Pornography is stronger than heroin

[michaelArc]

This is one of the biggest misconceptions of porn when people say it can’t be an addiction.

It doesn’t have to be a physical drug that you ingest for it to be an addiction. Can gambling be an addiction? If so, do you EAT poker chips? What about shopping or excessive internet use? Can these not be addictions? Of course they can.

For something to be an addiction you have to understand how neurological pathways are formed. There have been numerous studies within the past 10 years on how porn affects the brain. It will become one of the most destructive addictions in the 21st century.

 

[Spyridon]

Addiction can take many forms, but there are two main categories: substance addiction and behavioral addiction.

Substance addictions are, obviously, things like addiction to smoking, drinking, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, prescription pills, etc.

Behavioral addictions can be things like gambling, overeating, sex/porn, video games, etc.

There’s a reason groups like overeaters and sex addicts anonymous exist: behavioral addictions can be every bit as destructive as substance addictions.

This is the current medical teaching of the WHO, CDC, APA, and just about any other medical association.

And as somebody who has personally carried the cross of multiple addictions in both categories (heroin, smoking, alcohol, porn, video games) I can personally vouch that BA can be as bad as SA. The mechanisms and deleterious effects are very similar between the two addiction categories.

 

[Mary888]

Do you agree that the only cure for it is censorship? Especially self censorship since the laws forbid anything else. I really think that one man turning those images off is more powerful than me praying to St. Mary Magdalene to help that person maybe one day have a dream in which Jesus tells them to turn those images off and then they do it.
I really haven’t produced anything much with my prayers as in help for people I prayed for. I didn’t say that as to disrespect Spyridon but on contrary, out of respect for him. I was very surprised a spiritual man can stare at something like that. If he can’t break free then maybe he needs prayers from a monastery or someone of greater faith than me.
Sometimes science claim to know more than they do. I am not basing my decision on what they keep on discovering. Plus if they say they haven’t discovered much then they lose their finances so they have to always say they discovered something. Convincing the artists to stop using porn to sell their stuff will be more constructive than awaiting for science to solve anything. In many ways artists, as bohemian and depraved as they may be, are more honest that scientists imho.

 

[michaelArc]

I would recommend checking out The Porn Effect

STRIVE Homepage

It was started by Catholic apologist and speaker Matt Fradd. He offers an Action Plan which is crucial in tackling this addiction. I’ve suffered from a porn addiction as well and found having an accountability partner to be essential. This is something that just can’t be done on your own. We all need support.

You will be in prayers.

 

[Spyridon]

I haven’t viewed any in a week, and I’ve been praying the Rosary every day since posting the OP.

 

[michaelArc]

Self censorship is useless if there is no support or Action Plan involved. You can’t expect an alcoholic to kick the habit by telling them to just avoid alcohol and pray about it.

Prayer is just part of it. As if fasting. But there needs to be a practical approach which involves getting informed, counselling, putting safeguards in place and being accountable to someone. It must be a multi-step process.

 

[Kei]

Good, keep it up.
I am not saying there’s a magic number, but I have read it takes about 3 months of 0 porn for the brain to rewire from a porn addiciton.
It may get very strong about a week in, and then every once in a while. After about a week, the testosterone gets really high, but then teeters off. I reccomend being with your wife during these times, always be in her line of sight if you can help it.

Keep up the daily rosary! You probably have a lot of people praying for you, keep it up!

 

[fisherman_carl]

And heroin isn’t the only substance I kicked, I also beat cigarettes, marijuana, alcohol and benzodiazepines, by the Grace of God.

But for the life of me, I can’t overcome sins of the flesh.

When we get to the point that we admit that we cannot overcome this on our own then we can also admit that we need grace to overcome. You are doing right to go to the Sacraments like Reconciliation and for Praying especially the rosary. One other thing to consider is that underlying the desire for pornography is the desire for intimacy. Yet, pornography is far from something that can truly satisfy that desire. To truly know someone intimately goes beyond just what they look like naked. Perhaps, this is what you are missing, is this fellowship with other people where you get to know others and their struggles. Consider joining a 12 step program. Watch/listen to Catholic Answers from yesterday below for a show on this and how someone overcame his addictions. (note: there is no audio for first 3 min) . Sometimes we need the help of the group guided by the Lord.

Pornography is a complete farce. It is a lie at its heart. It will never satisfy you. Don’t settle for fake love when you could have the real thing. Jesus loves you and wants you to be healed and set free from this harmful addiction. I will pray for you. God bless.

 

[GaryM]

To the OP. Congrats on overcoming all of your life struggles with various addictions. It must have been extremely difficult. Now for this last one! You’ve received some great advice so far. I didn’t see it mentioned, but are you familiar with Theology of the Body? https://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2TBIND.HTM. You just might find what you’re looking for. Blessings and prayers!

 

[exnihilo]

Substance addictions are, obviously, things like addiction to smoking, drinking, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, prescription pills, etc.

Behavioral addictions can be things like gambling, overeating, sex/porn, video games, etc.

If I understand the subject pornography use can release dopamine. I am sure other behaviors can too and eating certainly would have a chemical element. So I wouldn’t be so quick to divide things into substance and behavioral addictions as if the behavorial isn’t also substance. The difference may be an external substance versus one released internally.

Of course I realize you are using a well established division and I’m most criticizing it. I’m only saying the distinction may not be as clear cut.

Especially self censorship since the laws forbid anything else

The law doesn’t forbid censorship in the US. That it isn’t censored just means our leaders want it. They ban anything else they want to. They ban far less harmful things.

 

[dallas_r]

Oh just delete those videos . Sorry so blunt. I just don’t see it addiction to porn. It"s not like a drug because it is not physical. You turn it off

If it were that easy nobody would be addicted to porn for more than a month. Anyone with an actual addiction to porn knows it is disgusting and has devastating effects, it’s not news to tell a porn addict that. You can’t tell a drug user to just “don’t buy the drugs”, because they will do so anyway because they are addicted. Studies shown have proven pornography to be even more addicting than cocaine and heroin. http://www.aggiecatholicblog.org/2012/04/porn-is-more-addictive-than-cocaine-or-heroin/

Yes I say porn (and masturbation) is an addiction because the very meaning of addiction is “the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity.”

FYI those videos are disgusting, unimaginative garbage. All in it is fake. Why do you watch it?

Victims to porn watch it for three main reasons, not saying these are the only ones. 1. Loneliness 2. Stressed 3. Aroused

People watch it because the mesolimbic dopamine pathway and the ‘reward system’ of the brain flood with extremely high amounts of dopamine when one looks at porn. Even more dopamine gets released when porn is combined with masturbation. This is part of what makes those videos addicting.

But I smoke. They are 3mg cigarettes. Are they all that bad? Which one of us is going faster into the burning?

For your health, yes. I am aware that you are orthodox, but the Catholic Catechism states that smoking is only sinful if it is done in excess, (CCC 2290).

You don’t need prayer because I really do believe you can just effin do it. It’s garbage.

Everyone needs prayer. @Spyridon obviously has been praying a lot and doing his best in efforts to avoid lust. He has kicked so many bad things from his life by the Grace of God, and he didn’t just quit those in a second, it’s (usually) a gradual and slow process. All sin is garbage not just porn and masturbation, but we cannot simply kick sin because we have inherited it, sin is something we can never get rid of.

In the end, I agree your “just do it” mentality can be applied to certain sins, but these sins differ from person to person. Like for me porn is hard to stop- I’ve had the mentality and prayer which has been working well for me up to now. This sin is hard for me to quit, but for others it will be much easier to give up the habit all together. Now for you, with a sin you are struggling with, is hard for you to stop, but it can be easier for someone else to quit. Basically different people suffer from different types of sin. God bless you.

 

[exnihilo]

This sin is hard for me to quit, but for others it will be much easier to give up the habit all together. Now for you, with a sin you are struggling with, is hard for you to stop, but it can be easier for someone else to quit. Basically different people suffer from different types of sin.

I think I have been humbled by God in order to understand this. I used to have an attitude towards the weakness of others of ‘why don’t you just get over it’. Unfortunately I had to learn the hard way that some things are hard to just will away. It has made me realize that we each have our struggles. It is easy for me to not commit certain sins, but many times that is just because I’m not so inclined.

 

[Greenfields]

Perhaps a really good thing to try and comprehend is how a potential spouse or your spouse will possibly try view the whole world through your eyes as she wants to try and more fully understand and love you.Its a natural response and she will be cut to the core with the knowledge of you using porn,it will make her feel cheated on thousands of times over and never feel her heart is safe.Extreemly distressing.The constant spiritual and mental battle not to let her head ‘go there’ as to what you may have seen,the battle to see life about her as still innocent, and pure .
It’s well worth reading up about .
God bless, and praying for you.

 

[Mary888]

You’re right. I’m sorry I was so mean. Mary Magdalene had seven demons in here before Christ cured her.
We are told in orthodoxy to pray for the intercession of saints who have specifically battled the same temptations as we are battling. Like for all sins related to lust (pornography, homosexuality, any other) we usually pray to Saint Mary Magdalene and Saint Mary of Egypt.

Saint Mary Magdalene, please find favor to your God and Rabbi Jesus Christ, to help and heal those battled in the flesh by demons of lust in this post. Do not leave us without an answer you who knows the depths and suffering these demons and who became like the Apostles after the demons were cast away by Christ. Help us and ask God to scatter, demolish and extinguish all the works and scheming these demons are doing into their life so they can be set free from their feverish suffering.
Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy.
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.) St. Mary Madgalene protect everyone here

Saint Mary of Egypt, you who fought in the wilderness the demons of lust and sexual pleasure, and for the love of God and to able to bow to the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos you victoriously crossed the Jordan river to your new life in Christ, interced with God and His Mother and send them help and healing in struggling with these demons for everyone here on this post.
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

We are nothing without Lord Jesus Christ. Humble our hearts, souls and bodies and free us from torments of flesh so we can come back home to You and Your Father.
Amen.

 

[Spyridon]

I invoked St. Mary of Egypt at the end of my OP!

St. Mary of Egypt, pray for us!

And @dallas_r thanks for the excellent post! Yes, my quitting heroin and cigarettes and other substances was a gradual process, never “cold turkey.”

I believe a process of weaning/tapering is almost always better than cold turkey.

 

[Spyridon]

Of course I realize you are using a well established division and I’m most criticizing it. I’m only saying the distinction may not be as clear cut.

There is significant overlap between substance and behavior addiction.

All substance addictions are also behavioral addictions.

All behavioral addictions involve substances of some sort (money, cards, food, etc.).

All addiction works on the same pathways and chemicals in the brain. Certain chemicals activate areas which others don’t, but dopamine is always involved.

It’s just technical terminology to distinguish the two main categories of addiction.

 

[GaryM]

When I read this reflection from Don Schwager this morning I thought of the OP. I pray it helps.

“The Lord Jesus heals, restores, and sets us free to follow him. Do you allow Jesus to be the Lord and healer in your personal life, family, and community? Approach the Lord with expectant faith. God’s healing power restores us not only to health but to active service and care of others. There is no trouble he does not want to help us with and there is no bondage he can’t set us free from. Do you take your troubles to him with expectant faith that he will help you?

“Lord Jesus Christ, you have all power to heal and to deliver from harm. There is no trouble nor bondage you cannot overcome. Set me free to serve you joyfully and to love and serve others generously. May nothing hinder me from giving myself wholly to you and to your service.”

 

[Mary888]

I know you mentioned her.

 

[dallas_r]

Great prayers and icons!

 

[GLam1761]

I agree with the poster, and for myself, I find
lust the final hurdle, it provides a thrill that
is hard to resist. But the Bible plainly states
that “There has NO temptation seized you
than what is COMMON to man, but God is
faithful, who will NOT ALLOW you to be
tempted beyond what you are able, but
will with the temptation provide a WAY OUT”
1 Cor. 10:13, try it, it works!!