Quitting porn? Masturbation Withdrawal Symptoms You Might Experience.

Withdrawal is a common symptom of pornography addiction.

Are you experiencing withdrawl symptoms after quitting pornography? You're not alone. While porn and masturbation is a harmless habit for most, for a minority porn use becomes an addictive behavior that is hard to control. And any attempt to quit immediately results in heavy cravings and eventual relapse.

If this sounds like you, the withdrawal symptoms you experience after quitting pornography use can be intense. You may feel nauseous or tired. Perhaps your desensitization is so advanced that non-sexualised everyday activities immediately feel boring, as you have gradually become numb to everyday experiences.

Constant porn use, to the point of addiction, has overloaded your brain's reward system so that you begin to need continuous hyperstimulation.

Porn addiction creates conflict in the brain, such that you begin to experience withdrawal symptoms similar to those often associated with substance addiction. However, all addictions, regardless of the cause, share some fundamental physical characteristics.

The most common porn addiction withdrawal symptoms.

‍Masturbation withdrawal symptoms can include:

• Some of the most frequently reported side effects include:
• Increased anxiety & stress
• Agitation
• Mood swings
• Porn flashbacks
• Brain fog
• Flatlined libido for some time
• Trouble sleeping
• Urge to watch sexual activity
• Sexual dreams
• Low energy
• Panic attacks
• People sometimes call it: cold turkey
  

If you have developed a dependency, then quitting porn and masturbation can be difficult. And while suffering withdrawal symptoms may sound daunting, many people report significant improvements in their symptoms as they reboot. The most important thing is to arm yourself with knowledge and be prepared.

There are many ways you can support yourself to quit porn or masturbation, including using our Brainbuddy app to keep you motivated and track your progress as you embark on this new, healthier lifestyle.

To get the recovery process started, let's talk about some of the positive effects of quitting porn, and then we'll explore different methods that can help you stop. Permanently.

Why quit watching porn? Here are 10 amazing reasons you will feel better.

Your experience of sex improves, and you learn to understand sex better.

Pornography sells one of the world's biggest lies about sexual fantasies that it presents as filled with positivity. It promises "sex education", along with more sex and better sex. But as a porn user, you should be aware that the more you dive into this artificial world, the opposite effect is likely to take place in your real world.

Pornography, by all means, is complicated, and the more you imagine incorporating it into your real life, the more difficult it is for your real and sexual relationships to measure up. You can say that the image of sex portrayed by porn is counterfeit, and you should ditch that. "Sex" ought to be put back in "sexy".

In case you're not old enough to handle a relationship that includes sex, you should teach a healthier mindset and expectations about the act of making love.

You could avoid developing a compulsion or an addiction.

‍‍Porn addiction can destroy your mental health. You might think that tobacco is very different from porn, but there are some similarities, as indicated in many studies. This research shows that the more you watch porn, the more your brain releases pleasure chemicals, similar to those triggered by smoking tobacco and drugs.

Similar to using physical drugs, pleasure chemicals such as dopamine and oxytocin shoot up to the brain. With time and repeated use, this triggers the creation of new brain pathways. These new pathways reinforce the behavior that started the release of these chemicals, and this is the initial mechanism of addiction.

Quitting porn may seem daunting or even impossible, however just like any other addiction, you can access support and get on with the endeavor. Nothing can feel as liberating as choosing to be strong, and quitting watching porn.

You stop your habit and addiction from escalating.

For some people, pornographic material can be addictive, and when you become hooked, you want to maintain the same level of excitement and pleasure from the experience. You thus have the subconscious incentive to increase your dosage and look for consistently exciting material.

As time goes by, your need to get the same level of arousal would entail you to escalate to watching hardcore porn. But when you decide to stop viewing porn, you will feel empowered to live your life to the fullest and its maximum potential.

Your behavior will improve.

As you continue viewing porn, it's possible to start becoming aroused by behavior that used to disgust you or that you know deep down is not morally right. Starting to watch extreme or fetishized porn can have you thinking that this is normal, when in fact you have lost perspective.

Your beliefs and value can become compromised, and in a relationship, you'll expect your partner to live up to these wild fantasies, or else your relationship may suffer. The hazardous influence of watching pornography needs to be reduced, returning you to normal fantasy and eliminating any shame or guilt.

You'll begin to foster deeper relations.

‍Because of the porn industry, people can become objectified and the act of sex with a loved one is turned into a commodity. Sex depicted in porn is not realistic or romantic, and it can cause a severe disconnect from reality. In turn, you might find it difficult to nurture a healthy intimate connection with somebody real.

By deciding to quit viewing pornography, you'll be able to feel complete as you foster real connection with someone you "actually" find attractive.

‍You'll begin to be more appreciative of your own body.

When you are addicted to porn, you can begin to develop an unrealistic perception of the human body and sexuality, mainly because the actors employed in porn are frequently enhanced by cosmetics, surgery, and even photoshop.

Many porn addicts develop low self-esteem as they begin to compare themselves to the porn actors that they view in porn. Their intimate relationships can suffer as well.

Without porn, you'll begin to both feel and restore a healthier body image as you become more confident in yourself.

You'll learn to appreciate genuine attraction.

Porn or masturbation addiction can alter the way you see yourself, and it can also change the way you perceive your partner. Pornography can train you to see other people as mere outlets for personal satisfaction, rather than unique and beautiful individuals.

Porn teaches many people to prefer a fictional version of how they thinkothers look and behave. It may seem exciting on a superficial level, but it is a false reality, and over time you may begin to compel your partner to live up to the same standards. When you decide to stop viewing porn, you'll learn to appreciate people for their real beauty, rather than mere objects.

You'll help prevent erectile or sexual dysfunction.

The troubling reality is that porn addiction leads to less sex, and, even worse, real sex becomes less satisfying. You might be surprised how frequently porn and masturbation result in no sex at all for a significant number of consumers. Getting addicted to porn biologically affects the brain by hindering your sexual performance when having sex with an actual person.

Erectile dysfunction induced by porn is becoming increasingly common, particularly among young men. For many self-reported porn addicts, this is one of the main motivators to make a change. Quitting porn provides the time you need to "rewire" your brain back to normal.

You're proving that you don't support sex trafficking.

There is an indirect correlation between the demand for fresh, novel pornography and the continuing growth of sex trafficking rings worldwide. Victims of human sex trafficking are countless, wherein they are often forced to perform sexual acts on camera.

Even in what you may perceive as the "legitimate" adult porn industry, sex performers are frequently victims of substance use disorders, coercion, and violence. What you see in porn films may feel organic and consensual, but you primarily don't know their dark origins.

When you refuse to click a porn video, you accordingly refuse to contribute to the importunity for sexual exploitation.

You will prevent developing violent behavior.

Certain categories of pornography involve actors, frequently women, depicted as being verbally or physically abused. Over time, this can have a subconscious impact on the behavior of consumers, causing their sexual appetite and behavior to change.

Men are portrayed as dominant and "in charge," while women are made out to be submissive sex objects. What's even more disconcerting is that the victims of aggression in porn movies are often depicted as responding with pleasure and gratitude. Thus, consumers start to find violence sexually stimulating, and in turn, they may begin to abuse real women.

Like with alcohol abuse and substance abuse, any violent behavior influenced by porn needs to be unlearned immediately. As a result, you will become happier personally, experience better relationships, and lead a more satisfying sex life.

These are 10 good reasons why you should stop watching porn. Your unhealthy behavior and habits can be reversed by quitting porn and masturbation.

The best methods to overcome porn addiction

Addiction recovery is possible. You know now that when consumers quit watching porn and stop masturbating compulsively and foster realistic and healthier sexual experiences and relationships instead, the benefits of quitting porn outweigh the urge to get hooked on porn. What are the ways for you to stay strong and stop porn addiction?

Here are 10 ways to overcome your porn addiction and to start becoming your best self again:

• Accept that you have a problem with porn. Denial will only further trap you in your addiction as a coping mechanism. You must first admit the problem exists for you to begin to break it.
  

• Understand that you are making poor choices. You may be feeling like you are doing something "normal," but in reality, it is not. Avoid self-justification that may only make your problem worse.
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• Take personal responsibility. Stop blaming external factors, such as thinking that "if only my partner were more affectionate", or "other people just seem to be more seductive, and I can't resist them." Begin to take responsibility for your actions.
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• Consider group therapy. Seek out a trusted close friend, counselor, or therapist with whom you can confide. It may even be support groups or somebody spiritual such as a pastor or a mature believer in your church or community. Make yourself accountable to these people who can offer their help and support.

• Practice meditation to boost your willpower. During your days of withdrawal, you may feel weak in resisting the urge to watch porn. Consider mind and body practices such as meditation or yoga. The first time you attempt to break your porn habit can be a genuine struggle, and these outlets can help you maintain control.
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• Read books and materials that educate about addiction treatment and symptoms of porn addiction. If you are quitting porn or masturbation for religious reasons, then consider reading the bible and other materials that educate about sexual purity. You'll soon realize that it's better to feel clean and healthy and experience healthy and intimate sex as an integral part of your relationship.
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• Eliminate all pornographic material in your possession. Porn use escalates, so it's difficult to "wean" yourself off gradually. The best solution is to go cold-turkey to reboot your brain. Even take a break from social media if you need to. Deleting pornography may feel like a scary step, but it's a necessary one if you're serious about making real progress. And if you feel upset or regretful, take solace because it is a sign of positive change.
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• Avoid temptation and resist the urge to watch porn. Say "never" again to watching pornography, and consider undertaking a CBT course. If you are inclined to give in to your porn habit before you sleep, try conversing with your partner, listening to sleep stories, or calling your relatives and friends. Just do something to distract yourself. Choose an activity that is positive and healthy that would feed you with optimistic vibes. Do not deceive yourself by thinking "it is okay" to peek at pornography because it can quickly lead to a setback.
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• Allow yourself some time to find the path to healing and recovery. Recovery time can vary depending on your age and level of addiction, but no matter what your situation, be hopeful and resolute about finding recovery. It is a learning and growing process. Be gentle with yourself and practice self-care.
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• Take it one day at a time. Recovering from porn or masturbation addiction is a battle fought one day at a time. Celebrate daily victories, and stay focused in the current moment. Life is about the number of good moments, not the number of years.

Porn addiction vs Sex addiction.

Porn addiction is often remarked to be a "perfect storm" combination of sex addiction and internet addiction.

Rather than stressing the semantics, the important judgment to make is to ask yourself "Is this compulsion actively making my life worse?". If the answer, is yes, then it is likely you have developed a porn addiction that you need to overcome.

All addictions, including sexual addiction and drug addictions, alter dopamine and other neurochemicals in the brain.
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Remember, change is possible.

By learning about addiction, and that change is possible, you have already taken the first step to live a better life. Knowledge is power.

Next, find out what masturbation addiction is and take steps to block porn on your computer.