Is it possible for someone to stop looking at Internet porn? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

ASU2003 · 04-01-2006, 04:57 PM

I normally cut back to reasonable levels during the summertime, and when I can get outside in the nice weather. And after how many gigabytes I've downloaded in the past 3 months, even I have found it is getting repetitive. After 12 years, I've seen quite a bit, and I'm surprised my life isn't worse than it is.

I figure I spend between 250-350 hours each year downloading it, but I don't watch half of the stuff I download. Part of me likes to collect stuff and organize it, which I have done. Part of it is trying to find the best movie and new movies. It's also the ability to see thousands of girls at anytime without rejection. And, a few times a week you need to get off.

I've never spent any money on this, so it meets my desire to do free stuff. And it is exciting and fun, even if it is only in a fantasy world. Most of the stuff I watch is amateur and basic movies.

What tips would you give someone that wanted to cut back? And is there any amount that would be considered ok? I have been able to go a week or two without it, but it is too easy to access it when you are on-line. One thing that worked a little was to leave my laptop at work every other night. There is a big difference in the nights that I could access the Internet and the ones where I couldn't. Instead of going to bed around 1 or 2am, I would go to bed around 10-11pm for instance. I also found that I would clean my place a little more. Part of that is because I can't read all of the message boards and other stuff on-line. I know if I cut back in this area, that I will just spend more time at other sites or analyzing the stock market.

Do the guys watch less (or none) of it if they are in a relationship, or does the amount same about the same? I would much rather have the real thing, and would think that I would only watch it one or two times a month. I don't know what to do in real life, and even though I've read about dating and watched TV shows about it, I'm not sure if I can do it. But that is a whole different thread.

This is a great site about this topic:
http://www.pointlesswasteoftime.com/pornoff.html

Quote:

Recently some chick testified before the Senate about porn addiction. Now, there aren't many things that will get you shouted out of a chatroom quicker than talking about porn addiction, except maybe claiming that file-sharing is wrong or that Jon Stewart lost that Crossfire debate.

So the entire red-blooded male internet had a good chuckle at the odd, puritan fundamentalists poisoning our government, wondering when they were going to suggest that online porn was the work of a Pagan witchcraft conspiracy or even demons uploading from the second circle of Hell.

I would have laughed along with them, but I noticed that of the six Opera tabs I had open, five were tuned to porn.

Siege · 04-01-2006, 05:26 PM

Ok, as to the opening question. Yes, it is possible to stop looking at internet porn.

Now, as to your situation.

Why do you want to stop looking at porn? I'm not suggesting that every person in the world must watch porn, but if it's not harming your life in anyway, you don't really need to cut it out of your life. If you really are determined to cut something out of your life, remember why you want to if you need motivation. ie: i'm a skinny fucker. And I remember that every time I want to tell my spotter "i'm tired" when i'm not maxed out.

As for how to cut back. Do other things that give you similar feelings. Do you watch it to arouse yourself so you can masturbate? Well, if that's the case, you don't need porn to masturbate. I'll let you insert your own way to create the feelings.

There is no amount that is ok. Nor is there an amount that is bad. I don't watch a lot of porn while one of my friends watches a ridiculous amount of porn. We're both productive members of society with stable social relationships etc. What might be a lot to one person, may be too much for another.

I did watch less when I was with my ex, but it might've been because we spent time together, time that probably would've been spent at home instead of out. Arguably, the same thing can be said with friends. If you spend more time with your friends, that less time you have to watch porn.

shesus · 04-01-2006, 06:53 PM

Being addicted to anything can be bad if it is preventing you from completing tasks in your life. I would say if you have a balance and you are still getting other things done then you are fine. If you are not happy with the time you are spending and quantity of porn you are watching, I don't think there is a magic number anyone can give you, then you need to take action and fix it for yourself. No one is going to come in and clear your harddrive as an intervention. Take control of your life and choose your choices.

Think about what else you would be doing if you weren't watching porn. Would you rather be doing that stuff? Are the activities you listed more important? If so, then make your choice and follow through. I have a very addictive personality and have had to make major changes in my routines often to combat the addictions. You sound like you are having the inner-struggle which is the beginning phases of beating an addiction. Just decide what is important to you and if this addiction is really detremental to your livelyhood (lucky for you porn doesn't have negative health effects the cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs do). Then go from there...

As for your second part, I believe that all men watch porn whether they are in a relationship or not. As Siege said though the time may be lessened because time typically spent watching porn is spent with the SO.

rofgilead · 04-01-2006, 06:55 PM

The website in the original post is quite hilarious. It is hard to not get sucked back into porn.. maybe we should have a porn free competition...

Carno · 04-01-2006, 07:08 PM

Well, only you can say if you need to stop watching porn, because everyone is different. I'd say that there becomes a point when it's an addiction, and I don't think any addictions are good, but only you can say if you are addicted or if you think you watch too much and need to cut back. But it definitely is possible to quit doing anything. All it takes is determination. Anyone is capable of doing anything as long as they put their mind to it. The only thing I would suggest is to not quit cold turkey. I mean, if your goal is to completely stop watching porn then maybe yeah you might think about going cold turkey, but otherwise I'd just try and cut back slowly. Set limits and stick to them.

I watch very little porn myself, and I don't think I watch any more or less when I'm in a relationship. Porn just doesn't really interest me all that much. I know some people who watch more when they are in a relationship, and I know some who watch less though. So I don't know what the norm is, or if there even is one.

Crack · 04-02-2006, 11:31 AM

I hear our very own TFP has some porn... one day I hope to gain access to it.

Sage · 04-02-2006, 06:22 PM

Rember that the word "addiction" gets thrown around way, way too easily. Being addicted to something means, to me, that there is a physical dependence on that something in order to function normally in society.

Hell, it sounds to me that you don't have a porn problem, you have a "I spend way the fuck too much time on the internet" problem. Perhaps try to cut back on your computer use completely! Take up a new hobby, make a goal of only looking at the internet for a certian amount of time, leave your laptop at work more. Expand your horizons

Aro23 · 04-02-2006, 09:16 PM

if you ever want to cut back then switch to 56k dial up accounts

Topper · 04-03-2006, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aro23

if you ever want to cut back then switch to 56k dial up accounts

Ah the memories of being a teenager...

I'd have to agree with other folks here, if you find yourself neglecting other parts of your life, then cutting back may be appropriate. Cutting back the porn, time spent on the internet, whatever.

Again, as some have said, how much porn you watch while in a relationship will depend on the nature of the relationship you're in. Since being married I've watched porn more often then when I was single. But it's a thing we enjoy watching together. When single my time was spent chasing after my wife, so porn was only an infrequent novelty.

One other thing you mentioned was that you used your laptop, and that when you wanted to cut back you "left it at work". Obviously I don't know your specific work situation, but just make sure you're not in any way violating any company policies there. Even if the laptop belongs to you, if you connect to the corporate network, having that data on your hard drive may still be considered a violation. No amount of free internet porn is worth getting fired for. Just make sure you're not putting yourself at risk. Many companies can and do scan for this type of stuff.

ASU2003 · 04-03-2006, 03:40 PM

I'm not sure if it is an 'addiction', and I know I won't be able to stop completely. Maybe if I get a girlfriend who keeps me occupied.

I think this might be more like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Sometimes I think about it during the day, but that isn't more than a few times a month. And, it's not like I'm looking at it at work, in public, or staying home to watch it instead of doing other things. I do need to find something else to do in order to cut back on it. 2-3 hours a week would be better than the 10-15 hours I watch in the winter. And I don't want to quit, I'm single and need it. (I guess one option would just be using my imagination, and that still works)

In the wintertime it is 3 or 4 times a week, for 3-5 hours at a time. In the summer, it usually is only 2 times a week for 2-4 hours. But, I might download files each day for 15 minutes and not watch them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topper

One other thing you mentioned was that you used your laptop, and that when you wanted to cut back you "left it at work". Obviously I don't know your specific work situation, but just make sure you're not in any way violating any company policies there. Even if the laptop belongs to you, if you connect to the corporate network, having that data on your hard drive may still be considered a violation. No amount of free internet porn is worth getting fired for. Just make sure you're not putting yourself at risk. Many companies can and do scan for this type of stuff.

I don't connect my laptop to the network, and it is in a locked case in a secure area. Even if you scan the laptop, there is no data on it. All of the data is stored on an external USB drive (left at my place). And I have never looked at anything PG-13 rated or worse at work. I saw a lot of people get fired for that in early 2000, and wouldn't want to go out that way.

Thanks for thinking about that, but I've been at this long enough to know how to hide it.

ASU2003 · 04-03-2006, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sage

Hell, it sounds to me that you don't have a porn problem, you have a "I spend way the fuck too much time on the internet" problem. Perhaps try to cut back on your computer use completely! Take up a new hobby, make a goal of only looking at the internet for a certian amount of time, leave your laptop at work more. Expand your horizons

That is the bigger problem. TiVo worked well for cutting my hours of watching TV to under 7 a week. Now it is the Internet that needs to be cut back to that amount. There are some nights that I am on-line for 7 hours.

raeanna74 · 04-03-2006, 05:29 PM

It's believe it's possible to stop doing anything that you want to.

You have to
-want it. Be motivated.
-believe you will succeed.
-find a replacement. (i.e. diet - chew gum when you have a craving, stop watching as much TV - do a craft, stop spending so much time on the computer - find a new hobby.)

04-01-2006, 05:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
Siege is a tiger Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada	Ok, as to the opening question. Yes, it is possible to stop looking at internet porn. Now, as to your situation. Why do you want to stop looking at porn? I'm not suggesting that every person in the world must watch porn, but if it's not harming your life in anyway, you don't really need to cut it out of your life. If you really are determined to cut something out of your life, remember why you want to if you need motivation. ie: i'm a skinny fucker. And I remember that every time I want to tell my spotter "i'm tired" when i'm not maxed out. As for how to cut back. Do other things that give you similar feelings. Do you watch it to arouse yourself so you can masturbate? Well, if that's the case, you don't need porn to masturbate. I'll let you insert your own way to create the feelings. There is no amount that is ok. Nor is there an amount that is bad. I don't watch a lot of porn while one of my friends watches a ridiculous amount of porn. We're both productive members of society with stable social relationships etc. What might be a lot to one person, may be too much for another. I did watch less when I was with my ex, but it might've been because we spent time together, time that probably would've been spent at home instead of out. Arguably, the same thing can be said with friends. If you spend more time with your friends, that less time you have to watch porn. __________________ "Your name's Geek? Do you know the origin of the term? A geek is someone who bites the heads off chickens at a circus. I would never let you suck my dick with a name like Geek" --Kevin Smith This part just makes my posts easier to find

04-01-2006, 06:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
shesus Fancy Location: Chicago	Being addicted to anything can be bad if it is preventing you from completing tasks in your life. I would say if you have a balance and you are still getting other things done then you are fine. If you are not happy with the time you are spending and quantity of porn you are watching, I don't think there is a magic number anyone can give you, then you need to take action and fix it for yourself. No one is going to come in and clear your harddrive as an intervention. Take control of your life and choose your choices. Think about what else you would be doing if you weren't watching porn. Would you rather be doing that stuff? Are the activities you listed more important? If so, then make your choice and follow through. I have a very addictive personality and have had to make major changes in my routines often to combat the addictions. You sound like you are having the inner-struggle which is the beginning phases of beating an addiction. Just decide what is important to you and if this addiction is really detremental to your livelyhood (lucky for you porn doesn't have negative health effects the cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs do). Then go from there... As for your second part, I believe that all men watch porn whether they are in a relationship or not. As Siege said though the time may be lessened because time typically spent watching porn is spent with the SO. __________________ Whatever did happen to your soul? I heard you sold it Choose Heaven for the weather and Hell for the company

04-01-2006, 07:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
Carno Junkie	Well, only you can say if you need to stop watching porn, because everyone is different. I'd say that there becomes a point when it's an addiction, and I don't think any addictions are good, but only you can say if you are addicted or if you think you watch too much and need to cut back. But it definitely is possible to quit doing anything. All it takes is determination. Anyone is capable of doing anything as long as they put their mind to it. The only thing I would suggest is to not quit cold turkey. I mean, if your goal is to completely stop watching porn then maybe yeah you might think about going cold turkey, but otherwise I'd just try and cut back slowly. Set limits and stick to them. I watch very little porn myself, and I don't think I watch any more or less when I'm in a relationship. Porn just doesn't really interest me all that much. I know some people who watch more when they are in a relationship, and I know some who watch less though. So I don't know what the norm is, or if there even is one. __________________ http://how-to-spell-ridiculous.com/

04-02-2006, 11:31 AM	#6 (permalink)
Crack Misanthropic Location: Ohio! yay!	I hear our very own TFP has some porn... one day I hope to gain access to it. __________________ Crack, you and I are long overdue for a vicious bout of mansex. ~Halx

04-02-2006, 06:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
Sage hoarding all the big girl panties since 2005 Location: North side	Rember that the word "addiction" gets thrown around way, way too easily. Being addicted to something means, to me, that there is a physical dependence on that something in order to function normally in society. Hell, it sounds to me that you don't have a porn problem, you have a "I spend way the fuck too much time on the internet" problem. Perhaps try to cut back on your computer use completely! Take up a new hobby, make a goal of only looking at the internet for a certian amount of time, leave your laptop at work more. Expand your horizons __________________ Sage knows our mythic history, King Arthur's and Sir Caradoc's She answers hard acrostics, has a pretty taste for paradox She quotes in elegiacs all the crimes of Heliogabalus In conics she can floor peculiarities parabolous -C'hi

04-01-2006, 06:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
rofgilead Crazy Location: Nowhere	The website in the original post is quite hilarious. It is hard to not get sucked back into porn.. maybe we should have a porn free competition...

04-02-2006, 09:16 PM	#8 (permalink)
Aro23 Crazy	if you ever want to cut back then switch to 56k dial up accounts

04-03-2006, 05:29 PM	#12 (permalink)
raeanna74 I'm not a blonde! I'm knot! I'm knot! I'm knot! Location: Upper Michigan	It's believe it's possible to stop doing anything that you want to. You have to -want it. Be motivated. -believe you will succeed. -find a replacement. (i.e. diet - chew gum when you have a craving, stop watching as much TV - do a craft, stop spending so much time on the computer - find a new hobby.) __________________ "Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama My Karma just ran over your Dogma.