Happy Christmas holidays

So the holiday season has officially begun. A wonderful time of year for many, but something of a mixed blessing for anyone struggling with pornography addiction.

For some, the stresses of family events or increased time with partners can drive up the urge to escape into our private domain. It’s that time of year when personal finances might be causing us concern. Or we might have a few days with too much time on our hands, and feel entitled to ‘treat ourselves’ like we did in the past.

It’s no wonder that addictions, OCDs, depression and other inner conflicts often flare up over this period.

If you are working on changing a porn habit, my advice would be to accept that these reactions are normal. This helps takes the edge off the habit instinct straight away.

Take time out to consider why you might be feeling the old urges; notice them and build your self-awareness. Remind yourself of your recovery plan, and the reasons why you are motivated to quit porn and move on. Be conscious of choice; you really don’t need to be directed by old, defensive instincts any more.

On a much more positive note, there’s the opportunity for change presented by the new year. I’m talking about a plan rather than a few well-intentioned resolutions, but there’s still no better time to get started. And if you are already in recovery, you can look forward to a year of continued progress and freedom from the pornography trap.

I wish you all a very happy Christmas and a positive, fulfilling New Year.