Pornography

I use pornography and I want to stop.

1. Congratulations. Getting this far in the process where you recognize that your life is not really what you want it to be is a very important first step to overcoming this problem.
2. You are going to need to find someone that you can trust with your secret. Whether it is a parent, a pastor, a close friend, a teacher, or some other mature person in your life you need to share your struggle with them. This will not be easy because almost everyone who struggles with pornography or sexual addiction also struggles with guilt and shame. The reason that you must share your secret is because you are going to need accountability in your life. You need someone who will ask you often about how you are handling the problem.
3. Go ahead and take the pornography out of your life. If you use internet pornography then you need to have someone set a secret password on the computer that will not allow you to visit these websites. If you own magazines or movies, then you need to throw them away – today! Perhaps most difficult, if you have friends that encourage you to view pornography then you need to spend less time with them. Tell them of your decision to stop using. If they cannot respect your decision then you probably do not need them as a friend.
4. Don’t give up. Because using pornography can give you a momentary “feel-good” it is frightening to even think about stopping. Nobody wants to give up something that gives them comfort or relaxation. Deciding to stop using pornography is not an easy decision, and once you make the decision the road before you may still be a long one. You might even experience setbacks on the way. When you do, don’t let guilt set in, but keep working to overcome the problem that has a hold on your life.
5. If you have been dealing with pornography for very long you may need to seek out the help of a professional counselor. Let’s face it; if you could stop this thing on your own you probably would have already done so. It is not shameful to seek our professional help. Your pornography may be linked to deeper issues than you realize. If it is, then seeking out the help of a professional counselor is even more important.
6. Call the HopeLine (1-800-394-HOPE) or visit www.dmlive.com to chat with a live person.