Sex / Pornography Addiction Support Group

Sexual addiction, also sometimes called sexual compulsion, is a form of psychological addiction to sexual intercourse and other sexual behavior.

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/ Sex / Pornography Addiction Support Group

The Road to recovery

Paddy0007040
Paddy0007040

Hi everyone, I don't want to make this too long but I'm new on here and I'm going to share a piece of my story. Iv been addicted to porn for 9 to 10 years now, I have just turned 23, I'm still affected by it in fact 2 nights ago viewed it. It has caused a lot of problems within my life, it has caused me to consider taking my own life on multiple occasions, I guess I've been heavily depressed with anxiety also for about 7 of those years. Iv pushed away anyone who ever cared about me, kept my to myself and now I'm here, no friends and no one to talk to. Iv tried to stop a few times this past 2 years without getting more than a month, I even tried counselling but after one session they never got in contact with me again. My self esteem in rock bottom and now when I meet new people I just freeze up with no communication skills after living under a rock for 7 years, I have extremely bad social aniexty and will do anything to avoid talking to strangers or being near crowds of being, I'm usually the guy standing awkwardly not knowing what to do, say or where to look, but hey I'm still here and I think it's a sign to keep trying to beat the addiction. Thanks for taking the time to read this

Scaredandafraid
Scaredandafraid
You are taking a step in the right direction. Try a different counselor. Talk to someone and get to the root of your problems. Mine was depression And my particular anti depressant has been a godsend. My whole life has change because of it. Outta great You recognize it young because it is brutal as you get older. We will all support You and are here for You. Never give up
Heismercy
Heismercy
Well, you’re definitely not alone. I stopped seeing friends, I had a difficult time going in grocery stores, I couldn’t look a person in the eye; especially women, totally consumed by social anxiety, severely depressed and I was suicidal. I tried counseling but I wasn’t honest about the porn and only tried to fix the anxiety and depression. That didn’t work. It wasn’t until I opened up to a trusted other person that I felt human again. There are groups available to you and I encourage finding one that works for you. It is a very bad thing to continue to isolate yourself. If you’re in a city there may be a sex anonymous group and I’m sure there are churches near you with recovery programs. You don’t have to be a member of that church to go. In a church program you will be put in a small group of guys like you going through the same thing. It is such a relief to be with people like that. Being with people will help with the anxiety and depression. If you don’t pray, it’s a good time to start. The byproducts of prayer is hope and healing. Keep posting.
Paddy0007040
Paddy0007040
Thanks guys for the support, I'm hoping this group will help me start the process of opening up and searching for help, just knowing people are out there are going through the same thing it gives me more a both to put porn in my past forever.
micahsevenverseeight
micahsevenverseeight
Hi, I know this issue can be different for men and women. As a female suffering from this addiction, it’s difficult to locate support. However, this group has been great to let me see how many similarities we share in our recovery. I wanted to share some things that have helped my sobriety. I work out a ton! It’s great for you and it’s a great stress relief. Also, I see a CSAT (certified sex addiction therapist). They truly have a handle on how to target the cause of this addiction and create really awesome ways to overcome it. I recommend doing that for sure. It’s uncomfortable at first but there a ton out there that help people like us. I’m always available to talk if you need any support at all!! Hope this helps.
QUIT
QUIT
Hi Paddy, I think there is an 'interesting' relationship between social anxiety and porn. It is a vicious cycle. Social anxiety leads to porn usage, but at the same time porn usage increases social anxiety because it makes us feel ashamed of ourselves. Here is the positive thing about this vicious cycle - I believe that improvements in one area will result in improvements in the other. Being able to get control of your pornography will likely help with your social anxiety. Remember, celebrate the small victories in this journey.
I have had major set backs. I have recently relapsed. But today, I will celebrate posting to this board and scheduling an appointment with a therapist.
P.S Don't give up on therapy. As Micha said, they can be instrumental in helping you.