Guess What? I have a porn problem!

[GuitarMan]

So I am 23 now and have been looking at porn since I was in my mid teens. Over the past few years I have found myself looking at terrible and degrading things online for hours at a time. It makes me so ashamed. I sometimes stay up till early in the morning looking at porn or am late to class because I can't pull myself away from the computer. Many, many times I have vowed to stop but a day or two later I am right back at it. I know that my relationship with my girlfriend is suffering and I feel as though my entire relationship with the female sex has been damaged and stunted because I have substituted porn for normal male-female interaction.

My situation seems incredibly similar to many of the stories I have already read on this board, and that alone gives me a little comfort to know that I am not the only one struggling with this issue.

I really need to do something to save my life and I am looking to use this board for support. Let's beat this f#@%er.

[FoolishMind]

Hi Guitarman, and welcome to the forums. Just as you have mentioned I too took great comfort and releif in the fact that I realised I was not the only one with this issue when I first joined TTF. Prior to TTF I would either tell myself everyone does it and just hides it or I was just some kind of sicko.

As you have already been reading a few posts already you will see there is a wealth of information here of which im sure 90% you will be able to relate too.

So all I will do at this stage is congratulate you for making a very difficult decision to actually acknowledge there is a problem. You should be proud of that fact to know that something just isnt right, and life really shouldnt be like this.

If you follow the strategies spoken of here, if you be honest and open with yourself, I assure you with strength and focus, you will most definatley understand PA and learn how to control it, ultimatley changing your life and relationships to level of quality you probably havent experienced yet.

I am 31 years old, have only spent 1 year of my adult life being P free. But It has been the most fulfilling and most rewarding year ever!

I wish you the best of strength in your journey.

FM

[Charly22]

Is your girlfriend aware? Are you close with her?

[GuitarMan]

My girlfriend and I are very close, but she is not aware of my problem. She knows that I look at porn occasionally, but not to what extent. I have considered sharing this with her but i don't know... I could never tell her about the kinds of things that I have looked at .

[Charly22]

Well, you don't have to tell her the ugly details, I don't think she'd want to hear that. But I think it is better to be forthcoming with her and if you are serious about wanting to rid the problem from your life before it gets any more out of control than it already is, I think she would appreciate you being honest and upfront with her. She might react kinda shocked, but I guarantee it will be better than her stumbling upon it in some way other than you being honest and upfront with her. I think she should and deserves to know. And if she asks you for the ugly details, then, be as honest as you can.....

If you haven't read this already on this website, this kind of addiction thrives in secrecy. Bringing it out in the open and speaking the truth about it will give you a bit more power over it, instead it having power of you.