see if I'd gotten any better.

The answer is - I have.

The problem is -- man, for the next two weeks it took EVERYTHING I HAD to avoid doing it again. I succeeded. But it was VERY DIFFICULT. I DO NOT RECCOMEND DOING THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even now, about a month later, I have had that voice tell me, "oh, come on! It worked! Don't you want to try it AGAIN????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I haven't done it. It's getting less frequent, but dudes... this is not a force to be trifled with.

I'm glad I found out I'm getting better. But this is a "drug" not to be trifled with.

Stay the course. Porn addiction costs you, and I'm not talking about money.
 
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