I feel the exact same way. It's not coming from a placed of wishing for any physical interaction. I did as some of the contributors suggested and reflected on how porn subs. make me feel and I guess it's coming from a place of objectifying women. Since I began the reboot I've started looking at more bikini and lingerie photos on the web. I guess I've tried to make those types of photos my "nicotine patch" but To some degree I feel the same nervous anxiety as with porn. I really don't want to fall from the little streak I've got, so I'm going to definitely take care to not make this a bad habit, trigger something and ruin it.
Be careful, Rianonse. You won't be able to stay with bikini & lingerie for too long. That's like repeating smelling a pizza, but not ever taking a bite.
@Lyle1958 , from what I understand, "rebooting" must be at multiple levels, and the process would be complete depending on each individual's background, level of addiction, and efforts put in to overcome. I am in the same boat as yours: cute women trigger my fantasies (which, earlier inevitably let to M and O). It was not so much of P, but just real-world women around me. Now it's been around 10 days since I PMO'd. I get the urges, certainly, but don't act on them (M and O). This has certainly contributed to reduction of fantasy and triggers. I don't so easily get triggered, or rather, my eyes don't so easily hover to things that would earlier trigger me. This is one level of rebooting in process, I would say. The other level is the unlearning and relearning that has to happen in our minds. I want to not feel sexually attracted to women around me. I know I can admire their beauty without having that sensation below my abdomen, or even S-related thoughts and fantasies crossing my mind. I am aiming at that, and it is certainly possible. It is a question of persevering effort, till it becomes "natural" for mind to think of things other than S. I know I want to reach this stage (and not just overcoming my addiction to fantasy + MO), because, if I allow my mind to be fed with fantasy, it will certainly lead me to MO eventually. Thought and feeling leads to action.
yep thats what i did. I replaced the hardcore porn and nudity bullshit with models and bikini pics and i can say with experience that it has been beneficial. The benefit is that its less damaging to dopamine receptors i found. But its still damaging nonetheless and its still addicting and like a lot of others are saying you can end up falling back into the old stuff. I was hyper aware of the potential to fall back into hardcore material so it didnt really happen to me as i was dedicated not to go back. And it works for me because now the hardcore shit isnt even really an option that i consider now, the go to and preferred option is the soft images which is good because now if i relapse its not as damaging as relapsing to hardcore material. But my goal is to not need this shit at all and im getting there, its a journey. Also noticing that my objectification is changing as the days go on, im seeing women differently and not just as sex objects as bad as that sounds lol.
