No internet and porn for 90 days

[loc978]

Good luck. May you be surrounded by attractive women IRL for the rest of your life. I personally have just returned from a party where none of the women were less than overweight, but at least they were fun to talk to (not that I'd want to touch any of 'em in any way that didn't involve saving their lives). Does that make me a jaded asshole?

Oh right, porn is good, but most of what I have, I made myself with the help of consenting, attractive women. Damn, but those are rare in this country... at least unpaid ones. Long live sex workers!

 

[Mycroft Holmes]

This is childish. The internet is a tool. You can read books on it, get information at a lightning fast speed, pull up maps with ease. Porn is something to be enjoyed, and is not in and of itself detrimental at all. Man up. Take control of your life. And learn how to do things in moderation rather than having knee-jerk reactions where you try to cut useful things out of your life because you can't handle their existence without devoting way too much of your time to them.

And I took two seconds to look up the Refined Sugar is poison argument, and it's pretty dumb. The entire argument for it being poison is that it has 0 nutrients. That's it. You get nothing out of it, but your body tries to digest it so its poison. The only way it could actually do any damage to you is if you sat there spooning excess amounts of it into your face, while eating nothing else. Which: news flash, is something that applies to absolutely everything.

If you sat around reading books all day long, it's going to have a detrimental effect on your life. But it doesn't mean books are evil 'vices.' If you worked out all day long and did nothing else, it would have a detrimental effect because you'd be socially retarded and have a very limited understanding of science/english/math. But it doesn't mean exercise is an evil 'vice.' If you sit there all day long wacking off to internet porn and surfing the internet its going to have a detrimental effect on your life. But that doesn't mean its an evil 'vice' and it certainly doesn't mean that cutting yourself off from it is ever a good idea.

 

[CrazyJew]

I probably need to try. Not brave enough.

 

[LGC Pominator]

Meh, only 90 days? A few years ago I lived at my dad's house for 4 months with no internet connection.

So yeah, been there done that. It was alright, I guess.

Jesus, all I use the internet for is Facebook, here and porn.

Is there anything else? I mean, really.

Well there's bitching about stuff. I do that quite a bit on the internet.

He did already mention here, that kinda covers the whole bitching about stuff requirement.

OT I think this is an interesting idea, certainly worth giving a go when I have time to take a break from the multitude of internet based projects I currently run.

Good luck!

Oh and the no pr0n thing? thats kinda crazy, I mean there are 3 things a man needs in his average week: Beer, the opportunity to blast some fools in halo, and to see Joanna Angel or Kagney Linn Karter in a variety of incredibly arousing sexcapades. Thems just the rules!

Soo... yeah, you might need more than luck.

 

[MetalMagpie]

I've personally never been especially dependent on porn. The written variety can be a fun way to get in the mood (on a lonely night while my boyfriend is away...) but the pictures in my head are more than sufficient on their own.

The internet (and multiple tabs) I can neither live nor do my job without.

 

[axlryder]

snip

Ah, I fell asleep. sorry. Okay, this is it and then I'm done. I don't have time for this particular conversation anymore.

Okay, I think it's hilarious that a good part of your post was nothing but conjecture, yet you're whining that I should be bringing sources. Now, I'd like to see frequent porn users (sepcifically those who claim it's a problem) actually go 90 days without porn and say "eh, piece of cake". Hell, I'd just like to see them cut way the fuck back for an extended period of time and see how that goes. They certainly don't NEED that porn. Secondly, where did you say gambling COULD be an addiction again? I'm not even denying that you did, I just don't recall seeing that.

Now, having done a bit of reading on the topic, internet addiction disorder (IAD) is becoming a commonly accepted term, so I'm beginning to question the entire premise of your ranting (as least in this specific case), as its usage seems to be less black and white than one might imply. Secondly, internet "compulsion" would not manifest the same way as a "book compulsion". This appears to be due to the mechanism through which the information is relayed. It seems the rapid fire flow of different kinds of information (visual/aural), dependence on outside sources for information and constant subject changes, along with repeated hits from dopamine due to constant access to pleasurable, instantly gratifying material cause people to have issues with focusing and memory and depression.


Here's a couple of sources

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0030253
I'll admit a control group of 16 and test of 17 is a bit small, but considering the fact that they showed overall abnormal readings suggests something is clearly up.

a good article about some of the potentially adverse effects of internet use, and one of the reasons I want to try this
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/6868/
He also wrote a book based on that article.

oh and this fun one.
http://www.forensicpsychology.net/internet-ruining-your-brain/

straightforward.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21499141

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108989/?tool=pmcentrez


as to porn. To be frank. There is almost no solid neurological research on pornography compulsion/addiction. I mentioned that earlier, but good god I didn't realize how scant it was. I honestly just saw that article on google and posted it because I figured there would at least be some good studies. Nope. I'll admit I didn't read the whole article, and having read it it's really pretty shit. Nothing that actually concretely studies the potential neurological changes that could occur in the brain or the concrete ramifications of "porn addiction". Now the second article I think might have had some merit still.

I found these "studies" with some interesting tibdits throughout, but clearly no strict method of scientific investigation listed: http://salifeline.org/can-pornography-use-become-an-actual-brain-addiction/
(one has to question if a regular internet addict would show similar neural patterns as the pedophiles tested)

http://www.scribd.com/doc/32712148/Pornography-and-Addiction-Brain-Chemistry-Research-and-Porn-by-Marnia-Robinson
(note the mention of withdrawal symptoms)

similarly, there's "the great porn experiment/your brain on porn". It seem to provide some basis for questioning habitual porn use for many men. I'm sure many people have heard of it and the claims it stakes, which echo the second article I just linked. It's all not scientifically verified but not debunked either.

Then we have this article

http://men.webmd.com/guide/is-pornography-addictive

which has people complaining about the same things you're complaining about in reference to a rather infamous senate hearing that keeps popping up throughout my research. Of course, we have psychologists contesting that it shares similarities to addiction as well. Note how the article seems to almost scream how horribly under-researched the topic is. Also, I'd guess that the progressive nature of pornography viewing, despite having "no evidence for it", would be attested to as a fairly common occurrence (especially in those who suffered from "porn addiction"). What the article does seem to verify, however, is that excessive porn use is an obvious PROBLEM in a lot of people's lives. Enough that they would seek treatment for it an feel it pathological in nature.

Then the senate hearing itself, which appears entirely biased, and thus I suppose should be taken with a large grain of salt. It's also based on old research (and wasn't sourced), so clearly it had trouble finding traction in the psychological community. Of course, with the utter lack of research, who knows if there's any real validity to these claims.

http://www.drjudithreisman.com/archives/2005/12/senate_subcommi.html

Honestly though, I can't find any good research denouncing the effects of pornographic compulsion/addiction either. I've found a large survey study saying porn wasn't negative based around a survey of Danish men and woman, but the results were based on self-perception in porn users so it's hardly definitive in any way (it also didn't zero in on those who claimed they had a pornographic addiction or problems with porn or say how long and how much they used it for in the abstract). Another study said that porn use didn't correlate with sexual crimes, but that's hardly what I'm taking issue with. When you also consider the lack of grants handed out for research as well as the inability to find any brain scan research of porn "addicts", it's not a simple black and white call to make. Honestly, for this one I'm just going to go off of "people have claimed addiction (compulsion) to porn and clearly suffered from it". It seems to be a highly individualistic and subjective claim, but I feel am one of those people. Thus this little challenge.

Also, I just saw that vegetarian comment too. What does that have to do with anything? Why even bring up such a pointless example? Ultimately you seem to be just as guilty (if not more) than me of overestimating the value of your own opinion, which doesn't seem to be heavily research based.

What I don't get is you saying "you shouldn't have made this thread". Why? That's silly. I'm going to track my progress and see how this goes and tell others. Do you just want me to not tell people? Why do you care? It's not your problem. If you don't like the idea of it then ignore it.

 

[babinro]

Wouldn't you just substitute porn with your own thoughts and imagination? Or is the goal to hopefully prevent impure thoughts by removing one element of temptation?

In my own case, the removal of porn probably wouldn't make any difference. It certainly didn't before I used the internet was a part of everyday life.

Of course, porn isn't causing harm in my life or to those around me. So I guess I can't relate to the OP's issue.

 

[RustlessPotato]

Good luck out there, buddy, You're gonna need it.

 

[Zyst]

Computer Science Major and I work as a programmer in a consulting film, so no can do for me. But good luck! I swore off porn for around 4 months a while back, while not doing much with my GF because a close relative of hers had passed away, the experience is... curious.

Good luck anyway.

 

[HarryScull]

Alright Escapists. In light of some recent brain studies about internet addiction and a couple of videos I've seen on the negative effects of porn, I've decided to try and cut myself off from these two "vices". Personally, I've noticed myself falling into extremely addictive patterns that are starting to negatively affect my quality of life.

??? i am unaware of these negative effects of which you speak, almost everything I've read/heard about masturbation either said it was a positive effect or that it makes you go to hell (catholic priest logic, sex with a 10 year old is fine but me masturbating is wrong) and from my own experience masturbation is a good thing (I'm pretty sure that 99% of men agree with me on this one)

same goes for the internet, true in excess it is bad but to cut down to 1 hour a day? surely that is overkill, the internet has many great benefits and while doing it in excess is harmful, the same goes for everything from smoking to exercise and I really dont understand your reasons for quitting.

I'm not challenging, flaming or hating you, im mostly just curious as to why the hell you would do this and it seams like a very bad idea to me

Masturbation is not the same thing as internet porn. They're two very different things

oh sorry, I just assume that if you'r watching porn that you are doing something else, I cant even watch porn without masturbating it holds no enjoyment for me

anyway thank you for your answer

 

[idarkphoenixi]

He's a madman, A MAAAADMAAAN!!!!!

 

[Spectral Dragon]

Probably good for you. Nothing is really good in excess, and if you think you're addicted, it's a very wise choice. Besides, you'll probably feel good afterwards. Given porn, like anything else, overstimulates you after a while, cutting back will eventually mean more endorphines in your everyday life!

I couldn't be without internet, though. It's where I keep all my friends, and it's good for school and the like too. Porn? Hmm... Why not? I'll keep off for at least a month.

 

[Something Amyss]

Well there's bitching about stuff. I do that quite a bit on the internet.

To be frank, that seems to be what 90% of the threads are on here.

Well there is Google... so you can find your porn.

Touche.

Youtube and Wiki's spring to mind ^^

Dammit. I'm totally gonna have to revise my list.

I've heard of this thing called email, but every time I try to check it out I just end up looking at porn.

"email" is just a myth kids make up to talk their parents into giving them acces to porn, facebook, wikis and youtube.

And Google, so they can search for porn.

 

[The Funslinger]

We are gathered here to mourn the passing of axlryder...

May he find peace in the afterlife.

I think it would be more appropriate to wish him peace in the real life.

What is this real life you speak of?

I assume disconnecting yourself from the net is like being unplugged from the matrix, death.

"There is no real life. There is only AFK".

 

[loa]

I can get internet but porn?
The only people I've seen claiming porn is bad, that it's "addicting", harmful etc. were... less than credible at best. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peK_5J6QvBQ]
Which "couple of videos" have you seen?

 

[theparsonski]

You'll be jacking off over Argos catalogues by next week, mark my words.

 

[Royta]

Alright Escapists. In light of some recent brain studies about internet addiction and a couple of videos I've seen on the negative effects of porn, I've decided to try and cut myself off from these two "vices". Personally, I've noticed myself falling into extremely addictive patterns that are starting to negatively affect my quality of life.

Now, obviously avoiding the internet entirely would be damn near impossible (especially considering the nature of my job), but I'm going to try and only have one tab open at a time and keep browsing time down to one hour per day. While not an avid consumer of pornographic material, I'm going to try and avoid looking at internet porn as well.

I make this thread for three reasons. One, to possibly have some form of accountability for all this as well as a way to catalog my progress and any positive changes to my psyche.

Secondly, Perhaps if anyone else would like to join me in my noble quest, they would be interested in having others hold them accountable.

lastly, to discuss this idea. Whether or not you think it's stupid or if you'd like to share any personal experience with addiction.

A good idea, but I'd like to see those video's you talk about as I have little to no motivation to remove myself from hours of daily fun, and the internet.
Good luck sir!

 

[tendaji]

I went 4 days without a computer or internet and I thought I was going to die. The power supply on my desktop gave out so I was stuck with a computer that could barely run anything at all. I was so happy when the replacement parts finally arrived for the computer.

 

[5-0]

I can last without porn, but the without the Internet...it's difficult. It's different when you're holiday cause there's so much to see and do, but in the same old boring surroundings you're used to it's a necessity. Good luck Sir.