Internet pornography is something that nearly every man is familiar with…
In fact, so few men abstain from masturbating to porn that researchers struggle to perform studies on the topic due to the lack of a reliable control group.
And it’s really quite unfortunate that so many of us pick up this habit at such an early age…
If left unchecked this bad habit can kill your confidence, cripple your ability to have pleasurable sex, and even destroy your romantic relationships.
In this article I’ll cover the most common negative side effects of porn addiction, and then I’ll outline a series of techniques you can use right now to stop watching porn and escape these negative consequences.
Porn Addiction Side Effects
Porn is so dangerous because it can easily become a part of your daily routine. After all, it’s not uncommon for men to admit to jerking it to porn several times per day.
I mean, let’s face it – looking at naked chicks and busting a nut feels good. That’s why we do it.
However when you do anything that frequently, and you do it over the course of several years, there’s clear potential for the activity to change how you think, act, and even identify with yourself. This is what makes porn so dangerous. Below are some of the more common specific side effects that can – and usually do – develop over time if you consistently watch porn.
1. Reduced motivation to meet and date real women
When you get used to satisfying your sexual urges by flipping open your laptop and watching porn, why would you go out of your way to date real women? Porn is so much easier…
But what do you really want? To get off watching OTHER people have sex on your SCREEN… or to actually having sex yourself?
2. Erectile dysfunction
When you get used to getting turned on and ejaculating as a result of watching pixels move around on your screen, your brain will physically change. It will train itself to be aroused by watching porn instead of being with a real woman.
This ability of our brain to “rewire” itself is called neuroplasticity… and it’s very real.
Now, there are many different ways to naturally improve erectile function. But at the end of the day, if you’re dysfunction is caused by porn addiction, you’re going to have to quit in order to get back to normal.
3. Unrealistic sexual expectations
The women you see in porn are wearing absurd amounts of makeup, and most of them have undergone multiple plastic surgeries. Real women don’t look like pornstars (and that’s a good thing – google “pornstars without makeup” if you don’t believe me).
This is another reason you can develop sexual dysfunction – real women often “fail” to live up to the pornographic fantasies you’ve become so accustomed to.
Another significant way porn can alter your sexual expectations is how they depict common sexual scenarios. Women simply don’t initiate sex like they do in porn – it tends to be the man’s job. So you can stop waiting on your teacher, flight attendant, or cleaning lady to strip down and fuck you in the middle of the day…
4. Shame spiraling
Do you feel guilty about watching porn? Is it something that you hide from other people?
The truth is that many guys are ashamed that they watch porn. It’s not in line with their principles. They know it’s a bad habit, and that other people look down upon it, and so they do it in secrecy. And this eats away at their self-esteem and makes them feel insecure, unworthy, and just all-around shitty about themselves.
5. Escalating to extreme and perverted sexual tastes
One trend that’s been recorded is the tendency of men to view more and more extreme forms of porn as time goes on.
A simple man on women sex scene begins to fail to arouse them and so they move onto threesomes, gang bangs, rape scenes, and other perverted types of porn. I won’t even go into how this will fuck up your brain and turn you into an all-out pervert – it should be obvious.
6. It can lead you to putting women and sex on a pedestal
Watching porn can make sex seem more like a dream and less like a reality – especially if you aren’t regularly getting laid. And this can lead you to pedestalizing women and the act of sex. After all, if you need to watch porn to release your sexual urges, then could it be that you aren’t worthy of real-life women?
This dynamic is extremely dangerous and can make you depend on women for validation and happiness.
How To Quit Porn
In the video above I talk about how I quit porn and what strategy worked best.
Quitting porn is so important because it frees you from all of the negative side effects I mentioned above. Some will take time, and others will diminish immediately – but they will all go away if you can stick to your guns for the long haul.
If you’re currently struggling to quit porn, follow the steps below, stop watching porn, and I promise that you’ll be that much happier, more confident, and sexually potent for doing so.
1. Change your identity
Studies have shown that we often must change how we see ourselves in order to change our behaviors. For example, if you struggle to goto the gym you might buy a bunch of new gym clothes in order to start thinking of yourself as a “gym rat” – with the hopes of this identity change sparking your motivation to hit the gym.
I think a simple identity change that will help you stop watching porn is to think of it as a silly behavior that a weaker, more insecure, and less experienced version of yourself used to do. When you think about hitting up your favorite porn site, just laugh and think about how stupid and pointless it is, and how you don’t do that shit anymore. It’s never very satisfying or fulfilling anyways.
2. Jerk it without porn
There’s a test out there called the “Porn Induced Erectile Dysfunction Test”. All it involves is masturbating without watching pornography or imagining a pornographic fantasy. If you can get hard and ejeactualte without much effort, you pass. If not, you fail – and you likely have porn-induced ED.
Beyond this being a good test, it’s also an acceptable way to release pent up sexual energy without resorting to watching porn.
3. Replace it with another habit
This is a simple technique that works for kicking any bad habit. The same way that a nicotine addict might chew a piece of gum when they want to smoke a cig, you need to find something else to do when you get the urge to watch porn. Exercising and meditating are two activities I recommend for suitable replacements – or, at first, jerking it WITHOUT porn.
4. Don’t beat yourself up when you do it
Relapse is not only probable – it’s inevitable. Rather than shaming yourself and feeling like shit, reflect on what led you to relapsing and think about how you can better handle the situation next time you get the urge. Being too hard on yourself will only cultivate more self-hate and lead to a more vicious cycle of relapse in the future.
5. Get away from your computer when you get the urge
Question: Where do you watch porn?
Answer: On a computer.
Next time you get the urge to jerk it, take a break from being on your computer and go do something else – the urge will often subside when you remove yourself from that environment.
6. Pay a friend $100 if you slip up and watch porn
A final strategy that has worked EXTREMELY well for me in the past (for quitting any bad habit) is to tell a close friend that you’ll pay them $100 if you slip up. Just ask them to check in on you once per week.
If you go this route, be committed to actually following through and paying your friend if you slip up (go with $20 or $50 if $100 is more than you can tolerate). Otherwise it will not be effective.
Hey, it’s an interesting topic as always at howtobeast!
I wanted to add an important point. Masturbation consumes a lot of energy we need in daily life and brings only little satisfaction compared to side effects.
So when we have that need it’s better to consume energy in other more satisfying ways.
And those ways are different from a person to another. I appreciate your examples like meditating, exercising. I’ll add reading a book, take a nap or go for a walk. That’s what I like to do.
With those activities you’ll “be” with yourself in a good way. It brings a lot of positive feelings compared to masturbating.
Thanks Adam – couldn’t agree more. It definitely makes you feel more lethargic and zaps your energy.
thanks
I masturbating me making love with my rajes baby.. I screaming smack rajeee.. she screaming annaaaeeeeee..
I needing help.
Hi “Beast,”
Good and timely topic. 1 other
possible and very good tempo
rary solution—that works right
away—is to…..
Turn on the “SafeSearch Filter”
on the computer and/or phone
.
.
Following Jesus Christ was and is the true way to be freed bro. He’s the truest pleasure not porn nor real sex. He made sex to be enjoyed in its right way and time. Please seek Him, read His word through the Bible (Romans and Galatians, one of the bests books of it). Trust me, you’ll not regret it, He freed me.
Dont worry dude. I also need help buy just pray towards it okayyy……
Excellent article
Porn addiction is very real and dangerous. I have spent 3 hours on average watching porn everyday and masturbating if not more for the past 10 years. That’s 10095 hours in itself. They say 10000 hours is what you need to master a skill. So I mastered masturbating and watching porn and missed out on something that could’ve been positively life changing for me.
Nice. I love the statistics at the start. means every male should read. love to share it! @9ja
OK I’ll try
David,I am to ask you something about masturbation.How many times should I do it within a week? May I ask,how often do you masturbate ?Just to set you as my basis.Please.your answer will be of great help!
Hey Vicente, I think once per week is a healthy amount, but there are no hard rules here. The issue is whether you have control of the habit or the habit controls you.
Well,once a week does makes sense. When I do it several times a week,it makes me weak after. So I’ll just follow you.Thanks, I truly consider your help!
How can i stop my this bad habbits about sex thougts and negative thought….
Plz tell me soln david…
Can this works on me???
Hey man, I wrote all of my advice on this subject in the article above! Try some of the strategies I listed above.
Ya i will try from now….
Thanks david….
and i am so happy that you help people for good…
Nice keep it up…
I masturbate two to three times daily and I have sex with my wife in the morning before work and at night most days of the week unless we just dont have time and i feel confident and strong and i am rarely ever tired out or withdrawn, maybe i am just lucky but i have many friends that are the same way i think you are all nuts.
What about masturbation 1 time in 1 month or 2 is that will be a bad thing for my health ??
Thanks for this good advice
Hey I am 15 years old i dont know how i can stop this bad habbit its very difficult for me every time i make decision to not to watch it but every time i fail . I also have a question that is my body is also effected physically when i watching these kinds of stuff..??
Yeah man, re-read the article. Try some of those strategies. You can also try telling a friend you’ll give him $100 if you slip up. Works wonders for me.
I’m a woman and have this. I hate myself cause the 5th side effect is pretty strong. I am seeking help by googling shiz and coming on this site. Anyway I just wanted to say that bitchez also be strugglin
Hello, I am army men. I started masturbating since 2002 and I’m 29 now. I feel that I hav lost proper errection, what should I do now as I am still unmarried? I have also started becoming bald. I’m scared of my future. I don’t have a gf. What should I do?
I hope that this helps me
its s bad habit and a sin aswell I lost everything because of this addiction
hi david sir…A student should know that he should follow the path of his teacher…so as it is…that how do you explain about this….as sperm is need for everyone….and did you ever go through this situation…dont mind sir…as i am asking that have you had sexual relationship
Definitely bro….
Hi am Arniel and i think am now an addict, i dont have a girlfriend and its because i get rejected. I guess i would follow your advice but i would appreciate it more if i could talk to you more,i really need help please.
David master I am still 14
After how many days these side effects goes of
Please reply anyone
I’m very happy to read this article. Thanks a lot Dav
I used to hump my bed a lot (very embarrasing) since 11, and am trying to stop. I try everything and it does not seem to help… I know its ruining me.
people tell me its the worst form of masturbation. I just hate to see my life fall into the pit like this, as i used to be attractive to women, because of my self esteem also which is gone. I believe i’m going to die like this.
Following Jesus Christ was and is the true way to be freed bros. He’s the truest pleasure not porn nor real sex. He made sex to be enjoyed in its right way and time. Please seek Him, read His word through the Bible (Romans and Galatians, one of the bests books of it). Trust me, you’ll not regret it.
One thing I found out about porn addiction is that it’s a means to manage your unmet needs. Most people don’t stop to examine what the needs are so they are unable to meet the needs in healthy ways.
The reason you masturbate a lot is that you lack meaningful relationships in your life. You have little to no social life so how do you meet this need? By masturbating.
If you have guys you can hang out with to share deep things about your life with, your struggles and how to overcome them, then your urge to masturbate will go away. Anytime you feel the urge, simply call any of them and tell him. Don’t try to get a girlfriend for now. Firstly, have a meaningful relationship with guys like you.
This was how I beat masturbation and porn without much stress. Hope this helps too.
David,
R u married?? Have u ever have had sex?
Not married. Yes sex.
Thank you for this article. I have stopped everything i used to do from watching pork to reading sex stories and jerking off. But one thing still remains,the thoughts in my brain keeps coming back occasionally and i get aroused by them. How can i get back to controlling my mind?
I suggest meditation, check out some of my articles or videos on that
Look up reddit’s no Fap for resources to help.
r/No Fap.
Try setting a filter on your computer and phone, I have both and I don’t know the password so I am not even tempted.
This year I stopped masturbation for a month, I used to meditate (I had free time), but when life got busy again, I stopped meditating, then I felt as I am going to burst anytime, and so one day I masturbated, It didn’t took much, just a touch as I was super sensitive, Good thing of that one month was that some of my grey hairs turned black (at my head :)). And I was having a psoriasis which healed (one small spot left), now as I am masturbating again, I am unable to stop, as I dont have time for medtitation, I feel stupid for giving into it last month, I dont know how to stop again.
I will try your method and I hope it works for me, Thanks a lot for sharing,
Respect from morocco brooo
I just took a really big shit!!!
I just came again baby!!! Oh fuck yeah!!!
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One of the fake psychiatrist in Jaipur.
i started masturbating long ago and at that time it seemed like something normal because everybody was doing it but i then realised that it was bad but it also took me time to control my self and now i have seen the light and i am working to be the best version of myself and i dont intend on jerking off anymore because thats what the weak me used to do so those days are gone its time to perfect my self , masturbation is a virus its self and your mindset is the cure to it all , thats the only way to see it if you want to move forward
How about this? You donate to this cause every time you slip up. http://www.ngocosed.com
I struggle with porn too, but this project keeps me busy enough not to masturbate. So I help you, you help me
its a great article!
porn addiction is the worst of the addictions.. once you get into it it’s really difficult to get out of this tunnel!
Hi,
Really very informative and helpful article actually….!!
Thanks, it will surely help me quitting my porn addiction
Honestly, ever since quitting porn years ago I just don’t think about sex at all, neither do I have the desire to have it
this is normal for me.