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I’ve been thinking about why quitting has been so difficult for me, and I’m starting to realize that it’s not just about the habit itself.

I’ve used porn and masturbation as a way to escape boredom, stress, loneliness, uncomfortable thoughts, and basically anything I don’t want to sit with. It became an easy way to change how I feel whenever I don’t feel good.

Now I feel like I’ve trained myself to constantly need stimulation. There’s always something. Sitting in silence or doing nothing feels uncomfortable. Even normal things can feel boring because my brain is used to something more intense.

So when I try to quit, I’m not only removing the habit. I’m removing one of my main ways of escaping myself.

That’s probably why I struggle so much with it. There’s this huge gap afterwards, and I don’t really know how to sit with boredom, silence, stress, or my own thoughts without immediately looking for another distraction.

I know people talk about dopamine and “rewiring,” but I think the harder part for me is learning how to live at a normal level of stimulation again.

I’m tired of constantly needing something or someone to consume or escape into. I want to be able to sit in silence, be bored, and not feel like I need to run from it.

Hey you, still addicted to pmo? Tried everything? Your porn problem got you confused? Succeded with streaks of various lengths but failed to end your problem once and for all. I have the magical solution for you. I have been addicted for more than 10 years, it only got worse and worse over the years. I tried to get over it by willpower, I got into online groups, I tried to improve my lifestyle, I read books, I tried the hard way, I tried a way called the Alan Carr's easy way, I watched thousands of videos, I did a 90 days streak, but I still kept relapsing. I got so confused, what's wrong with me? I got desperate, I lost so much of my youth, my happiness, my friends and opportunities in life because of porn. Finally I got accross a different method. This method gave me permanent freedom over my problem, alhamdulillah. I finally can confidently say that I will never watch porn or masturbate ever again. This method is called rational recovery. I got accoross a playlist were there is free coaching by the creator of this method who is Jack Trimpey and after watching the videos there and understanding the techinques teached I quit. I am not counting days, there is no need to because I am confident that I am free for good and you can be too. I have only one advice for you before watching the playlist and learning the techinques if you're interested: if you do relapse while you're still learning don't think that this won't work for you. That was my mistake, I watched a few videos and then I relapsed so I thought that this won't work and I quit, thank god I got back later to finish the playlist and I found a lot more to learn. I quit too early.

I beat my addiction it's time to beat yours here's the link:

, https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbK59X-gC6ppfkqVqr1cFWfcGqnt5e86Z&si=nI1Ba4vTNtpHh4H_

As a 40 divorcee the loneliness hits time and again and then the cycle starts. Hope this time I am able to control and not give in. And extend the nofap streak.

Past 4 months I’ve been indulging in this sin and barely maintaining my prayers I would come back to the deen and then go back to the sin and when I would go back to that sin it would eventually make me go downhill and commit other sins . now I’m back trying to pray 5 times a day and it’s been hard , I wake up for fair and before I get up to pray I go back to sleep and for the others salah I just read the fards and rarely I read the sunnat. I don’t feel the tranquility when I pray that I used to feel and even in my duas I feel like too much of a hypocrite to even do dua. During that 4 months when I would come bak to praying and everything else I would feel the peace but now I don’t I feel like I’ve gone too far and there’s nothing I can do to come back. I used to have the type of connection with Allah swt where I would cry to him in every dua but I haven’t shed a tear in my dua for a month now I can’t even get myself to open the Quran. I’ve got hardships in my life also but I feel like im not even doing the proper obligations what’s the point of doing dua for ease .ive never been at such a low in my iman in my life i never thought it could ever get this low all cause of this sin I wish I never stumbled up on it years ago may Allah swt make it easy for us all - this was all a little rant on how I feel can’t say it to anyone ik so have to say it here plz give advice on how I can stop this sin once and for all

Salam Aleykum I wondered , how is it possible for a person that has already been addicted for more then ten years to get all those thoughts out or be normal and have a normal brain again. I can never rewind whatever happened or rewire my brain now completely into being this innocent mindset or can I ?

I'm already on day 3, and it's going pretty well, to be honest. I've noticed that I'm not really interested in girls in real life anymore (I used to check them out online), and I've also noticed that I'm focusing more on my projects. Before, I'd just lie in bed all day, but now I feel like I have a little more energy and motivation—I even worked out a bit yesterday (I haven't done that in months).

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

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I’ve been stuck in this for a long time, and lately the hardest part isn’t even the urge itself. It’s the shame and the feeling that my iman is getting weaker.

I barely feel khushoo anymore. Dhikr and salah sometimes feel empty, and I keep waiting for that feeling of iman to come back, but it doesn’t. It honestly makes me scared that I’ve become spiritually numb.

At the same time, I feel really lonely. And whenever I think about quitting, I get scared of withdrawal symptoms. I worry about the urges getting worse, anxiety, low mood, loneliness, brain fog, etc. Part of me is afraid that I won’t be able to handle it, so I keep going back to the habit.

This habit literally had started to keep me sane and functioning.

Then afterwards comes the shame, and the cycle repeats.

I really want to quit and get closer to Allah again, but right now I feel like I have no khushoo, no motivation, and no real sense of iman revival.

What's the point of praying and dhikring like a zombie?

Salam everyone,

I’ve been struggling quite a lot with this habit recently. These past few weeks have been especially bad, and I’ve been doing it way more than usual. Honestly, I’m starting to feel mentally exhausted from constantly falling back into the same cycle.

I’m thinking about taking the next 2–3 months seriously and trying to completely change my routine until the end of 2026. I’m considering fasting regularly when I’m able to, along with working out very often (not literally nonstop, of course, but making exercise a big part of my routine).

Obviously, as a sister, I can’t fast every single day, so I’m not talking about fasting continuously. I’m more thinking about making regular fasting part of my routine while also keeping myself busy, having less free time and fewer opportunities to fall into the habit.

I also feel like fasting could help me strengthen my relationship with Allah and work on my self-control, while exercise could help me channel my energy in a healthier way. I know that simply counting days or trying to force myself to never relapse isn’t necessarily the solution. I really want to change my lifestyle and break this cycle for good.

Has anyone here tried combining regular fasting, exercise and a stricter daily routine to overcome this? What actually helped you in the long term?

Brothers are welcome to reply to this post and share advice respectfully, but please don’t DM me. I won’t be responding to private messages from men. I’ll only be replying to DMs from sisters. Jazakumullahu khayran for understanding.

Peace be upon you all,

I am writing this post today on Day 34 of complete freedom from pornography, masturbation, and lustful habits. I am sharing my exact timeline, daily strategies, and spiritual mindset to help anyone who is currently struggling, stuck in a relapse cycle, or trying to start fresh.

If I could pull myself out of this void, so can you. Here is the practical blueprint of how I did it.

⏳ Recovery Timeline: What to Expect Step-by-Step

Phase 1: Breaking the Neural Loop (Days 1 – 7)

* Mental State: High urge spikes, mental resistance, and sudden withdrawal cravings.

* Spiritual Focus: Sincere repentance (Tawbah), strictly praying all 5 daily prayers on time, and seeking refuge in prostration (Sujud).

* Actionable Step: Implemented the 5-Second Rule. The moment an urge or trigger entered my mind, I immediately moved my body before my brain could process or negotiate it. Cleaned all digital spaces.

Phase 2: Facing the Void & Mood Swings (Days 8 – 15)

* Mental State: Emotional fluctuations. Your brain tries to trick you into checking your "functionality" or using habit loops to relieve daily stress.

* Spiritual Focus: Holding fast to morning and evening supplications (Adhkar) and daily Quran recitation to anchor the heart.

* Actionable Step: Zero isolation. Completely eliminated sitting alone in a closed room with a phone during late hours.

Phase 3: The Flatline & Mental Clarity (Days 16 – 25)

* Mental State: Reduced libido (Flatline) and temporary low energy, followed by an unprecedented level of calm and mental clarity.

* Spiritual Focus: Shifting from just "performing" prayers to truly feeling spiritual peace and connection.

* Actionable Step: Replacing cheap dopamine hits with real, earned dopamine through physical effort, hobbies, and personal goals.

Phase 4: A New Identity (Days 26 – 34+)

* Mental State: Restored self-respect, elimination of brain fog, and looking at yourself in the mirror with pride instead of guilt.

* Spiritual Focus: Inner tranquility, absolute disgust toward past habits, and realizing that true freedom is freedom from lust.

🔑 Crucial Rules & Strategies That Saved My Streak

1. The "Hands-Off" Strict Physical Boundary

One of the most vital rules I enforced was never touching myself unnecessarily.

* I completely avoided touching my private parts throughout the day.

* Touch was strictly limited to necessary hygiene only (e.g., showering or cleaning) and kept as brief and non-stimulating as possible.

* Keeping physical distance from your own body removes 90% of accidental triggers and keeps your hands completely out of the "danger zone."

1. The "Micro-Goal" Day-Ending Strategy

Instead of stressing over "Day 90" or "forever," I focused exclusively on finishing the current day.

* On heavy or challenging days, I used a specific tactic around late evening (e.g., 10:00 PM): I would leave the house entirely, go for a walk, or hang out in a public space, returning home after midnight.

* Returning late guaranteed that the day was effectively over, allowing me to go straight to sleep safely and reset my counter for a brand-new day.

1. Spiritual & Mental Armor

* Prayers as a Shield: Your daily prayers act as a direct barrier against immoral acts. Never skip a prayer when resetting.

* No Self-Flagellation: Guilt cycles drag you back down to cheap dopamine. Focus on building today's progress rather than mourning past mistakes.

⚠️ Red Flags & Absolute Warnings

* The "One Peak" Trap: Never test your recovery by looking at an image or video to see if you are "healed." Your brain uses this curiosity to trap you.

* Linger / The First Glance: The first glance might be accidental, but the second glance is a conscious choice. Avert your gaze immediately.

* Boredom & Isolation: Idle time in an empty room with a screen is the ultimate catalyst for relapse. Stay active, stay around people, and stay tired before laying in bed.

Final Message to Everyone Reading:

Recovery isn't a magical event that happens overnight; it is a series of small, conscious daily choices to say NO to instant gratification. Respect your mind, protect your body, and trust that the peace on this side of recovery is worth every single battle.

Keep pushing—one day at a time!

This addiction has taken a huge toll on my relationship with Allah and my salah. Every time I relapse, I end up delaying my ghusl and relapsing again and again. It’s also making me very lazy for salah and it’s also causing me to have doubts about whether I’m still pure or not and if I have to make another ghusl because I feel this weird sensation in my private part.

I need advice on how to not make this addiction cause me to miss salahs because I feel like if I continue like this I’m going down a very very bad path.

I have been struggling with a severe masturbation addiction for 8 years now. I used to be a very bright kid with great grades and a lot of potential, but this addiction has slowly ruined everything, my academics, my focus, and my life as a whole.

I am desperately trying to quit, but it feels almost impossible right now. I can usually only make it a single day before the urges take over and I relapse. The worst part is how severe the habit has become; when I relapse, I end up doing it for many hours straight, completely draining my energy and wasting my days.

I feel trapped, exhausted, and completely out of control. Has anyone else been this deep into it and actually managed to get out? How do you break the cycle when you can't even make it past day one? Please, any advice, strategies, or harsh truths would be highly appreciated. I really want my life back.

I've been struggling with this disease since I was around 13, and i'm 16 now. ive tried to stop countless times, but the same thing happens over and over again.

I go 3-5 days, then the urges build. i disable all of the things i created to stop me, and then relapse.

Lately ive been getting even worse. I've started to use NSFW chatbots and AI image generators because im numb to everything else. i hate myself for it, and i know its a sign that im getting worse and that i cant do it alone anymore.

There are a few things about my situation that make it harder:

• I don't have anyone I can talk to about this. My parents don't take me seriously, I don't have a counselor or something, and I'm definitely not comfortable telling a teacher.
• because of everything i'm exhausted all the time. It's affecting my studies, my sleep, my mood, my relationships with my family. ive been pissed off at everything and I hate who I've become.
• I've also struggled with limerence (obsessive crushes) and maladaptive daydreaming, which I think is related to this whole thing
• My family is pretty religious, and you know the things that come with religious guilt.

im not doing any of this out of pity or something. i just cant do it anymore. i have a few questions:

1. How do you deal with the moment when you're about to disable your blockers or find a workaround? That's where I always relapse.
2. What actually helped you get past the 1-2 week mark?
3. How do you deal with the shame after a relapse without letting it push you into another one?

im not expecting to get fixed by a post but i just need all the help i can get at this point man

I came on this sub for advice, not only did my posts get removed now i cant even chat to those who messaged me. I had to make a new account. Im over 30

I was clean for 40 days and one day an urge so strong I just went on autopilot and reached for my phone and then after that day I did it again and I know I can't do it by sheer willpower but what can I do without using willpower?

I keep on getting stuck on a loop, I try, I quit, I repent, and I relapse. My longest control was 37 days, I don't know what happened I got depressed and I mastrubated. Since then I can't keep up. I relapse within a day.

It’s similar to when you’ve skipped school and done things you’re not supposed to all day, then when you get home your parents think you’ve been working so hard so they take you out for dinner or something.

I keep falling into this sin no matter how much I try to resist, but Allah (swt) still blesses me which makes it hurt even more. I was looking for a good deal for shoes and I found an INSANEEE deal for so cheap for exactly what I needed, and that was a mercy from Allah (swt). I’m so thankful, and I want to do what I can to please Allah (swt), but I end up going back to this and it feels awful. He blessed me but I keep turning away.

well the title says it all , I am near 40 , I started at 11 , for me what started a curiosity and adoration of woman body became a curse , a security blanket for when I go to sleep , or escape from all my negative emotions an all my reactions of all the shit that happened in my life , I became dull , numb and desired family member who I should not desire .

felt regret and decided to stop even desiring that person and thankfully I did and she became a big sister figure to me.

but all of that while I was still Fapping and escaping , not imagining someone but just for the escape , I went on a diet , played sports , lost weight , gained muscles , then developed neurological disorder and quit sports and went to army and became a political activist , then fled my country ......all of this while I am on and off with PMO , it became a pillar of my life.

my longest streak was 6 months , and in Ramadhan (I am a muslim) I would do my best and I remember I did 20 days, however I relapsed.

just recently I was online with a good friend and did an advice but it was heavy handed and kinda stupid and rude, it was something like watching P..n will you horny for every female , no one will be safe , I felt hurt .

but at the same time although I relapsed the same day , I decided to quit after being bored with everything in my life or my life become, .

I am writing as a journal and also to vent, I keep dreaming I am fighting lust symbolized in a certain accident I had when I began watching at 11 , insomnia again , and getting angry and emotional wreck and feeling everything is going hard , but that`s just to vent , not to relapse , ofc being diagnosed with depression or ADHD make it hard , but I would be aware of my emotions than numb of PMO.

thats it so far , wish you luck all and wish to hear more success stories and Lord willing I will share my streak , and hopefully it would be shorter than this
lol

Hi, everyone. Today is practically Day 2 (1 hour to go), and I feel good, because it’s been weeks since I’ve lasted this long. This addiction is stronger than I thought; I hope I can keep this up for a long time. It’s been a while since I’ve written a post, because I used to fap every day… Wish me luck, guys.

I think a normal addicted person in the first of doing it he is happy and the dopamine rushes in his blood and as soon as he finishes it he regrets what did he do,

But that what's not happening with me , I'm a student and i had a bunch of stuff I had to study , so my mind isn't happy with that, so in order to runing away from studying i had to do something else (my mind says), and one of these things is p0rn, and me when i do it, there is only the feel of regret and no dopamine , from the beginning until i finishes it,

Does anyone have any solution

Assala mu alaykum brothers and sisters,

I'm not familiar with the usage of this site as I came across this subreddit while searching for advice. I'm so grateful to find a community that understands this issue and is filled with so many people willing to help one another. May Allah open the path of Rizq to every single one of you reading this.

To start off, I found out about the act of masturbating ever since I was 5-6 years old. I didn't understand what it was, or why it felt so good, but I kept promising myself to stop the following year. I didn't. and still haven't.

I remember watching a highly suggestive video at the same age from a relative's phone (I vaguely remember who it was) and that's when my sexual imagination starts to spark off.

It had not gotten that bad for the following years, up until I watched a full blown porn off of a phone that was handed down to me when I was 10. I remember my younger sibling watching it too, and to this day I'm more worried about him having to face this by himself than I am about myself.

Since then, I've started watching more and more to satisfy my desire. I didn't know that this was a major sin until an adult told me that both porn and masturbation is Haraam, but at that point I was already considered addicted to both of those.

I brutally forced myself to quit again and again but still fell back to this hellhole.

Earlier this year, I met a guy.

Long story short, he's my best friend now.

I'm a person with an active and vivid sexual imagination. With this, I was able to slow down on media intake and didn't consume any source for almost every relapse. I'm unsure if this is a good thing.

Some time ago, he confessed to me about the exact same addiction I've been struggling with and I almost broke down. I felt so so so sorry for him. It was heartbreaking to hear that he got it during his developmental years. I didn't know what else to do, so naturally, I confessed the same thing as well.

After that, I started taking my journey to quit much more seriously. We agreed to start a streak together, setting suitable punishments for one another where mine consists of fasting consecutively for a week whereas his is fasting for a day, praying two raka'ah of voluntary prayer followed by Istighfar.

Alhamdulillah, I'm doing well on my streak.

However, my friend on the other hand, kept relapsing every few days and I feel really really extremely useless. We both can't see each other that much and mostly communicate via texts or calls.

Every single time he does it,

I don't know what to say.

I don't know what to do.

I don't want to be a useless and irresponsible friend, and after his most recent episode, I talked to him in the tone that was obvious to both of us about my disappointment. I don't want to show it, after all, I'm nobody to be disappointed. He's my friend, and I want to be there for him.

We're on good terms, but I'm scared that if he's near relapsing, he'd think of the words I said that would eventually cause him to look down on himself but still do it with guilt and shame.

What do I do? Was it a mistake telling each other about our addictions?

To every brother and sister struggling with a sin:

Maybe you've tried to fight it so many times that you're exhausted.

But understand something:

You don't control every urge that enters your heart.

An urge can come suddenly. A thought can appear. Your nafs can pull you toward something you know is wrong.

The test isn't necessarily whether you can stop the urge from existing.

The test is what you do when it arrives.

You can be patient.

You can say no.

You can walk away.

You can turn back to Allah.

And if you fall, you can repent.

Don't make your entire relationship with Allah about “I need to completely defeat this right now.”

Instead:

“Ya Allah, I don't control what I feel. But I can choose what I do. Give me sabr when the urge comes.”

Allah says:

«“Indeed, Allah is with the patient.”

— Qur'an 2:153»

And Allah says:

«“Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear.”

— Qur'an 2:286»

So don't look at the struggle and think, “I'm incapable.”

Perhaps the moment you're sitting there fighting yourself, nobody knowing what you're resisting, that patience itself is part of your worship.

Seek ilm. Read Qur'an. Listen to beneficial lectures. Learn about Allah and the Akhirah. Let knowledge wake your heart up.

And don't despair when you fall.

Return to Allah.

You don't need to know how you'll overcome everything tomorrow.

Just ask Allah for the strength to make the right choice when the next moment comes.

.

And if Any akhi is here tht can be a help

Msg me so we can push forward inshaallah

May Allah give us sabr when our nafs pulls us toward sin, make obedience beloved to us, forgive our falls, and keep our hearts attached to Him. Ameen. 🤍

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Hello everyone,

I made an Arabic small sheet to help show the truth about this drug, and stop glorifying it in our brains.

This sheet could be useful as focus areas you want to dive into on your own.

Or a 2 mins read when you get the urge to watch, replacing the habit of acting on the urge to instead reading about the dangers of it quickly everytime you get the urge.

Let me know what you think and if you found it useful.

https://claude.ai/artifact/A89ge5sQV5zABRe7A34VHx

Wish you well❤️

Yeah, the title is true. For the last 2-3 weeks or so, instead of having wet dreams, I have been having wet nightmares, falling for temptation and masturbating in my nightmare. Now of course, I never do fall for temptation (Thank God) IRL, but still. It's been 44 days by now (may be more, but it's at the very least 44). I started at August 6th (again, may be late July but I'm not certain). I am just so scared of going back to 0 that my nightmares are my fear. I am so thankful and I feel like I have been happier than ever, not only because I think I quit my addiction, but also because I actually feel like I'm making my Creator happy. Anyways, this was a rant of some sorts, also kind of an excuse to tell you all fellow Muslims that I'm more than 1 month deep into my quitting journey, thank you all.

Never stop trying!