Day 49
I think you're right about this. There was a time, well before I came on here, that I came to that realization, that is,
I just did 90 days, and I did another 90 days before that, I guess I don't really need this shit anymore. But of course, I still screwed up after that. But, yes, that is a real turning point in our recoveries, when we can get some consistently, and more importantly, can see that we don't "need" it anymore.
I feel you with this brother. I feel your pain. And you're utterly right, the travesty of porn is that it can be hidden for years, and no one knows. I used to work at this crazy ass job downtown, where junkies would come in all the time, usually on meth (or worse), but needless to say, you can't live that life and have no one know about it. It's just not possible. The funny thing too is, I used to get so pissed off at them, and judge them so harshly for their "stupid" decisions, all the while, I was just as fucked up as they were, only I shot up my dose in the dark of my bedroom and not in some dark alleyway. One day my hypocrisy hit me like a ton of bricks, and I realized why I "hated" them so badly and irrationally. I hated them because they reminded me of myself, but the only difference was, THEY had no means to hide it, and I could. In some ways they were more honest with their addiction, while I was a fucking pussy hiding it in the dark, but yet, still had the audacity to "judge" them. Humans man, we're fucked up creatures.
But back to your point, please understand me, I don't mean you have to let the whole world know to get over this addiction, or wear a tee shirt or whatever, I only meant the importance of telling the truth and living the truth in our relationships, especially our loved ones etc. They have a right to know, because, if you're in a relationship with someone, your problems are theirs too, and to think otherwise, is to be lying to yourself, and living in, well, your double life. Sure you might get over it on your own, but considering you got into this crap on your own, is doing this on your own, really not just a continuation of the lie of the double life? I was faced with the lie of the double life just a few weeks ago, and let me tell you, to face the reality of your actions is the reality check all of us need. The greatest lie of the double life is that your actions really aren't "hurting" anyone, and it's really not that "bad", when it's everything but. And following that, possibly the greatest lie of the double life is that your actions aren't hurting YOU either, and it's really not that bad, when it's everything but.
Maybe we should all stop "fighting" porn, but rather, start fighting to tell the truth. We're all obsessed with quitting porn because it's "sinful" or "lustful" or "cheating" or a "waste of time", but what about the sin of lying? No one ever seems to mention that much. Lying to yourself. Lying to your loved ones, and even lying to world? Because without lying and living a double life, which we're all very good at, the foundations of this addiction come crashing down around us.
It might cool fighting in the dark if you're Batman, but for the rest of us, we just a bunch of fucking Jokers.