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A few days back, I met one of my best friend and she was looking so depressed and painful. After doing some digging, she opened up to me about what she was going through. Porn addiction has been a big problem in her life. She wasn’t even the one suffering from it, and yet it managed to destroy her marriage. At one point, she realized that her husband wasn’t going to change his ways and she found herself reaching for the only option that was left to her — divorce.
It is not only happening with her. Porn addiction is a major cause behind many ruined marriages. Even if you don’t see things getting that bad for you in the future, don’t fall for the trap of thinking that porn addiction is harmless and providing you short-term ease. It’s not, and it can actually be very challenging to get rid of, if you are even able to come to know porn addiction side effects in the first place.
It Changes Lives
It can be hard to come to terms with the fact that this can change your life significantly. Part of the problem lies in the fact that porn addiction tends to creep up gradually, much like many other problems related to addiction. And by the time you realize that something is wrong and you need to get help, it may be too late to resolve the problem on your own. You have to take advantage of all resources available to you in this case and understand the importance of getting this problem resolved as soon as possible. Because of the long-term impact on your life can be significant.
Going Cold Turkey
By far, the best thing you could do to overcome your porn addiction is to just drop it entirely. This might sound easier said than done, but the truth is that the first step is usually the most challenging. After that, you’ll realize that life goes on, and you’re still able to cope with the daily stress without having to resort to watching porn on a regular basis.
This means that you’ll have to put a conscious effort into removing all possible triggers from your environment, though. Some of those are straightforward and simple enough to deal with. But others can be a much bigger challenge, especially ones that are tightly integrated into your life.
The Internet Can Help and Hurt You at the Same Time
The internet is a great resource in many ways. It can teach you a lot about overcoming addiction, and it can provide you with some valuable resources in this regard, as well. At the same time, it’s a double-bladed knife. The internet also makes it very easy to stay addicted to porn and keep that addiction fed, because it’s the main source of this type of entertainment for most people. Having such easy access to all of that content at your fingertips can be a problem.
Installing some browser extensions can help you keep yourself in check. Site blockers can effectively prevent you from going to your favorite porn sites. Even though you can always disable those extensions manually, the point is that they will give you a harsh reminder of what you’re doing every time you attempt to open the wrong kind of site.
Talk to Others
Whatever happens, remember that you’re not alone in this. Many other people are dealing with the exact same problem as you, and some of them have even formed helpful communities to discuss the issue and support each other. And while it can be difficult to openly admit that you have a problem with porn addiction and need help with it, it’s a good step towards getting rid of that problem entirely.
And then, you should also remember that nobody is forcing you to attach your real name to those confessions. If you use an online support forum for this, you can easily sign up under a pseudonym and nobody will be any wiser. In fact, that’s the way most people approach these communities in the first place.
Come to Terms with Relapsing
You’re going to relapse sooner or later. It’s best to stop obsessing over trying to prevent that and focus on what you should do once you catch yourself in the act. Relapsing can actually be a very valuable learning experience. If you pay attention to when and how it happens, it can open your eyes to some patterns in your addiction that may not have been obvious before. And with time, you’ll start to identify your triggers and you’ll be able to stay away from them more easily.
Keep Track of Your Progress
Another good thing you could do to keep those relapses in check is to ensure that you have some way of keeping track of your progress. It can be easy to see things through a skewed perspective when it comes to dealing with an addiction, and you can easily fall for the trap of thinking that you’re not going anywhere. But something as simple as a log with specific dates and times of each incident can give you a much more objective overview of the situation, and show you clearly that you’re moving in the right direction.
Remember This in the Future
You must also make this a long-term goal. Getting rid of porn addiction isn’t about resolving the problem once and calling it a day. It’s a permanent change in your lifestyle and it will require some sacrifices if you want to do it right. Be prepared to get rid of porn completely in the long run and you should never look back, because this can trigger a relapse before you realize it. Try to replace the habit with something else. With today’s state of entertainment, this should not be that difficult.
The sooner you come to terms with the fact that you have a problem, the better your prospects will be in the future. This is going to be a long journey with many obstacles along the way, and you have to be responsible in addressing this problem in your life. Otherwise, it’s only going to get worse and you’ll sooner or later reach a point where you can’t even make the changes that you now know you so desperately need.
