MO is my biggest problem.

[Redalc]

Hey all. It’s been a while since I’ve been on here. I’m back, because I’m struggling. I’ve managed to stay busy enough and stop watching content with nudity in it, mostly cause I’m just to busy this time of year. That’s helped with the Porn side of things, it’s been a few months since I’ve looked at Porn. The issue is that I’m still addicted to MOing. And that leads to more and more often wanting to MO which eventually (as I’ve discovered through a cycle) leads to looking at Porn and starting that all over again. I’m really struggling to overcome this addiction to MO. Seems like the urge hits me often times about midnight and it will literally wake me up and I have a super hard time going back to sleep to the point where it just keeps me up and I end up being exhausted. Other times, it’s from past triggers like, being in shower, or touching myself almost subconsciously, sleeping positions. I don’t know how to beat it. I don’t want to be addicted to it. It really is an addiction, I’m fairly certain it’s causing ED. I dunno. I’m gonna try and start a counter here. If anyone would be interested in helping me stay accountable and encourage me or suggest helps please let me know. Thanks.
i guess this is day 0

 

[FiveFortyFour]

It's good that you've identified the issue and started to address it, friend. MO can really be the second and third head of the hydra, it's true. I encourage you to keep a regular journal and find an accountability partner. Keep your head in the game and you'll conquer this thing and get your sleep back!

 

[tay97]

I can recommend https://easypeasymethod.org/ . It tackles porn addiction not from the angle of willpower, but from the angle of understanding that porn consumption has no value. It is helping me a lot.

 

[Redalc]

So I made it through day 1. It’s honestly a struggle even just the first day. There’s so many triggers. Anyhow. I’m part way through day 2. I’m gonna probably not post until the morning of the next day rather then the evening of the first day just because so often I find myself struggling the most at night so J don’t want to post falsly saying I made it through the day and then fall in the middle of the night. Appreciate you guys replying and the suggestions. I will take them into account for sure.
day 1 made it

 

[FiveFortyFour]

The first 3-7 days can usually be pretty rough. Don't give up! Most addictive temptations have a lifespan of about an hour; if you can find something interesting to do in that time, it will help stave off the craving until it fades.

 

[Redalc]

Thanks for the encouragement FiveFortyFour! Appreciate it. I’ve just been traveling for work the last few days and will be pretty busy for the next two weeks so that’ll be really nice, though I do notice the urge/temptations coming back late at night even when I wake up in the middle of the night. I made it through Tuesday and Wednesday with relative ease. But again I was super worn down and tired in those times so being exhausted helps I know. Today is an off day but I think I’ll be able to stay mostly busy.
Made it though day 2 and 3

 

[Redalc]

Well. I made it through 3 more days. Managed to space this out. Annoyed at myself for that. For not making it a priority. Started struggling last night.. in the middle of the night. Then tonight I woke up basically out of a dead sleep and MOed. Just like uncontrollably gave in. It’s frusterating, i feel like it’s just back onto like a weekly cycle, and I don’t want it, but I don’t know how to make the desire stop. I don’t want to be controlled by it. I guess this is restarting then. Day 0
I don’t want to start over over and over again. I want to overcome, I’m scared because I’m really not watching anything that would induce those types of thoughts towards a woman, I think back now and try to remember at what point in the process I was actively objectifying a woman and I don’t know that I was. But I know that watching or being exposed to things that would be meant to cause women to be objectified would cause issues too. Someday I just want to be able to be past this, and it’s really discouraging when I just wake up out of a dead sleep and this basically gets me around the conscious resolve made to try and stop.
day 0

 

[Redalc]

I made it through yesterday. No problems really. It’s generally easy enough until about a week has gone by.
day 1 done

 

[sho0fl]

Hey Redalc,

You should approach this with positive thoughts, you've gone a long road and deserve to feel good for this. People often focus on the negatives of things. I can only write this but you can do more than just read it, you can think about it.

As for MO - I guess it's the 'dopamine' that everyone talks about. What helps me is to read what's happening and why, understand how it is affecting my thoughts and then how my thoughts might affect my actions. There's a lot on YBOP

Let me ask you a couple of things, you don't need to answer here (maybe it will help to write them down, though), but answer to yourself.

- Why do you wish to stop?
- How did you envision stopping?
- How did stopping went so far?
- What is the your picture of yourself after stopping, what would you like to achieve
- How is MO helping you achieve this?

Approach positively with the answers, don't think about the negative answers that come to mind. Realize what you're dealing with, how it affects you, then take control.