17 year old and masturbation

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gridiron15

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I’m 17 years old. I have struggled A LOT with masturbation, lust, and pornography. I know it’s wrong to do, and try to tell myself not to, but always fall back into it. I tell God I’m sorry and pray but I keep doing it, even though I shouldn’t. I really want to rid myself of all of these sins and become closer to God, but keep falling back into it. Does God still love me? How can I overcome this?
 
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Have you done a search for this topic here on CAF? There are tons of threads dealing with this topic with helpful advice.

When you search, you can change it to “latest topic” instead of “most relevant” to see the latest threads about it.

But know that of course God still loves you. He came and sacrificed His life for you to rescue you from these sins. So take courage from that thought. You can repent and turn from these sins permanently, but it will take a true desire to change and time and effort.

Btw, I moved this over to the Family Life forum where this is more appropriate.
 
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God still loves you and always will. But we all are fallen in different ways. Perhaps a good Catholic therapist can help you. Your parish priest can meet with you, and I am sure this forum has many resources too. God bless. You will be in my prayers.

Oh, and perhaps reading an interpretation of theology of the body for teens may help. When my son’s classmates were trying to get him to look at porn, he said that there was a real person in the pictures made in the image and likeness of God. It may not have stopped them, but it got them thinking.
 
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First of all, just celebrate that you are probabaly a normal young man. Your hormones are in full gear but you are addicted to a habit. Be patient with yourself, keep trying and do not loathe yourself for failures.

Maybe follow the AA model and admit you are powerless.

But when are you most tempted? Device a strategy to disrupt the pattern. Is it before bedtime? In the morning? Try to engage your mind on another subject that you enjoy. Music? Math? What are your other interests?
 
One way to overcome this problem is to stop doing the devils work for him and stay away from pornography.
 
Shakuhachi said:
Maybe follow the AA model and admit you are powerless.
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Except that as Christians we are not powerless against sin. Christ promised there is a way to walk away from every temptation, that no weapon formed against us will stand. We have the power of Christ, the power of the Sacraments, we are sons and daughters of the Creator of the Universe.
 
Well, that’s the next step in the AA model. 😉

I’ve seen it summed up as:
  1. I can’t.
  2. God can.
  3. I think I’ll let God!
 
Thanks. 😒

It has Christian origins, though, and still references a “Higher Power.” I’ve been to meetings where the above was stated as a summary of steps 1-3.

I’m not sure pedantism is helpful to the OP.
 
I am sure that reminding the OP that he can do ALL things through Christ is helpful!
 
Let’s ask him. It sounded to me like he needs help from God beyond his own efforts and isn’t that also what you are saying, “in Christ”?
 
some tips I can give you:
  1. install a web filter like questodio to block porn
  2. pray the rosary daily asking to overcome this, and visit Jesus in the sacrament more often especially when you get an urge
  3. you should really pray/meditate more mental prayer etc that’s why you fall especially after 2 weeks or so because all of the sexual energy you have build up needs a release
  4. which leads me to my next point join the nofap group, there are tons of youtubers making nofap vids you need constant motivation like everyday. One person that I really like is gabriel kalei bocanegra
  5. educate yourself how porn effects the brain how it rewires it, and how masturbation isn’t good for you
 
A number of men have credited the rosary for helping them a great deal.

God will ALWAYS love you!
 
Another thing to think about is our attitude toward other people. It is very easy to sit in judgement of other people and mentally condemn other people who have various types of problems and situations. “I would never do that” or would you if you were in the same situation. You might even do something worse.
So now we see how easy it is to fall and how difficult it is to get up. I think that we should think about that in our relation to other people.
 
I haven’t read the other comments.

Realize that the temptation to masturbate is itself not a sin. But, you should recognize the universal call to holiness. You must practice putting the temptations far away from you, and one way is to do something instead like reading the Bible.

If you can afford it. get the Bible in a year from Ascension Press. In it, you read 4-5 pages a day. Fill your mind with what is holy. Do not be ashamed of that. Don’t be afraid of that. Don’t be afraid to “be holy.” Don’t talk about masturbation. Get rid of the pornography. You are surrounded by a culture that wants to lure you in, wants you to forget God and religion, to forget your Church.

Put yourself in control. Don’t fall for myths that you cannot control yourself. Offer up your sufferings and join them with the sufferings of Christ.

The place for physical expression of sexuality is in marriage.
 
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