What Do I Do Now?

[Mahone]

Some very interesting information in this thread, particularly regarding ADHD.

[ryanh]

Originally Posted by Tarnished

@ryanh
Thats a lot of good information. I have a question though. What if the person with ADHD is on non-habit forming medication and they still have a problem with porn. How would someone like that work to get rid of the porn problem? I ask because I have a friend with ADHD who has problems with porn and no matter what they have tried they still can't seem to get past it all. Currently he has his computer on lockdown where someone has to enter a password for him to visit sites other than his regular approved sites. However, if you don't have someone who can help you with that type of a situation then it would make it difficult to have a computer around.

From what I understand (and I don't want to represent myself as any sort of expert - just someone who has had to do a lot of reading on the subject) the most common issue faced in trying to treat ADHD medically is the imprecision of methods available now. One medication will work like a charm for one person, but for the next, it offers only limited help. Has he tried various meds at various dosages, or was his Dr a general practitioner that just threw whatever medicine at him that the most recent marketing representative touted? If he's not finding adequate relief of ADHD symptoms, perhaps he should look into seeing if there are better meds out there for him.

Then again, it could be that the ADHD is under control, and it's just standard 'ol addiction residual from prior experiences. It took many years for the very limited amount of porn I viewed as a teenager before I was baptized to finally leave my mind completely. It was a long slow process.

[Tarnished]

Currently he is on Concerta, which he says controls his ADHD very well without the racing heart and racing mind that Dexadrine (spelling?) caused him. He is pretty good about figuring out what works and what doesn't work for him and going to the doctor to tweak the meds if they need tweaking.

I wrote about him in an earlier thread, he might just have issues with the addiction side of things as his porn problem started when he was 5 when a neighborhood kid showed him a picture of a naked woman.

I just know that he has tried many things over the years and still has problems with getting rid of the addiction. So I am trying to brainstorm and such for him.

[LostSheep]

Ok...I've taken the next step. I know everyone here is gonna say it's not enough, and that I'm holding back...Somebody mentioned that Covenant Eye wasn't working...Well, that's actually only the half truth. Since I had that software, not once have I looked at porn on that laptop. But I had loopholes. A few of them. I have another laptop with K9 filters on it, and a PC with the same that same filter. Let me just say, with free internet blocking, you get what you pay for. Nothing. The stupid thing doesn't block everything. I've found websites that doesn't even raise it's awareness. So I was getting limited porn still on those. Another loophole...There is an unused computer with almost nothing on the hard drive...In theory, I could plug it in, and get unfiltered porn...Another loophole...My NintendoDS can go on the internet and access porn, if I don't mind waiting 5 minutes to load each page...

Last night, I took my 2 wireless antenes from my PCs, my wireless card from my other laptop, and my NintendoDS, and turned them ALL over to my parents, and told them to keep them. As far as I can tell...I'm out of loopholes...To be honest, I'm pretty scared of the outcome...I don't have ANY "emergency" way to access porn...I can't throw in the towel...

To those that brought up ADD/ADHD, I don't know...I don't want to bring that up to my parents...They will say I'm making excuses...I don't need a disability to blame this addiction on. Thank you for your posts.

[Misshalfway]

Last night, I took my 2 wireless antenes from my PCs, my wireless card from my other laptop, and my NintendoDS, and turned them ALL over to my parents, and told them to keep them. As far as I can tell...I'm out of loopholes...To be honest, I'm pretty scared of the outcome...I don't have ANY "emergency" way to access porn...I can't throw in the towel...

That, my dear, is called surrender. And that is what the 12 steps is all about. Giving up that last piece of control......That was a long, hard battle for you. How do you feel now?

[MountainManWild]

The issue with addictions and habits is that you can never destroy a habit or addiction you can only replace it with something else.This is how the human brain works.On a daily basis,neural pathways are forged and broken,weakened and strengthened.Currently your brain is hardwired to associate endorphin release and pleasure with pornography to a high degree.Stress and other factors will reinforce this behaviour.What you need to do is to weaken the neural connection that has formed by associating endorphin release and pleasure with something else.Over time the old connection will weaken and the new one will form and strengthen.You also should remind yourself in the ways that this addiction has negatively affected your life by making a list or note and when you feel the urge to reinforce old habits then reading this list will strengthen your resolve.It is never hopeless but it is as serious as a drug addiction.Sex activates the same brain centers as many drugs do such as cocaine and this habit will be just as hard to break.I think society fails to take this issue seriously enough.

Neuroscience gives us great insight into the mind and why things are never purely psychological.

[Cameron1991]

Heres a suggestion is to try anti-depression medicine. Im on strattera which actually treats depression and ADHD. Im 5 weeks clean, but be carefull it takes about 6 weeks to actually kick in and you may have some frustation thoughts (possible sucidal).

[OneEternalSonata]

Counseling is wonderful and effective for some, but it didn't help me overcome addiction. I'm not saying you shouldn't try it, especially since you have ADHD. However, I only overcame my addiction by remembering that my strength alone would not be sufficient. You've made a good step toward your goal to be free, and it is possible for healing through Jesus Christ. I was not valiant until I let Him teach me how to be. What an ongoing and difficult process, though! One day, I made the decision to read my scriptures every day and pray whenever I felt tempted. I have not broken this pattern, and have been clean ever since. Some moments are extremely trying still, but the knowledge that the Lord's valiance will cover my lack is a comfort and a refuge. For [I] know [I] am saved by grace, after all [I] can do.

[LostSheep]

Originally Posted by Cameron1991

Heres a suggestion is to try anti-depression medicine. Im on strattera which actually treats depression and ADHD. Im 5 weeks clean, but be carefull it takes about 6 weeks to actually kick in and you may have some frustation thoughts (possible sucidal).

Um, I really am not comfortable with that idea at all. I want to solve this problem without drugs. But this keeps getting brought up.

Do you all think that there is just something wrong with me? That I need medication to make it go away?

[Cameron1991]

Originally Posted by LostSheep

Um, I really am not comfortable with that idea at all. I want to solve this problem without drugs. But this keeps getting brought up.

Do you all think that there is just something wrong with me? That I need medication to make it go away?

Not that i think you have somthing wrong with you, i just think you need more then just spritual help (not that its not important) i just think theres somthing behind causeing you to seek these habits. Mine was frustration and axienty attacks from not being able to handle my math classes for the past 3 years. Which also lead to me to worry about how i was going to handle college math classes. I'd always used pornography to escape my probelms.