I Need Help
Hi there…
If some of the stuff you’ve read has made you feel anxious or worried, you think you might have a problem with porn, or you just want to find out more – here are some simple steps to help you out:
– Nick Willis
1 | Know the siGns
- You feel you have to watch more and more porn to be satisfied
- You feel agitated or stressed when you’re unable to watch porn
- You’ve tried to stop watching porn but haven’t been able to
- You need to watch increasingly violent or extreme porn to get aroused
- You think about porn a lot when you’re not watching it
- You neglect other activities so you can watch porn
Still not sure? Try this self-check: This helpful self-check called the Problematic Porn Consumption Scale (PPCS) offers a guide for measuring how much porn may be affecting your relationships or day-to-day life. It doesn’t work for everyone but is a tool which some people have found useful.
So, what now? If you scored highly on the PPCS self-check, or know deep down this is something you’re struggling with, here are the ABC’s to kick-start your journey towards a healthier and happier sex life…
2 | Make chanGes
Access
(limit your porn access)
One of the easiest, yet hardest, things to do is to restrict your access to porn. It takes a lot of discipline, but it is 100% possible, so here are some tips on how to break the cycle:
Limit your access
The most common time to watch porn is between 10pm and 12pm. So a simple trick you can get in the habit of is to leave your devices in another room – then your bedroom becomes a place of sleeping. More sleep, less porn. Win-win. If you can’t access porn, you won’t see it.
Use a filter
There are heaps of apps out there that help block your access, or plug-ins that work as a filtering device for your modem. One option is SafeSurfer which is fast and free.
Take away the Internet
Ouch. How can we live in a world without the internet? Changing your device to one that has no internet capability may seem a bit extreme, but some people have found doing this is a fast way to create change.
Changing access isn’t easy, but remember you don’t have to do this alone.
BRAIN
(KNOWING HOW IT TICKS)
It’s super common to watch porn when you feel bored, frustrated, lonely, or stressed. It can become a way to manage negative emotions and be a comfort or stress relief. But continuously watching porn can create problems of it’s own and some young people that watch lots, say it can be a hard habit to break.
If that’s you and you want to cut down, heres some tips to understand what’s going on and work with your brain 😊 …
Triggers
Think about why, when, and how you use porn. Does it help you cope with stress? boredom? Do you watch it when you’re lonely? Angry? What ‘triggers’ your porn use? Over time your brain learns to ‘crave’ porn when you feel those things, like craving certain food when you’re hungry.
Mental note
Make a note of your ‘triggers’ – write them down.
Change things up
Start creating some new habits that make you feel good – go for a run, grab some food, call a mate, look at some memes, watch Netflix… and see what happens.
Call + Create
(call & create new habits)
Call someone
When you’re struggling with porn, it can feel difficult to talk to someone, but telling a trusted mate or adult is super important. It’s okay to struggle – but its not okay to struggle alone. Start by trying a school counsellor, a family member, a youth worker or Youthline. It could be the best step you can take.
Create new habits
Creating new habits around porn can feel a bit hard at first, but it doesn’t take long to see some great change.
If you’re not sure how to start, there are some good phone apps designed specifically to help change up porn habits, that offer daily tools, activities and support.
Using an app can help guide you through changing habits – and many young people have found them really helpful for kickstarting change.
Click HERE for the lowdown on apps.
Changing habits is a process – and it doesn’t happen straight away. Research tells us that ‘micro-steps’ (tiny steps) each day, can create massive change. So one step at a time, can be the start of your success journey 😊
3 | Get Support
Talking to or texting a real person is an important step towards kicking any habit.
TALK TO A FRIEND
Talking to or texting a real person is an important step towards kicking the habit.
CONNECT
FIND A RESOURCE
Our Resources section has links to some helpful video clips, books and websites.