What exactly are the benefits of quitting P&M addiction?

[kanzi]

And when will you be able to reap the fruits?

[RichBlack]

Nothing, besides getting your life back, being able to look into the eyes of those you love and love you and say that you truly are the man you say you are; being able to live every moment of your life with the values that are the foundation of who you are as a person. Nothing, except for being able to look at women as people and not leering at them for the fix whenever you get the opportunity. Nothing, except for being able to be transparent with your partner, and experience a pure, intimate relationship with her/him for the rest of your life. Nothing, except being able to practice free will, being in control of your life. Nothing, except for hours and hours free to spend responsibly and proactively. Nothing, except for a life you can live freely and happily, knowing you are in control.

You may begin feeling the results soon into recovery, but it will take many months, years to feel the full rewards.

Rich

[kanzi]

Thank you!

Maybe it is just me, and maybe I'll sound controversial here, But I do not want to blame P&M addiction. I feel as if it is my way of escaping underlying problems, but the thing is I cant seem to locate them. There have been weeks/months in life that I've had all of that and still watching P, so I was able to watch and quit when I had to do other things, or atleast stay focused in uni and work. But I've also had times that it did dictate my life. I mean is it really an addiction then? Are these benefits truly the result of quiting P or are they the benefits of quiting underlying problems that P seems to camouflage?

I am really confused here!

[RichBlack]

Science Dictionary
addiction (ə-dĭk'shən) Pronunciation Key
A physical or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, such as a drug or alcohol. In physical addiction, the body adapts to the substance being used and gradually requires increased amounts to reproduce the effects originally produced by smaller doses. See more at withdrawal.

A habitual or compulsive involvement in an activity, such as gambling.

Both of the definitions above apply to sex/porn addiction. It is a habit that is compulsive, but there are also chemical reactions in the brain as well which apply to the first definition.

Questions to ask yourself:
Is it a compulsive habit: one that you keep on coming back to periodically?
Do you partake in the habit in order to escape from problems or feelings?
Can you stop for good, or for a long period of time without being drawn back?

Just a few questions you should ask yourself. If yes, that you have a sex/porn addiction. Aside: you don't need to partake in promiscuous sex in order to have a sex addiction. A sex addiction is any addiction to forms of sexual activity.

It is good that you recognize the underlying problems. Yes they do start the process, but that doesn't mean that you don't have an addiction. The addiction is the way that you deal with those underlying problems. Keep learning. Keep reading. I recommend Recovery Nation at Pornography Addiction Love Addiction and Sexual Addiction Recovery as well as all of the resources here at TTF. Good on ya for starting this process.

Rich

[WayFarerNation]

Using P is definitely a symptom of underlying causes. I know that I had to become aware of some of them (not all of them) before I realized that P addiction is a bad thing. It's confusing because P is just one of the many distractions people utilize to ignore pressing issues in their lives. I'm not going to pretend that I don't do the same. All I can say is that when a person really decides they're not going to ignore what's bothering them anymore, they will slowly learn what the real problems are. They will be better because they will be able to see what they were and what they have become, and they will be able to help others see the same. I've made the gamble and commit myself every day to remaining on the path I've set out for myself. I would say this is the hard path; however, you've got the internet to help you. All it really is is trying. You learn a lot.

What helped me understand that P was a bad thing was an experience I had years ago. I decided to let go of EVERYTHING I thought was important - all my barriers - and let it ride and be who I was, imperfect and all. I discovered that people liked me more and I immediately lost all interest in P. It was actually a traumatic experience for me. When I discovered that who you are can't be hidden from other people, that's when I realized there was a lot for me to learn.

Using P is a symptom of underlying causes rooted in the present circumstances of our society. It seems like it's okay because we have become demoralized.