The struggle is real. Many try to break the hold that pornography addiction has on them only to return to it as soon as it calls because they don’t know how to break porn addiction. This is disheartening at best and can lead to other serious conditions such as depression and suicidal thoughts and tendencies.
If you want to know how to quit porn, first, as shameful or difficult as it will be, you have to tell someone. In order to break the pornography addiction, you need accountability. This accountability partner must be someone you can and will be honest with.
This person should also be someone who is not afraid to get in your face and call you out on your sin, when necessary. In addition to delivering rebuke however, an accountability partner should also be someone who will celebrate your victories with you and encourage you along the way.
For most people the possibility of giving up laptops or phones is just not realistic. We live in a tech-oriented culture and many jobs require employees to have both phones and laptops with internet access. That being the case, it should go without saying that in this day and age, some sort of internet filtering software is absolutely vital.
It is crucial to remember that you should not know the password to your internet filtering software. Only your accountability partner should be able to access it. Periodically, you should meet with your accountability partner to discuss where you are in your struggles.
Not everyone can afford internet filter programs, but the good news is that there are a number of free options available, such as Covenant Eyes and Open DNS Family Shield. While no internet filter is foolproof, the idea is to make it as inconvenient as possible for you to gain access to porn.
Know Your Triggers
Discovering your triggers is another element in the process of breaking free from your addiction to pornography. If you know what things drive you to look at porn, you can more easily avoid putting yourself in those situations. Knowledge is power and knowing your triggers gives you power over them.
Perhaps the temptation is strongest when you are tired. In that case, have your accountability partner set a cut-off time on your internet early in the evening. Are you most tempted when you are bored? Find friends to hang out with or start a hobby to occupy your attention. Is it after you watch certain kinds of television shows? Cancel your TV service subscription.
A Battle of the Mind
You need to recognize that you are in the fight of your life and that the battlefield is your mind. Even if you don’t have access to books, magazines, television, or the internet, you can still struggle with pornography in your mind. Your mind is a catalog of every dirty book you have ever read, every porn magazine you have ever looked at, and every XXX rated movie you have ever watched.
Because of this, it is crucial for you develop strategies to help you win the battle for the mind. You can start by filling your mind with Scriptures that speak against illicit sex. In addition, you can meditate on verses that talk about God’s glory, His law, or His demand for purity among His people.
If you are looking for an accountability partner who will walk through the process with you, or you are looking for a sex addiction counselor in San Diego, give us a call at San Diego Christian Counseling. Pornography addiction can be overcome – there is hope!
