For the past 17 days, I've stopped journaling on the forum because I want to try quitting porn. At the beginning of my journey, I was positive, but I think the main reason I keep returning to porn is loneliness. Maybe I miss the fact that I masturbate or watch porn due to the lack of any kind of external stimuli, and the only kind of stimuli is the excitement of watching sex. Now I'm asking for help because I don't know how to stop watching porn. I go to the gym and practice martial arts, but it has to be more than that. I have friends who prefer to stay at home or have fun by themselves. By the way, I talked to one of them about the decision to stop watching porn, but he doesn't feel the need to stop doing it. I want to chat with people who have overcome this challenge or someone with whom I can share this journey.
Have you ever thought that porn increases the feeling of loneliness? If I had to guess, it's a vicious cycle you're probably in right now. You feel lonely, so you watch porn, and then after watching porn you are lonely, so you watch porn, and on and on it goes. You need to find a way to break the cycle. It's great that you workout and take martial arts. Do you have any other hobbies? Preferably something that would get you to interact with people. Do you play any sports? Could you find a social league to play in? Is there anything you ever thought about trying? Find a class to do that. In my opinion, I think the important thing for you is to get out and increase your circle of friends.
It can also help if you open up yourself to your friends, family members or people you genuinely trust. I mean people who take your goals like quitting porn seriously. Recently, i have been opening up a lot to my friends about my addiction and that i am attending therapy. And tbh, i fear sometimes that i will lose these friends when they think that i am dragging down. However, i feel good that i can be honest to myself and others. Well, at least i try more now.
