No internet and porn for 90 days

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

snip

I have to ask what these negative affects are?

 

[verdant monkai]

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.

Why the hell would you want to avoid the internet, those studies are often bullshit?
as for the porn bit good luck I have had one to many viruses and am trying to give it up.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

I must see these new studies immeediately. After the week I'm having I need something to laugh at.

I read at least one book every two days. Do I have an addiction to books? Do I have to stop? I write on average 5,000-10,000 words a day in fiction, plus however mch extra for work, do I have an addiction to writing? Must I stay away from it? I play the guitar for at least an hour every single day, oh my god I'm basically a guitar heroin addict!

Why is it that you can do all sorts of things on a regular or more basis (my movie consumption must qualify for addiction even if the rest of it doesn't) but suddenly when it's something someone has decreed to be 'bad' in massive inverted commas it's an addiction? Videogames, the internet, cell phones, porn.

It's not an addiction unless you can't go maybe a week without it. No need for 90 day cold turkey, just try a week. If you find yourself irritable and unable to concentrate without whatever it is that you use to unwind then you have a problem, otherwise don't worry. Except in the case of porn where it would probably be more useful to test if you can still masturbate/habe sexual intercourse without the use of pornography.

 

[Relish in Chaos]

Porn's helluva overrated anyway. At least mainstream porn is. Hmph.

But if you really think that you should take a break from it, just substitute it for your own sexual thoughts and jack off that way. But if it really starts grinding on you, then it's time to break out the porn again and give in. I've tried doing it once. I was lying in my bed for half an hour with a raging erection and unable to stop thinking about multiple fantasies.

As for no internet...that's not a good idea. Try to curb the amount of time you spend on it, but for many people, due to work, job, etc., the internet is absolutely essential to their life. Maybe a week, even two weeks, but no longer than that if you have the means to.

 

[razer17]

I wouldn't want to cut off the internet (or porn) entirely, but I could probably do with spending a little bit less time on the internet per day. I don't think I watch too much porn, but I probably do spend a little too much time on the internet. Then again, I always sit talking with my friends in our living room, so it doesn't exactly detract me from other activities like being social.

I do plan on, in the summer after I finish uni, spending less time on the internet, so I can read, look for jobs and other stuff. Half the problem is that I spend almost all my time at home, and therefore almost all my time on the net, when I get a job I'll naturaly be spending less time aimlessly browsing the internet.

 

[The_Waspman]

Three months without the net? Hmmm, I think thats fairly managable. I've given things up before. Gave up gaming for a month, just to see if I could do it, and that worked out fine (might have filled the void with more net time though). Gave up chocolate for 12 years, that was well easy.

I don't even know what this 'porn' you speak of is. And I cant be bothered to google it right now...

 

[Casual Shinji]

So what negative effects is porn having on your life? ... Just so I can have a frame of reference for myself, you understand.

And in all honesty, you can never stop watching porn all together, because the longer you spend not watching actual porn the more every day things start to look like porn. I know, I've been there; I once got arroused by watching How It's Made when my internet was down for 3 weeks.

 

[ThatLankyBastard]

No internet for 90 days...

... Improbable...

No porn for 90 days

Good luck though

 

[Bobsonnn]

is this including, say, facebooking/tweeting on a phone? i think if i had my iphone and a decent stack of videogames, could be done... still wouldn't want to give it a bash.

(Pun intended)

 

[Aprilgold]

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.

This is the only point I don't like because you did the ONE thing I wanted since I started this discussion, which was sources and now we have done that. Still not good sources but I doubt on this topic your going to find one. Those were a good laugh, in honesty mate.

Whats the internet in a nutshell, videos and words, videos and words. Can I get addicted to television? Can I get addicted to reading books? The premise is silly to be addicted to books, in honesty, but thats this site and the entire internet in a nutshell.

Yes, there exist people who can't go a day without spending time on the internet but going 90 days is pushing it. Go a week mate, 90 days cold turkey isn't the best idea. And I doubt that getting on the internet once a day is as bad as being addicted to herion so stop acting like its something were all going to drop dead from in a day.

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?

Go up a bit from this post and you'll see.

 

[Something Amyss]

That used to be the greatest thing, trying to find porn despite the parental controls. "Somehow, someway, this thing is showing me tits even if it kills me."

"I don't see it so much as a restriction as I do a challenge."

 

[The Rainmaker]

I think it's a pretty stupid idea as I have not experienced any negative side-effects of porn myself, and I find it hard to believe that they exist, but I admire you if you manage it.

 

[Suicidejim]

Yeah, I suppose I might as well give it a go. I spend too much time procrastinating on the internet as it is, and cutting down on porn may also help me cut down on wanking, which I think I need to do (so much aching in unpleasant areas . . .).

I will join you in your quest, my brother:

 

[Matt Dellar]

Know what? I think I'll join you on the porn bit. Heck, since I need the Internet for research, I'll even cut off masturbation as well. It's a waste of time and I could be doing much better things. I could write novels. I could finish that indie game I've been dabbling in. I could learn to not hate pixel art (and from there, finish my game).

 

[axlryder]

I must see these new studies immeediately. After the week I'm having I need something to laugh at.

I read at least one book every two days. Do I have an addiction to books? Do I have to stop? I write on average 5,000-10,000 words a day in fiction, plus however mch extra for work, do I have an addiction to writing? Must I stay away from it? I play the guitar for at least an hour every single day, oh my god I'm basically a guitar heroin addict!

Why is it that you can do all sorts of things on a regular or more basis (my movie consumption must qualify for addiction even if the rest of it doesn't) but suddenly when it's something someone has decreed to be 'bad' in massive inverted commas it's an addiction? Videogames, the internet, cell phones, porn.

It's not an addiction unless you can't go maybe a week without it. No need for 90 day cold turkey, just try a week. If you find yourself irritable and unable to concentrate without whatever it is that you use to unwind then you have a problem, otherwise don't worry. Except in the case of porn where it would probably be more useful to test if you can still masturbate/habe sexual intercourse without the use of pornography.

Again, there's a difference between books and the internet/porn. The way the internet works, what with all the sensory over-stimulation and multiple sources of information barraging us in quick succession or at once, affects focus. What's more, the perpetually instant access to information and the way people have been seen to process said information in comparison to books (more shallowly) affects memory. There has also been strong correlations seen between depression (dopaminergic receptor availability) and reduced white/grey matter in the brain and heavy internet use. I personally have observed all of these things in my own life (that is: focus, memory and depression issues), as well as sensitization to the internet and desensitization to other things. That right there points to a form of addiction. To drive this point home, I recently didn't have access to the internet over a 3 day period and I noticed myself craving it and it was affecting my disposition negatively. Also, the factor of 'addiction' seems to be highly individualized when it comes to compulsions. Just as some people can gamble on a regular basis and be fine, where as others develop a serious compulsion, I'm sure some (such as myself) are more likely to exhibit addictive behavior after heavy use. Now, I don't think the internet itself is magically generating issues, but the way the internet is used. Unfortunately, it can be very hard to know exactly what variables are causing problems and keep tabs on what I'm doing when mindlessly browsing. That's why I'm trying to cut it back to an hour a day and minimize tab usage. I'm hoping that will yield some positive changes. It's all an experiment, really.

 

[axlryder]

This is the only point I don't like because you did the ONE thing I wanted since I started this discussion, which was sources and now we have done that. Still not good sources but I doubt on this topic your going to find one. Those were a good laugh, in honesty mate.

bahaha, well I don't think anyone really cares what you do or don't like, and your distaste for it doesn't make your previous complaint any less needlessly whiny. Also, just saying "these sources are bad" does little reinforce your baseless conjecture or condemnation of said sources, which clearly fails to take into account several variables addressed in the aforementioned sources. If anything, I was amused by your painfully simplistic assessment of the internet.

To anyone else who happens to read this: Spent about an hour and a half today. Not bad.

 

[Aprilgold]

This is the only point I don't like because you did the ONE thing I wanted since I started this discussion, which was sources and now we have done that. Still not good sources but I doubt on this topic your going to find one. Those were a good laugh, in honesty mate.

bahaha, well I don't think anyone really cares what you do or don't like, and your distaste for it doesn't make your previous complaint any less needlessly whiny. Also, just saying "these sources are bad" does little reinforce your baseless conjecture or condemnation of said sources, which clearly fails to take into account several variables addressed in the aforementioned sources. If anything, I was amused by your painfully simplistic assessment of the internet.

To anyone else who happens to read this: Spent about an hour and a half today. Not bad.

Yes, but that wasn't your goal. For the record, everything that you have argued, past and future for about a week is ruined by the fact that you were hypocritical.

 

[axlryder]

Yes, but that wasn't your goal. For the record, everything that you have argued, past and future for about a week is ruined by the fact that you were hypocritical.

Hey, nice tu quoque fallacy. Solid debating skills. Also, my goal was an hour a day (it's in the OP). Considering what I was spending before, an hour and a half is a HUGE improvement. Today will probably be an hour. Chill out, I'm making progress.