How can I stay clean?

[helpme93]

I had a problem with masturbation for several years. I went to confession for the first time in my life three weeks ago. Since then I had fought the urges successfully, and had abstained for three weeks. I thought I had the habit kicked. Then yesterday, I had the worst temptations and nothing I did could shake it. I picked up a magazine to read and a priest (who I found out is very liberal in teaching) claimed that masturbation was permissible. Since i was already very vulnerable that is all it took to give in. Afterwards I felt very dirty and sad that I had just thrown away three weeks of progress. I will be attending confession again tomorrow. I am 17 so hormones are raging. Any tips?

 

[ahs]

Avoid the near-occassion of sin (keep away from potential sources of arousal), guard your senses, pray, and fast (maybe pick a day each week to have only bread and water, of just 1 meal or something like that). Get involved with social groups, prayer groups, maybe even go to a few Sex Addicts Anonymous meetings.

Your raging hormones will make it extremely diffucult, but not impossible. Main thing to remember is don’t give up in yourself. If you slip and fall, just get bak up and start over…never give up.

 

[scc11]

I also had a similar experience happen to me last week. I had gone 2 months without doing it and gave in. From what others have told me, I recommend you pray and occupy your mind with other things. For example when I went to confession and talked to the priest he told me to take a walk or read. Others have told me to pray 3 Hail Marys before bed.
I think all we can do is take it one day at a time. I think from now on when I get the urge I’m going to pray 3 Hail Marys

 

[Mumbles140]

It may feel like starting over from square one, but go back to Confession, renew your spiritual strength, and know you need more prayer and good deeds to overcome the temptations. If you fall, regain grace through Confession, and try and prepare yourself for those strong attacks of temptation at times when you are vulnerable!

 

[St_Francis]

God sometimes permits us to fall so that we will learn that we cannot succeed on our own; we need His help or grace. What matters is not that we fall, but what we do afterwards: do we increase our reliance on God and carry on? or having fallen, do we give up?

 

[Kontrak]

Do you pray after you are tempted? I understand how we can some times forget or just really strongly be repulsed to do what will lead us out of the evil that we are so powerfully drawn to at that moment, but you can’t expect to do this without the Lord’s help. By ourselves we are only sin and misery.

I suggest when ever you are tempted no matter how strong the temptation to pray the Rosary. rosary.virtualave.net/

Praying it once a day would be better though. We need to replace vice with virtue and God’s grace will flow through us. Trust in Him not yourself.

 

[Oruwaith]

I would like to point out that you are not alone. Many people have posted on these forums with the similair, if not the same, situation that you are in. I struggle with it as well.

Those temptations can be difficult to resist at times. They are like waves. Small ones can be overcome with great ease. Then, once you start feeling like you have overcome them, the tsunami strikes!:bigyikes:

Thankfully, like a tsunami, there are warning signs before the actual wave. It is up to you to find out what those signs are so you can get to higher ground. This, along with practicing self-control and prayer, will help strengthen your defenses.

When it comes to practicing self-control, always remember that the small things help. Imagine it like the small stones that build a wall. Naturally, while the wall is underconstruction, sin can easily reach you. But the more the wall is built, the more difficult this particular sin will find when it comes to reaching you.

Always ask God to give you the grace to resist these temptations. And more importantly, never…give…up! Go to confession when you give in to those temptations. The grace of God will help you to not commit that sin again. Also, I have heard that working out and dieting help with this kind of stuff. Dieting helps you with self-control. Working out might just help tame the hormones by giving them an outlet. But I am not sure about that one.