[alphachloride]

Yes, pornography is harmful when everything is considered. Yes, this is my held belief held partly from personal experience, and partly from limited study, and partly from how I was brought up. No, it is very unlikely that I will change my mind.

I am currently abstaining, and I have noticed changes in my life: mental health, social calendar, relationships. My sexual outlet is not just my hand in front of (usually) a screen showing impersonal images. My sexual urges are directed more wholly towards my sexual partner.

When I did not have a partner, I noted there was some frustration with errant thoughts. But, that virility of thought was to my benefit when I did find a partner. In the past, I've had issues physically with erectile dysfunction, or mentally with emotional engagement. The narrative fed to me in porn was so embellished so as to change my expectations in reality. Abstaining has helped ground me by not implicitly comparing reality to a contrived fantasy with a darker underbelly.

I also think, porn is an easy outlet for boredom and solitude, and not just sexual frustration. When I restrain from porn, I find myself occupying time doing other things. Granted, I may be unproductive. But, I've felt in the balance that I've eked out things more worthwhile of my time than just my ejaculate into empty air :)

[tomatowurst]

really bizarre all the ppl who improved themselves from abstaining from porn are being downvoted and flagged. is somebody absolute in their beliefs that they would try to censor others who have reached self improvement?

absolutely bizarre and juvenile sort of the behavior you would find on reddit