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Web blockers have helped, but maybe are not helping in the long run?

Discussion in 'Rebooting - Porn Addiction Recovery' started by Difficult 2 Stop, Jul 12, 2022.

  1. Jul 12, 2022 #1
    Difficult 2 Stop

    Difficult 2 Stop Fapstronaut

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    My Journal
    I haven't visited for a long time. I wanted to write some thoughts, if only to force myself to think things through, and maybe to get some feedback. Unfortunately I still have PMO addiction after 5 years trying to stop. Can't stop for more than 1 week. I obviously have poor willpower. The only thing I feel that I've learned is that using web blockers does help me delay, but only for a while. After a while there is always some excuse to unblock and then inevitably relapse. Any time blockers are left off I tend to relapse every day or two.

    One excuse is I need to update my apps, which requires unblocking. Another is there is a harmless website getting blocked that I really need to access. Another is, I'm traveling and need to unblock the browser to look up travel info on my phone. Another is I have to buy something on Amazon, so unblock Amazon. Unfortunately Amazon has porn books you can preview (sorry if this triggers anyone, you might have to block Amazon too now).

    For the short term, my plan is to keep using blockers and try to be as tough on myself as possible about keeping them on. But for the long term, I think I am recognizing that I will have to eventually get to a place where I can resist PMO without relying on blockers. Eventually I need to build true willpower.

    Maybe I am even fooling myself fussing with blockers. Maybe my subconscious is saying "Hey, I'm being good, I'm dealing with the problem because I have set these blockers", and when I relapse my subconscious is saying "Well, that's ok, you did your best by setting those blockers, and it was just an unintentional slip up, because you really had to unblock temporarily, but you're still good because you are going work hard to continue using those blockers". Maybe focusing a lot of my attention on these blockers, and keeping them up, which will NEVER be perfect, is just a subconscious way of avoiding directly dealing with the real issue: the need to build true willpower. Maybe I'm still just letting PMO addiction fool my own brain once again?

    Anyone have any thoughts related to these? Or advice?

    PS. Another realization. Drinking alcohol tends to lead to relapse, even though I don't drink that much. So I think now I will have to give up alcohol. But that is hard. I get urges to drink. If I have alcohol in the house it would be hard to not drink everyday. I wonder if this is alcoholic tendency, or if it is my PMO addicted brain just finding a way to make myself loosen my inhibitions enough so that I cave in to PMO?
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2022
    Difficult 2 Stop, Jul 12, 2022
    Difficult 2 Stop, Jul 12, 2022
    #1
  2. Jul 12, 2022 #2
    blaze234

    blaze234 Fapstronaut

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    Hi, I can understand the whole conundrum of using blockers. I would suggest you install Cleanbrowsingclient (www.cleanbrowsing.org)
    on both laptop and mobile and set a password on it as it is a feature the app provides. This blocks almost all porn websites.

    If any website left, block it using blocksite on your mobile and lock these apps using an applock.

    While using laptop, try to use a local account instead of administrator (if don't have one, set up one with someone else setting up the password) so that you are unable to delete the software when feeling an urge.
     
    blaze234, Jul 12, 2022
    blaze234, Jul 12, 2022
    #2
  3. Jul 12, 2022 #3
    williamwilson

    williamwilson Fapstronaut

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    Alcohol messes with the hormonal balance of your brain. You feel more happy when you drink, but afterwards you feel more sad, agitated, depressed, etc. Because alcohol exhausts the dopamine reserves to make you feel more happy, but afterwards not enough dopamine remains and one feels sad and depressed. And since you’re accustomed to use porn when you’re stressed and depressed, post-alcohol stress/depression might trigger porn use. Besides, alcohol inhibits the prefrontal cortex. You need this area of the brain to control your urges.
     
    williamwilson, Jul 12, 2022
    williamwilson, Jul 12, 2022
    #3
  4. Jul 12, 2022 #4
    Phoenix333

    Phoenix333 Fapstronaut

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    Phoenix333, Jul 12, 2022
    Phoenix333, Jul 12, 2022
    #4
  5. Jul 12, 2022 #5
    Phoenix333

    Phoenix333 Fapstronaut

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    Take it from a Porn Pro. Yes, I have a PHD in Porn. Blockers don't work! You must be resilient upon yourself. To truly conquer this you must be able to face it on your own 2 feet and YOU make that decision in the moment of TRUTH! Blockers a temporary crutch. You might be able to walk a distance on crutches. However; you'll never run,sprint FLY !!!!
     
    Phoenix333, Jul 12, 2022
    Phoenix333, Jul 12, 2022
    #5
  6. Jul 12, 2022 #6
    Trickshot147

    Trickshot147 Fapstronaut

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    For me it depends what you mean by work. Will blockers keep you 100% clean from porn and porn subs for weeks, months, years, forever? Probably not. Will blockers keep you much cleaner from porn and porn subs than if you weren't using blockers? In my own experience blockers keep me far more clean than if I wasn't using them.

    I think the problem is a lot of guys on here seem to think blockers don't work if they aren't keeping you 100% clean from porn and porn subs, at least keeping you 100% clean from them for very long periods of time.

    I look at it a completely different way. Yeah I might not always be 100% clean even while using blockers, but I am still much cleaner than if I wasn't using them. I don't know why this perfectionism thing has to always come into it, where guys seem to think unless you're 100% clean for a very long period of time then blockers don't work.
     
    Trickshot147, Jul 12, 2022
    Trickshot147, Jul 12, 2022
    #6
    blaze234 likes this.
  7. Jul 12, 2022 #7
    Phoenix333

    Phoenix333 Fapstronaut

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    A blocker is still doing some of "the work" for you. Would you ask someone to chew your food for you? No, of course not. Why do we stop? .....We seek the highest versions of ourselves. You won't get there relying on a blocker. At some point if you really want Mastery over this you must be able to do it under your own powers. From someone who has used blockers( and failed once they were taken off), this is my experience.
     
    Phoenix333, Jul 12, 2022
    Phoenix333, Jul 12, 2022
    #7

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