Let's face it; too many men these days are addicted to their vices. Whether it's video games, junk food, porn, or being lazy, men are down bad. The bad news is you can't change obtaining a vice. The good news is you can change having one, many men just don't know how to quit porn or any vice for good.

Out of all the vices out there, none destroy more than porn. There's just something primal to it that draws you in that makes it harder to drop than alcohol or smoking.

The downsides are catastrophic, and everyone who's addicted wishes they never began. It's become more important than ever that we know how to quit our vices, porn especially.

Here are a few things I've learned that make vices easier to manage. As somebody who once struggled greatly with it, I'm confident that these tips will help you.

1. Quit Porn by filling the void

Pop quiz: what happens when you shatter the window of a plane currently in flight? The answer: you create a vacuum, sucking all the air in the plane outside. Just like that plane, if you quit porn without "patching the window", you create a vacuum that causes further damage.

Think of it this way.

The part of your identity that associates you with being a porn watcher takes up space. If you were to just rip it out without replacing it, you'll be left with a gaping hole where there shouldn't be one.

If you don't have something to fill the hole with, the mind's natural response is to fill it back up with whatever was there.

I remember growing up when I had no idea how to quit porn, my dad would chastise me every time he caught me. He would always tell me about the near occasion of sin and if I'm really sorry for my sins, I'll remove the things that could lead to sin.

I tried doing exactly that. All it led to were stronger cravings and more frequent cravings. 

I didn't fill the hole with anything, so it sucked the thing I pulled out right back into place.

Fast forward to today, I no longer use that strategy of keeping the possibility at arm's length. I've filled my schedule with activities that naturally crowd out any possibility to watch porn.

The most practical method on how to quit porn is to fill your time so you crowd out any possibilities to relapse.

2. A Change of Character

In a previous post, I talked about how you can't rise above your own self-image. When it comes to vices, this is absolutely vital. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself where those vices came from? Why do they stick? Why do you struggle with them? More often than not, it has to do with how you see yourself.

Why would somebody struggle with a vice they wholeheartedly know is bad for them? Why keep doing something that is bad for you?

From my studies into human nature, I've learned that there are always at least two parts to a behavior pattern. In this case, the first part is dopamine and the second part is self-image.

A man who has to search for how to quit porn is self-identifying as a porn watcher. He wants to get away from the dopamine lows after watching porn by replacing it with something else.

Here's the problem: his purpose for watching porn is deep-rooted into who he is. Tactics like website blockers won't do anything.

To address this issue, you need to change your self-image.

Rather than thinking, "I'm trying to quit porn", instead, think along the lines of, "I no longer watch porn." This changes the image of yourself to somebody who doesn't watch porn.

By changing your self-image this way, you naturally create a vacuum. This vacuum, however, is intentional; it is caused by the decay of a part of your identity.

When that decay happens, fill it with the good habit you intend to replace your vice.

By changing your self-image, you create a natural vacuum that you can then fill with your chosen good habit.

3. How to Quit Porn by watching it

Yes, there is a way to drop a vice by partaking in it. It's a simple method that doesn't require too much effort. This is largely a method that makes use of your subconscious mind, which makes it much more effective when it comes to long-term changes.

There's this YouTube video that explains this method in excellent detail. After a few minutes of watching the video, I realized that he was talking about a method similar to one I used years ago.

The crux of the method is as follows.

Already having done the vice, you know just how unsatisfying it is to partake in it. This will be your ammunition for regaining control.

When you get the urge, you remind yourself just how unsatisfying the vice actually is, which will make it that much easier for you to say no.

The difference which makes the method in this video superior is you are combining positive reinforcement with the unsatisfying reality of your vice to get over it.

Instead of saying, "I remember how horrible it was last time, I won't do it," you say something along the lines of, "I'm so grateful that I don't actually get that much enjoyment out of this. I'm glad that I'd rather be doing some work rather than watching porn."

This method simultaneously creates a vacuum and fills it. Also, research has shown that positive reinforcement is the only effective way to exact change in people, which is why I can confidently say this method is superior.

After trying it myself to obtain better discipline, I found that you don't even need the urge to make it work. All you need is to keep in mind the bad habit you want to drop and the good habit you want to pick up.

The most effective way to quit porn for good is to use a little cognitive rewiring that automates the process for you. 

Freedom is just around the corner

The reason why so many people are miserable is that they are slaves to their vices. They don't know how to effectively quit, so they get stuck in their ways and stagnate.

Mind you, vices aren't just things like porn. Vices could also be negative self-talk, laziness, or playing too many video games.

Once you finally take up the mantle, you'll feel like a new man. Once you find that freedom, you'll no longer be worrying about how to quit porn and you'll feel so free.

- Karl

P.S. If you find this or any of my content helpful, consider sharing it with a friend you believe would benefit from it. The more men we can help improve, the better.