Good. 2 years ago, I met a girl and we were together 5 months. We both moved and decided to "go the distance," both figuratively and literally. She got kicked out of her religious school (they were really strict on their theology). the work I was expecting when I moved didn't even exists. A year and a half later, we are seeing each other for the second time. Don't do it if you don't have to. If you love her. Go for it. Go balls to the wall to get it done.
I'd say, reluctantly, it's not such a good thing. It's objectification. Why do you or her feel the need to have these photos? I don't want to sound harsh, just my opinion. If you and she really love each other, you're a lucky man and I wish I had that.
No No. we have been committed to each other the entire time. I visited her last fall. She is visiting me in 39 days!
Let me add my voice to those who do not recommend this. This will not work in my experience. I have tried this myself and failed. Even my therapist told me that this was better than porn and might be OK, but it wasn't. The fact of the matter is that if you masturbate to the picture of your girlfriend, you will soon find that this picture is not enough anymore, and will seek out other pictures, other images -- bang, you are back to porn. I am convinced this does not work, and it takes very little time to do the transition from the picture of your girlfriend to something else. Your brain will crave variety; new pictures, etc. I would even say that it goes beyond pictures. I once tried masturbating to the memories of my wife and I having sex instead of watching porn. Shortly afterwards, I was afflicted by huge "chaser" effects. The fact of the matter is that your brain will not want to stop at just the picture of your girlfriend and you are likely to fail with this approach. At least I did and decided it was not a useful coping strategy.
i did that for a while too.. but i just couldn't get my mind better.. so I went ahead and went all in on the nofap
I have decided that unless both me and my partner are involved in sexual activity, at the same time and in interaction with each other, then to use such a picture in such a way is in the manner of using a p-sub and is a lonely, selfish act for my own gratification, that I do not wish to participate in. If, however, the two of you message back and forth and involve one another and are attempting to be intimate and meet each others' needs, I, personally, see no problem with this. Disclaimer: I do not necessarily identify as a PA, but rather as someone who has betrayed my wife by allowing a selfish and damaging habit to remain a part of my life when I would be better off without it, and she has made clear that she considers as betrayal. For a more dependent or escalated PA, any of the above could well serve as a trigger for relapse. If you think this could be the case for you, steer clear.