Becoming sexually stimulated doesn’t mean you failed, not even if you experience extreme hardness. Your body is warning you that you may be in danger of a relapse.
Read the following post and discover tools that help in the time of extreme cravings.
Change the meaning: Sexual feelings are natural. The body reacts to stimuli according to past conditioning to sex and to natural love. You haven’t done anything wrong, if you become aroused. Don’t go and masturbate or view porn, even if you feel extreme hardness. Change the meaning of the sensations; they are meant to serve you.
As you absorb the information in this powerful article, you discover more ways to stop cravings for pornography.
Change Your Beliefs about Triggers
Sexual sensations warn of hurtful behaviors, affirm loving thoughts, or it may be that time of the month.
It’s what you do with sexual feelings that matters. Keep your mind pure. Don’t fantasize. Sexual feelings are reserved for your spouse, and so are sexual thoughts.
Become proactive. Plan how you want to react when sexual sensations come.
Triggers serve; not harm. They actually flip on the security light, revealing cravings. According to past conditioning, cravings are feelings that stir emotions to desire porn.
A trigger doesn’t cause you to automatically view porn or masturbate. The trigger activates a craving. You still have time to respond.
If you see, hear or do something that sets you off (trigger), then intercede. Even if you find yourself in front of your PC, clicking onto a porn site, you can stop.
Say, “I don’t want this.” Then, click off the site. Get up and leave.
Praying, “Forgive me. I’m sorry. Thank you. I love you.” The prayer of forgiveness.
Ponder why the trigger happened. Sometimes, you had nothing to do with the arousal; just learn from it.
If you become aroused by someone or something (image), here is what you do.
Simply switch your thoughts. You have 1 to 3 seconds to react.
When a thought is held in the mind any longer, the body unconsciously seeks more of the same stimuli to get more pleasure. Then, the body unconsciously lusts for more. If you don’t switch your thoughts, lust takes control.
However, if lust produces more sexual responses, you still can escape. You still can immediately change your focus. When you do, the sexual sensations will leave you.
There are three emotion-generating functions of the body that control human behavior. These elements of power are: focus, words and physiology.
The driving force of these functions is found in a person’s belief system. Beliefs cause emotions. Limiting beliefs cause hurtful feelings, limiting personal effectiveness.
A trigger activates the body’s senses (tingling, prickling and arousing sensations) by means of:
- Visual
- Auditory
- Physiology
Visual: Focus: What you see externally or internally can stimulate you, even unconsciously. It makes no difference to the body; it naturally responds to visual stimulus. Your eyes can fall on someone attractive or a random sexual thought can cause stimulation. Even if you only feel a slight sensation, react swiftly. Avert eyes and switch thoughts. Switch thoughts to a premeditated image. Example: See yourself: lovingly holding your spouse or significant other. Physical sensations are signals to make a change.
Auditory: Words: What you say or someone else says can cause sexual reactions.
A novel, music, movie dialogue or conversation can stimulate the body with sensations. Just change the subject or change the situation. Sometimes, you may need to graciously excuse yourself.
Physiology or Actions: An innocent hug is okay. While on the other hand, you may have a sexual reaction for the person giving the innocent hug. There isn’t anything wrong with you or that person. You may consider not hugging the person, or change the meaning of the hug.
Also, physiology causing the sexual feelings alerts you to potential lust; for example: gestures, facial expressions (flirtatious eyes or smile), leaning into someone’s personal space, posture (head tilting, hip jutting or arm and hand placement on your body).
Your body uses sensations to instantaneously alert the conscience that change is immediately needed. All a person has to do is simply switch focus, auditory, or physiology.
You are okay; sexual feelings come and go and automatically run their course.
Imagine, for a moment, that it’s a month from today.
The tools in this article help you stop or endure sexual cravings.
What you resist will persist; so let the feeling pass and feel empowerment.
(Lefkoe, n.d.)
To your success,
Dale Criswell
Reference
Lefkoe, M. (n. d.). How to change your beliefs and create new possibilities. Retrieved from http://www.stevenaitchison.co.uk/blog/how-to-change-your-beliefs-and-create-new-possibilities/.
How to Stop Pornography Addiction 