How to Deal with Pornography Addiction

 

"Sin always looks better through the windshield than the rearview mirror."  Matt Smethurst


We all know the steps we take which lead to our downfall of returning to pornography once again.

Here is a list of steps to help with overcoming our temptation:

• Examine where you want to be in life a year, five years, and a decade from now.  Are you pleased with carrying a porn addiction into the future with you?  This shows the necessity of beginning to get a handle on this stronghold this day, this hour, and to be diligent with taking repentance seriously on a day to day basis.
• If pornography and masturbation are coping mechanisms in times of being weary or stressed, think of healthy ways you can deal with life as an alternative.  Do you like taking walks or going running?  Do you like to cook?  Will making a few phone calls to friends or family serve as a distraction?  Try going to the store or on a drive when you feel tempted.  And by all means, get an accountability report and filtering service on your computer and all your devices.  How else will you overcome your bondage to sin if nothing is to prevent sinful content from showing up every time you use the search engine on your phone or computer?  Covenant Eyes is a great tool in this.
• Seek godly counsel and be open about your struggles.  Bring to light any underlying issues and the root problem(s) you have been trying to ignore that lead to porn consumption and self-gratification to begin with.  It will amaze you how retraining your mind through learning to cope with life in a healthy way will function as a way of preventing you from running to your addiction with each new change or unexpected stress that takes place in life at any given time.  Stress has a way of making us run to what will bring immediate relief, and yet because most of life is filled with stressful situations, circumstances, and people, if we use this as an excuse to run to porn, we will never overcome it.  Ever.
• Renew your mind with the truth of God's word (Romans 12: 2).  Read a Psalm and Proverb each day, two chapters in the Gospels, and one of the Epistles.  Keep in mind that sporadically reading one chapter of the Bible in various books will not yield the much needed result of a transformed mind - which leads to transformed desires, actions, and a purer life.
• Dwell on the truths presented in Philippians 4: 8, "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."
• Sign up for this free 40-Day E-Course.  I started it and must admit it is helpful and excellent.
• Read the following blog posts or articles regarding pornography, masturbation, and homosexuality.
• Read articles on the Covenant Eyes blog.
• Follow me on Twitter and at my other account which deals specifically with sexual sin.
• Pray hourly that God would do whatever it takes to deliver you from any addictions.

And remember, "Starting your day with God will set the tone for your day, your voice, your words, your actions, and your attitude."  Elizabeth George