TL;DR
I haven't read through this thread but, I'd like to tag along as this was/is an issue for me as well. I've been looking at ���� early on in my life. We got connected to the internet back in the late 90s (around 9th grade for me) and that's really when my addiction took off. Of course, as years went by, it got worse due to the ease of being able to get pretty much anything you want on the net and for free. Before the internet, I stumbled on ���� related subject through magazines and our satellite tv. Those, however, only had temporary effects on me. I'm not sure what it is specifically about the online stuff but, it certainly had me hooked.
Before I started no fapping about a year a so or go, I was past the downward spiral and was at the bottom of the pit. If messed with my EQ tremendously and I'd even go as far as to say it permanently messed with me mentally in one way or another. I mean, viewing that stuff for years has to have some mental effect. I finally decided enough is enough. Although I haven't completely quit it, and while I can't control my urges, I have a lot more control over my actions. I also quit looking at the extreme of the extreme. Since doing no fap, looking at something as simple as a commercial with a girl doing yoga gets the blood flowing, where as before, I wouldn't of been phased by it. Anytime I do get an urge to get the ol google search going, I end up looking at "candid" material of normal girls on the street wearing things like leggings or shorts or something. This is pretty much softcore to the extreme and although I do get let down when I give in, it doesn't effect me as badly mentally because the material I look at isn't taboo or anything. It's simply pictures of normal women out and about, and compared to ����, the "desensitizing" factor is pretty much non-existent, for me anyways.
Unfortunately, I recently broke a 3 month no fap streak but, it hasn't effected me EQ wise and on top of that, I don't binge as bad as before. The good thing about having this self control is that I can go months at a time in between 'releases'. Also, without getting too deep into it, the feeling and the load is pretty intense. Setting realistic goals for yourself is key. Some (probably very few) people may have the spirit to stop all together and never have any issues going back and others will have nothing but problems stopping. For me, taking baby steps was the key to get me at the level I am today. I knew I'd never be able to stop 'cold turkey', but I knew if I tried hard enough, I'd be able to control it better. Not only control what I view, but the frequency of it as well. Setting goals was the best way for me to tackle the issue. Simply saying "I'm gong to stop" did not help in any way. Set a goal for yourself. Whether it's days, weeks, months or even years
. If possible, keep yourself limited to computer/phone usage as much as possible. If you do use these devices, try watching videos on learning new skills or something. Learn programming, learn plumbing, etc. Use your free time towards doing something rather than sitting around. If creating a log or posting about it helps, continue doing that. I personally keep a mental not of when I last gave in and leave it at that. if I continually talk about it, it keeps my mind focused on the subject where as if I don't continually talk about it, I'll have a better time keeping my mind away from it and there is less risk of me doing it. Whatever works for you, stick with it. There is no one size fits all guide for breaking addictions.
I understand that these are things which are well know and are frequently repeated but, they are repeated for good reasons because it works and the goals are realistic.
Best of luck to all of you :D
/TL;DR
