By now, you should have completed you personal sexual recovery plan.
Now you know what behaviors you want to stop, why you want to stop, and what behaviors to watch out for.
I also hope that you had a chance to read our introductory article titled “How to Stop Pornography Addiction“.
Please do not continue reading until you have finished your sexual recovery plan and you’ve watched the video.
Now please download and print the ERP checklist. If you don’t have a printer, simple re-create a first row by hand.
Also make sure that you have your sexual recovery plan handy.
Now take a few minutes to identify a triggering situation. Chances are you can use one of the warning signs from your sexual recovery plan. Make sure to create a vivid mental image of a situation where you are most likely to act out (i.e. home alone with a computer) and observe the physiological response from your body.
© by Diane S Murphy
Note: Please do not try to look at pornography and other sexually explicit material in order to trigger yourself, this will only have a counterproductive effect. Concentrate instead on a challenging situation where you tend to lose control.
Measure your pulse rate as soon as you feel the response. Record it into the table.
Now immediately follow through with breathing exercise. Breathe in for 10 seconds, hold your breath for 10 seconds, breathe out for 10 seconds. Repeat it 10 times.
Now read out loud to yourself all of the positive rewards for staying sober from you sexual recovery plan. Make sure to take your time to imagine each of the positive rewards. Imagine how it would feel to be that person. Try to create a very vivid and colorful image.
Once you are done, measure your pulse rate again. Record the difference in the table. Be aware that there are no right and wrong results; you are simply observing your body to gain a better understanding of how it functions.
I want to congratulate you! You just finished your first ERP exercise!
Well, you’ve almost finished it, except for the most important part.
I want you to shut off your computer and go for a walk. Drop everything that you are doing, and just go. And if it is too late at night, shut off your computer and go to bed. Trust me, this will be the best thing you can do for yourself.
In the next chapter, we are going to revisit the ERP techniques, and look into why it is so important for our recovery.
P.S. If you chose not to do the exercise, I highly advise you to find some time to do it before the end of the day, so you can better understand our next discussion.
Relavant Keywords:stop porn today please!!!!, What\s the best thing I can do today
Tagged with: Addiction • Behavior • Emotional Brain • ERP • Exposure Response Prevention • Human sexual activity • Human sexuality • porn addiction • pornography • Pornography addiction • Sex Addiction • Sexual abuse • Sexual addiction • Sexuality
Filed under: Cognitive Behavior Therapy • Free Recovery Course • Treatment Program for Porn Addiction
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
This is my fifth day doing ERP exercise, but I found no difference of the pulse rate before & after the exercise. Is there anything I missed not mentioned in this page?
Where is the “video” mentioned in the fourth paragraph on this post? I don’t know where or what video this post is referring to. Please help me…
thanx may god bless u 4 sharing with us this knowledge. The world would be a much better place if every1 was aware of this
im 14 i looked up this and it helps it really does’ i can go for three days days without doing it ‘which is good for me, i read the horrible stories that masturbation has caused them and i really dont want that to be me i always feel a lack of confidence but that changes i feel like iv more energy and i can do more once you make the decision that you wont to stop your on the right path.you control your body its not the other way around after doing this i dint masturbate,so far so good i am happy with myself and i feel clean and fresh,i dont feel stressed anymore and that helps my acne i really feel i can change
Well… I don’t have a black and white opinion on masturbation, especially when it comes to young adults… My experience started in my mid 20′s and I was in a committed relationship, so it is very different for me. I know people who engage in what they call healthy masturbation (1-2 times a week, with no visual stimulation, and definitely no pornography). I also know men who go on 0-1 masturbatory per year, so I know it is possible too, but not sure if it is healthy. If I were to give an advice to my younger brother or a son if I were to have one, I think I would encourage healthy masturbation, while at the same time strongly advising him to avoid any forms of pornography or other sorts of abuses of human sexuality.
One other thing, if you as a partner would like support and help which can be beneficial, there is a partners area in the forum above.
To anonymous Dec 19 above.
Sex addiction is very much psychological and in the brain. I don’t feel tempted to indulge in alcohol, but some people do. It doesnt mean that their addiction isnt real to them.
Trust me, this is real. It causes us to lose control, and we cant stop it without help.
Its not about self control, its about breaking a psychological cycle in the brain. I have self control in other things, this I cant control without help.
Im a wife and im glad for those it helped but I still don’t see how its all psychological and in the brain… for the woman going through it, the heart is what’s mainly involved, love e respect and self control things that I practice regardless of temptation
I cnt thank u enuf
u r a blessing frm God
i have not yet fully recovered but i am on the right road and i know i will make it…i have grwn tired of the pain and sorrow that porn and mustarbation hv brought to my life and i know that soon everything will be okay
i cnt thank u enuf
How is it possible to thank you enough? … It really isn’t. It’s not, but thank you so very much, anyway. Very very powerful!
this changed my life
This is powerful. Thank you for posting this. Makes a huge difference in my impulse control.