maybethistime wrote:
I guess I never realized the importance of Shmeras Ainayim, or having aggressive and active shemiras ainayim like you posted earlier. maybe I still don't. which is interesting because that seems to be the basis of this whole website. I maybe am focusing on just stoping the p and m and explicit fantasies, everything else just doesn't seem so bad as long as it doesn't become explicit in my mind. meaning up until now I wouldn't consider it a slip (or at least a major slip) for looking twice at an attractive girl, but I would have if I fantasised about it later (or then and there).
I feel like I am missing something big. I understand the importance of guarding your eyes, but I wouldn't name the whole website after it if you know what I mean.
I know that you got over this but I thought that it might be helpful for others.
While porn is a huge problem it is really just one of the symptoms. I'm not gonna go all out and say it is a symptom of not living, I'll leave that for the better men then me
. However, at the very least it is certainly a symptom of our lust addictions. Always remember, it isn't called a porn addiction rather a lust addiction. That is why guarding your eyes
is so essential to recovery.
I also used to use my lust as a stress medication. When I finally found GYE's someone pointed out me that it actually increases stress. After that I did the math and realized he was right. Lusting doesn't make the sources of your stress go away and it just adds more, cleaning up, guilt, regret, more lost time, etc. So all cost, no reduced stress, and just an infinitesimal moment of pleasure... just sounds like a bad investment.
Hatzlacha and keep up the good work.