3 Weeks In

[SO Reboot Partner]

Another great stress reliever is doodling. This was very popular a few years ago, but I have always enjoyed it. There are techniques, but the premise is very simple - let yourself go, get lost in the lines and repeating patterns. It doesn't have to be something you show to others.

 

[masterdebater]

Such great advice to pick from and try. Thanks!

 

[Viper]

college definitely has a lot of pepped up sexual energy.
But you would've already been more than 2 months deep in the reboot so
I think you'll be ok.
Good news is, there is plenty to be focused on when school starts.

 

[masterdebater]

college definitely has a lot of pepped up sexual energy.
But you would've already been more than 2 months deep in the reboot so
I think you'll be ok.
Good news is, there is plenty to be focused on when school starts.

True. True. Thanks. 

 

[masterdebater]

I've been at school for a whole week and I haven't been tempted to turn to porn once.

Also, saw this today: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mpCIxBXLE7A
What a load of bull. Porn never got me anywhere good. I'm sure it was just a coincidence that I did well in school and happened to watch porn. Now I have all of this free time thanks quitting. What do you guys think of the video?

 

[SO Reboot Partner]

I've been at school for a whole week and I haven't been tempted to turn to porn once.

Also, saw this today:
What a load of bull. Porn never got me anywhere good. I'm sure it was just a coincidence that I did well in school and happened to watch porn. Now I have all of this free time thanks quitting. What do you guys think of the video?

May be too many triggers in the video for many of those struggling with addiction.

Congrats on your P free new life! Good luck in school.

 

[rider654321]

I've been at school for a whole week and I haven't been tempted to turn to porn once.

Also, saw this today: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mpCIxBXLE7A
What a load of bull. Porn never got me anywhere good. I'm sure it was just a coincidence that I did well in school and happened to watch porn. Now I have all of this free time thanks quitting. What do you guys think of the video?

Despite my own struggle as an addict to porn, I can still see where porn can be beneficial in certain circumstances educationally, and I can see where it could assist couples to expand their sexual connectedness and shared intimacy.

But again, only in certain circumstances. For anyone that uses porn to the point the brain changes, nothing good will come from it. It's a lot like alcohol consumption. Some can use it wisely without any detrimental side effects, others become hooked on it and it can destroy their lives.

As for masturbation as a sexual outlet, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, and I would encourage any single person to NOT deny themselves of that pleasure, so long as it does not involve porn or porn fantasy. For the great bulk of human beings the natural reproductive urges we feel are something that needs to be satisfied every now and then somehow. To live a life of denial and repressed sexual expression is, in my opinion, quite unnatural given our biological blue print.

One only needs to point to the troubles exposed within the Catholic church of late as an example of how off track a life of denial can lead a person. Though I respect everyones right to choose their own path. 

 

[Therewolf]

Might be time to come up with a strategy for dealing with stress before stress comes.

I find my best stress reliever to be physical activity. However, when I've already worked out that day and the urge hits it's hard to work out again. Does anyone have any stress relievers or strategy they find helpful?

Hey MD, I'm pretty new here and happened upon your journal, so here are my 2 cents:

I also like to relieve stress through physical activity/working out.  I'm right there with ya about working out more than once a day.  What I've done to solve this is to take walks; some really long-ass walks.

So, if I'm at the computer and I get an urge to find porn or I'm at work and experiencing stress or just feeling antsy; I literally drop what I'm doing, close the laptop, pause a conversation and tell that person I'll call them back, etc.  I'll stop everything and put on my running shoes and head out the door. 

I walk without music because I want to escape being in my own head too much.  As I walk, I ground myself in the moment with all of my senses.  I pay attention to the color of the sky, the feel of the breeze against my skin, smells, the feel of the ground under my feet; every little thing.  I'll walk for 2, 3, 4 miles and sometimes more.  Rain, snow, sleet, it doesn't matter to me.  Nothing keeps me from heading out the door because I know that I need to put some distance between me and my thoughts sometimes.

Hope that helps and good luck.

 

[kaybee]

How have the first 2 months at school been, Masterdebater? I'm in college right now too. I know that the whole campus is filled with people and things telling you that porn is okay. Just don't forget that you know yourself best, and if you say it's not okay for you, then it's not. Stick to your guns!  As for that video, I wonder what the motivation behind that was? It seems like propaganda to me, so who is trying to convince us to watch more porn, and why? Creepy.

 

[masterdebater]

I've been at school for a whole week and I haven't been tempted to turn to porn once.

Also, saw this today: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mpCIxBXLE7A
What a load of bull. Porn never got me anywhere good. I'm sure it was just a coincidence that I did well in school and happened to watch porn. Now I have all of this free time thanks quitting. What do you guys think of the video?

Despite my own struggle as an addict to porn, I can still see where porn can be beneficial in certain circumstances educationally, and I can see where it could assist couples to expand their sexual connectedness and shared intimacy.

But again, only in certain circumstances. For anyone that uses porn to the point the brain changes, nothing good will come from it. It's a lot like alcohol consumption. Some can use it wisely without any detrimental side effects, others become hooked on it and it can destroy their lives.

As for masturbation as a sexual outlet, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, and I would encourage any single person to NOT deny themselves of that pleasure, so long as it does not involve porn or porn fantasy. For the great bulk of human beings the natural reproductive urges we feel are something that needs to be satisfied every now and then somehow. To live a life of denial and repressed sexual expression is, in my opinion, quite unnatural given our biological blue print.

One only needs to point to the troubles exposed within the Catholic church of late as an example of how off track a life of denial can lead a person. Though I respect everyones right to choose their own path.

I agree with you completely. I think that masturbating serves a purpose, but again in moderation.

 

[masterdebater]

Might be time to come up with a strategy for dealing with stress before stress comes.

I find my best stress reliever to be physical activity. However, when I've already worked out that day and the urge hits it's hard to work out again. Does anyone have any stress relievers or strategy they find helpful?

Hey MD, I'm pretty new here and happened upon your journal, so here are my 2 cents:

I also like to relieve stress through physical activity/working out.  I'm right there with ya about working out more than once a day.  What I've done to solve this is to take walks; some really long-ass walks.

So, if I'm at the computer and I get an urge to find porn or I'm at work and experiencing stress or just feeling antsy; I literally drop what I'm doing, close the laptop, pause a conversation and tell that person I'll call them back, etc.  I'll stop everything and put on my running shoes and head out the door. 

I walk without music because I want to escape being in my own head too much.  As I walk, I ground myself in the moment with all of my senses.  I pay attention to the color of the sky, the feel of the breeze against my skin, smells, the feel of the ground under my feet; every little thing.  I'll walk for 2, 3, 4 miles and sometimes more.  Rain, snow, sleet, it doesn't matter to me.  Nothing keeps me from heading out the door because I know that I need to put some distance between me and my thoughts sometimes.

Hope that helps and good luck.

That's a good idea. Not too exhaustive if I had a killer workout that day, but still a good way to empty my mind of the urge.

 

[masterdebater]

How have the first 2 months at school been, Masterdebater? I'm in college right now too. I know that the whole campus is filled with people and things telling you that porn is okay. Just don't forget that you know yourself best, and if you say it's not okay for you, then it's not. Stick to your guns!  As for that video, I wonder what the motivation behind that was? It seems like propaganda to me, so who is trying to convince us to watch more porn, and why? Creepy.

They've been pretty good. I haven't relapsed to porn. I'd be lying if I said I didn't masturbate. I think I was far enough (plus 90 days) in my reboot to do so. The sensation was much improved from the times I had done it in the past with a partner or even with porn.

What can one expect from Buzzfeed? The video seemed like it was trying to argue that porn is perfectly fine, but it constructed its argument that you should watch porn excessively. At least, that's how I saw the video.