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3 Ideas That May Help Interrupt Your Porn Addiction Cycle This Holiday Season

Jenny Upton • Dec 02, 2020
Eagle’s Wings Counseling Center - Why Does a Trigger Lead Me to My Porn Addiction
You may or may not be aware of common porn addiction triggers that come with the holiday season. All it takes is a trigger, and it seems your thoughts take over. From there, the compulsion to act upon those thoughts can become unbearable. As a result, you find yourself turning to your addiction. Yet, through awareness, you can prepare yourself for alternatives and maintain your recovery. 

The holidays are often viewed as a time of love and happiness. However, the holidays can produce feelings of loneliness, helplessness, or hopelessness. As a result, you may encounter more triggers that may lead you into the cycle of your porn addiction. However, what if there is a way to begin to interrupt the vicious cycle.

Let's discuss what the cycle of porn addiction might look like, including triggers that often accompany the holiday season. We'll also discuss three ideas that may help you begin to break the vicious cycle. 
Eagle’s Wings Counseling Center - Why Does a Trigger Lead Me to My Porn Addiction

What are common porn addiction triggers that tend to accompany the holiday season? 

The holidays are often full of celebrations, traditions, and gatherings. With that, you may feel more pressure to achieve other's expectations. For example, you may feel pressure to find the perfect gift for your spouse. Likewise, you may be keenly aware of the social expectations that are often left unspoken. 

What are some triggers you can prepare for this holiday season?

  • Financial stress and pressure
  • family gatherings 
  • Packed schedules (parties, shopping, traditions) 
  • emptiness
  • loneliness
  • social expectations
  • buy the best gift 
  • family together laughing and playing
  • intimacy - perfect moment under the mistletoe or when the clock strikes midnight. 


Often, a trigger initiates the cycle of your porn addiction.


Eagle’s Wings Counseling Center - What are common porn addiction triggers that tend to accompany the holiday season?

Why Does a Trigger Lead Me to My Porn Addiction

Like any addiction, porn addiction forms as a result of compulsive responses to a need or strong desire to act out. Triggers often initiate that need or desire. Often, triggers create either physical or emotional discomfort. For example, thoughts surrounding the financial burden of the holidays can lead to emotional pain such as anxiety or stress. As a result, it's easy to want to numb or escape those emotions. 


Other feelings that can lead to an intense desire to turn to your porn addiction include: 

  • depression
  • loneliness
  • boredom
  • frustration
  • shame
  • anger 
  • feeling unappreciated or unloved


Eagle’s Wings Counseling Center - 3 Ideas That May Help Interrupt Your Porn Addiction Cycle This Holiday Season

3 Ideas to Help You Begin to Break the Cycle of Porn Addiction 

Let's discuss three ideas that may help you begin to break the cycle of your porn addiction. 

  1. As you begin to work toward recovery, try to notice what you feel before acting upon your thoughts. Doing so may help you identify a pattern in your behaviors. Likewise, you may be able to discover a dominant emotion that leads you to your addiction.
  2. Be transparent about your emotions. One of the main reasons why porn addiction is so brutal is because of the lies and secrets that surround the behaviors. So, the moment you feel triggered, reach out to your safe person. For example, this could be your spouse, sponsor, religious leader, or trusted friend. Simply by acknowledging your emotions can help you begin to calm them. As a result, you can alleviate your thoughts before the intensity grows. 
  3. Finally, begin to develop a list of alternatives to your porn addiction. For example, if you're bored, maybe you could try a new hobby. Likewise, if you're feeling angry or frustrated, you could try turning to exercise as an alternative. 

Often, the key to success for porn addiction recovery is to receive professional help. A licensed therapist may help you discover the underlying issues. Likewise, they may be able to help you acquire the tools that can help you avoid turning to your porn addiction. 


At Eagle's Wings Counseling Center, we specialize in the treatment of porn addiction. We may be able to help you on your road to recovery. We'd love to talk to you, call us today. 


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