Life is either a daring adventure or nothing

[Disclaimer: This post has been rated PG by the author. In any case if you are stumbled, responsibility will not be borne by the author]

... (Continued from previous post)... Do you think I still struggle with watching Internet Pornography since that day? Well honestly, I still struggled for a good whole two years before I entirely broke free from the chains of Internet Pornography. However during those two years, it wasn't easy and there were many relapses along the way.

Sometimes I stayed free for almost an entire month, only to fall back again because of a moment of folly and dabbling 5 minutes longer on the Internet which extended to an additional hour of pornographic website surfing.

But during those two years, there were some important steps which I learnt and took that kept me on track and not give up in this battle.

1. I kept myself strictly accountable to my parents and also a trustworthy group of friends. Now, you must be thinking that I am crazy by being so harsh on myself. But truth is this, that was how badly I wanted to get out of this addiction. Till a point I wasn't afraid of 'losing face' by confessing to people around me whom I felt could help me. Looking back, this step was really important because constantly there were people whom would spot check on me and even when I had relapse, they would encourage and help me rather than condemn me.

2. I shifted my computer into the living room. Trust me.. even when I felt tempted to watch pornography, there was no way I could do it with my parents watching primetime Channel 8 drama series behind me!

3. I threw away almost $100 worth of FHM magazines. Gosh, these were like my 'precious' collection bought with my savings. But yet I also knew that these were like little temptations which would drive me towards watching pornography. So I decided to take the extreme measure of tearing them apart and throwing them down the rubbish chute!

4. I also decided to rejoin my group friends whom played soccer daily after school and on Saturdays as well. I made effort to visit my grandparents on Sundays with my parents as well. All these real life activities helped me to keep my mind away from doing my own "research" projects on the Internet. Exercising also helps to relieve myself from the sudden rush of urge and desire to go on the Internet.

5. I NEVER gave up trying! Basically I came to a point of understanding that pornography has a serious impact on me and my future. I really want to have a healthy mindset of sex and sexuality rather than be distorted by what is shown in all those perverse websites which shows human beings behaving like animals! I don't want to be like an animal! ARGH!!!

Many of you as you read my testimony of overcoming Internet pornography may feel that certain steps that I took were really extreme and that you may not be able to do it. Trust me.. you can, but you can't do it on your own. Learn to put down your pride and humble yourself to ask for help from close, good people around you. They can be your parents, your teachers, church leaders or pastors. Raise your hands and seek for help.

3 Basic Tips to share and encourage all of us:

Desire - Having understand the consequence of pornography. You need to desire that you want to break free from it. It all boils down to how badly you want to get out of it.

Decision - You have to come to a point of making a firm stand that no matter how hard it will be, you decide you want to change. Do not procrastinate on your decision. Do not look back at the decision you made.

Determination - It will not be easy along the way. There will be times where you may relapse and fall back. Or tempting obstacles that will entice you to go back the old ways. Be very determined. Determine from the very beginning that you do not want to slide back the old ways again!

PS: Till date, I have been "Porn-Free" for the past 5 years. If I can do it, so can you!