If your boyfriend is struggling with porn, you’re not alone. Just like drug addiction, pornography triggers pressure on the center of the brain – the parts associated with reward, memory, and motivation.
Some of the red flags that he’s addicted to porn include craving to watch it, need to hide from others, and issues controlling his behavior.
Keep in mind that, pornography rewrites the brain and may lead to low sexual satisfaction.
If your boyfriend masturbates often, his sexual performance decreases with time. This makes the body to respond to specific types of stimuli. When this problem is not addressed on time, the computer screen and hand can become the only sexual triggers.
Unfortunately, most men believe that what is depicted in pornographic films is the right way to have sex. Thankfully, there are things you can do to stop your boyfriend from succumbing to the habit of watching porn. Here is a detailed guide on how to stop watching porn.
Identify the reasons for watching porn
Why does your boyfriend watch porn?
Maybe he’s feeling sexually inadequate. Are there possible reasons why he’s into this habit? While some people report they turned to porn to escape the stressors in their lives, this is not the best coping mechanism.
Also, your boyfriend could be turning to porn due to boredom. Of course, he didn’t turn to this unhealthy habit to feel pleasure but to shy away from the emotional discomfort.
There’s always a connection between the negative impacts on his life and multiple attempts at mood regulation.
Clear out all pornographic material
If you want your boyfriend to stay in a clean state, you should delete all downloaded materials, books, and clear the browser history. You should also throw away all magazines to ensure he’s less tempted to watch porn.
Another way of ensuring he doesn’t fall back to the habit of making sure he doesn’t spend most of his time on a computer.
Apart from that, you can install a porn blocker so that he can no longer access the sites. This will make him less motivated to watch porn. While this option alone will not stop him from accessing the sites, it could help end the habit in the short-run.
You should also encourage your boyfriend to browse the internet when he’s around people. If possible, come up with a complex password for Wi-Fi connections. The idea is to ensure that porn is not readily available.
Encourage him to find something to do
Your boyfriend may be addicted to pornography to cope with negative feelings, boredom, or to reduce stress. Once you identify the triggers, you should encourage him to keep his mind occupied.
Let him engage in activities he’s passionate about. This could be things like getting involved in social or voluntary activities.
You should ensure every time he wakes up, he’s into some activity that can keep him occupied. This will help him come up with a meaningful routine to reduce the amount of time spent watching porn.
Other healthy activities may include joining a sports team, painting, photography, etc.
Always remind him never to allow himself succumb to boredom. The ultimate goal is to identify the cues that trigger watching porn and substitute with healthy behaviors.
Use the help of a friend to stay on track
An accountability partner should know where your boyfriend is coming from and the kind of support he needs. This will help to strike the goal faster.
He may feel embarrassed to talk about the situation with someone else, but this is an essential step toward recovery. Even if this person may not come up with measurable goals, it could be a step closer to eliminating the vice.
This brings us to the question, how do you track the progress? When your boyfriend checks in with the accountability partner, he should take the time to assess the results. This person should always be there if your boyfriend needs someone to talk to.
Look at porn as a vice
If your boyfriend doesn’t view porn as an unhealthy habit, then it will be an uphill battle to make him change. But you can help him eliminate that mindset.
Make him see porn like junk food, so he can get rid of it if he doesn’t consume it. While watching porn could be a tasteful experience, there are regrets after he consumes the material.
When you make him believe porn is like junk food, he might get the idea that it’s not worth it. Pornography won’t make him healthy or energetic.
Make him enjoy a healthy sleep
This is the simplest and the most effective remedy for porn addiction. If your boyfriend has been staying up at night doing his thing, this is the time to make him enjoy some restful sleep.
The good thing with sleep is that he won’t watch porn. Other than that, it will increase productivity and improve his overall wellbeing.
Sleep increases energy levels and makes him motivated to do those enjoyable things. This is also a motivation to stay on the right path.
Working out
Since watching porn depletes dopamine, you should help him substitute it with workouts. This will help replenish the dopamine levels and keep him recharged all day.
This, in turn, boosts motivation, concentration, and focus. Besides that, an increase in dopamine levels will make him resist impulses and focus on achieving his goals. This doesn’t mean you should force him to go to the gym.
He can engage in less strenuous exercises like yoga, swimming, or walking.
Make him join a support group
Listening to the experiences of others and how they overcame the habit may help him get over the vice. While it may be challenging to share the story, this is a surefire way of fighting porn addiction.
And by listening to other people’s experiences, he’ll feel comfortable being around people going through the same struggles.
A support group will highlight the different stages in the quitting process. Secondly, this is where he’ll understand how to practice mindful awareness.
Thirdly, he will learn how to conduct life according to his values. Still, you can attend a therapy session together for counseling.
Final thoughts
If your boyfriend is a porn addict, you should make him believe that he can change. Even the most ingrained habits can be improved upon.
However, he must have the willpower and motivation to stop. If he accepts to take the first step, then he’s ready to make the change.
Be sure to follow the above tips to help him get rid of the addiction once and for all. Your efforts won’t be wasted.
