Have the cravings stopped for any of you?

[Jon Doe 109]

I'd like to know if anyone here has gone so long w/o P that the cravings have gone. If so, how long did it take you? I ask because having quit using H and other drugs years and years ago, I never think about it anymore - it never even crosses my mind. Have any of you gotten to that point with PA? I ask because I'm hoping that's the case, at least with a few people. I'd like to get to that point and I think that if it's possible it would be a strong motivation for me. I'm doing pretty well with my first attempt at living without P but it's only been a few weeks and this question has been on my mind...
Thanks,
Jon

[Timertin]

I want to know too! I don't crave drugs anymore either, working my program, why would we not be relieved of this addition. Beating the hard stuff seemed impossible, but for my self, I used P as an escape from pain sometimes in stead of my steps. My first week sober of P, when I see a little flesh I wince, I turn away, get busy with clean toughts or come to this site. I can tell the toughts are not as much, but when they come they seem stronger.

[IN NEED OF HELP]

I dont know if this is the right answer or not. It is just the way I think. We are addicted to a very power thing. I feel that this addiction is the most hardest one to overcome. There are and probably always be something that we do in life, that will always remind us of our addiction. And this is even if are in recovery for years without acting out with it. I am very close to having 100 days of P free life. and I do feel better than I have in so many years.
But with that said, I never think I have this beat, and that I will never slip. I do feel as if I do have this addiction under control, but I still need to be on guard against it. I say this, because, I do still get the cravings, the temptations, to use. I still struggle very much at times with this when I get the cravings, temptations.

I am 54 years old, and there has been candy for an example, that I would just love to eat when I was a child. they have not been on the market now for over 30 years. But I will say this, I can be at home watching TV or something, and them, out of no where I get a craving for one of those candies. It is like I can taste it, and I want a piece of that candy. So I just erase this from my mind and forget about it, because, I know, that no matter how much I try, I will never get to eat some of it.

Like I said, I dont know if I am right on this, but it will be the way that I handle it as it comes along. I feel that all of us in time, will get to a point, the we dont look at P anymore. And as we get further along in our recovery, things get so much better for us. the cravings or temptation, come less and less. But that dosent mean that they are gone by any means. Yes cravings are there, and they may always be there, but I feel that now we are doing all we can to overcome this addiction, that we are now taking control of all our thoughts, and our minds automatically block these cravings in time.

2 steps are needed to beat this crap

1- We do whatever we need to do, to allow us NOT to get to any P. This is done by, Putting a filter on our computers, phones, or any other accesses to P. And never allow ourself to go anywhere that would make us act out in any way shape or form

Once we have taken the steps to stop us getting to P we now go to step 2
We already took the steps to keep us from getting to porn, so now we take the step to stop P from getting to us
And we do this by taking that control over our own body again. We have control in what we want our MIND and HEART to take in at all times. If we dont allow our Mind or Hearts to give in, there will be a point in our recovery, that we wont even know we are craving, because we found the right way to fight theses off, and we do it without even realizing it

I dont know if I made any sense of this, but was just a thought to put this down here. My feeling on it I guess

[Daniel]

I am almost 3 years free from HC P and the heavy use etc., but I still now and then get urges and cravings.

So they are not "gone" but I do enjoy extended periods of time where I experience no cravings whatsoever, and the ones that do come along are not difficult to dispel.

INOH is describing (I think!, as I didn't read the post all the way through) that we are never utterly free from the addiction and I would agree with this.

Minimized, made small, beat down, trained to think better, etc., can all describe the old man who still craves a fix but doesn't ever get one in the best circumstances.

Daniel

[Winston811]

I agree with INOH and Daniel,

Having had a reasonble amount of experiance dealing with other addictions. I believe there will always be the odd craving. I believe that knowing the cravings will never go away makes it easier to deal with. By not letting our gaurd down ever we will remain strong in resisting these craving.

I do believe, as I have experienced with other things, that the craving will be less strong, and will be more infrequent as time goes on, so they will be easier to deal with. We will grow stronger and better equipped to deal with them, which will them much easier to resist.

It is important to think, however, that once an addict always an addict. This is not something which should be viewed negatively, but rather as a reminder that we can all slip, and that we should never stop trying.

Winston

[Jon Doe 109]

Thanks - these are great responses - I really appreciate it. I still wonder if there is anyone on this forum who has no cravings anymore... I used to smoke cigarettes for example - I never get a craving - ever - not even a hint of one... I already notice the craving for P dropping but I'm far - very very far from this addiction being like my old cigarette addiction... anyone else? Thanks again - I really needed to hear all those responses! Just to be clear, I'm not looking for any rational for letting down my guard or relapsing - I'm just looking to see if anyone here has, for whatever reason, reached that craving free point in recovery...

[Phil413]

Thanks - these are great responses - I really appreciate it. I still wonder if there is anyone on this forum who has no cravings anymore.

I doubt it. What I've noticed in my own life is that I still have cravings from time to time, but it often happens that several days go by when there are no cravings at all. In fact, that's usually the case. The cravings I still feel are few, and far between.

Phil

[PER50NA]

I dont think they evey really go away they get alot easier though and I know for me I havent thought about it in weeks so they definatly get alot weeker

[Jon Doe 109]

Thanks you guys, I figured as much. I've already had a few days in a row without thinking about P, especially when I'm busy... but I'd imagine not thinking about MB occasionally would be almost like having no sx drive.

[TomHaveHadEnough]

Hi everyone. Maybe I should introduce myself in another thread but I take the liberty and do so here instead, if you see fit then please move the post :).

Name's Tomas and have struggled with pornography for about 8-10 years. Have always been a computer geek so getting away from pornography hasn't been easy. I have tried web browser filters and things like that but when the urge got too strong my technical mind just disabled any barrier.

In periods I have been able to stay away form pornography for several weeks and sometimes I can fall several times a week.

I'm so thankful for finding this site and you guys, for the first time I feel like I'm not alone and together we can overcome PA!

And to be honest, I don't know about you but when I don't look at P my mind clears up. I get no urge to MB and I don't think about sex that much right now either.

To be honest I don't understand the need to "explore your sexuality", at least not when single. I'm single right now but I long for the time when I'll find the woman that I'll spend the rest of my life with, and sex is not on the top of my list. But I guess that comes with "the package" when you form a "romantic" union with someone, and I won't say to sex then ;).

Hopefully you will be able to understand some of bad English xd.

Keep up the good fight!

/Tomas