Hi all. I've been a long time lurker here at GYE, reading the forums when I felt the need for a little extra chizzuk, but I have held off on signing up till now. I just fell (erev yom kippur, I know. Incredible) after about 4 months clean. This was my first time keeping track of my progress and that helped motivate me. I also got the chizzuk emails and felt like those helped keep me mindful of the struggle. I'm not sure if I'm an "addict" or not, and I'm not sure what the next steps for me should be. I have been looking at inappropriate images and scenes since I was about 13. I'm 25 now. The worst I will watch is a rated R scene. I have never allowed my self to watch anything classified as "porn." I do not use filters, although I'm not sure how much they would help because, again, I'm not seeing much that you  wouldn't see on a typical news website or YouTube. What is my next step? How do I determine if I'm an "addict?" Gmar Chasima Tova!

Welcome brother

I was busy with porn, and when joining GYE I didn't spend too much time deciding if I was an addict or not, but got on the recovery road as quick as possible.

Look, GYE has great tools - see the GPS below. Some have helped me, and I invented another which works for me (click on the word 'restrictions' below to see more)

Do what works ;-) and may you have a G'mar chatima tovah

Welcome.
My understanding is that addiction is generally not contingent on the severity of the behavior, rather on the severity of the obsession. We probably can't help you figure out out if you're an addict based on your behavior alone. Stick around, read the handbook and the FAQ's (links are in my signature) and see if anything strikes a chord.
Hatzlocha and Gmar Chasima Tova.

Four months clean is a great accomplishment. Maybe keep doing what you've been doing and look at some other suggestions around here. 

Okay. Interesting. For those 4 months, I was very mindful of trying to be careful and rarely had to struggle. Then the last few days had been really hard. Thank G-d, the days of struggle don't come around so frequently. The problem is that when they do, I don't know how to deal with it. So although I was clean for 4 months, It was not due to overcoming a struggle, but not having a struggle in the first place. This is my primary concern. Is the goal to not have a struggle at all? Or is the goal to learn to overcome it? It seems like it's impossible to entirely rid one's self from struggling altogether, so I suppose I need to learn what to do while in the throws of a strong desire.

I had times on and off with lust like you. 

Since i joined gye things things are different BH

Trying to grow wrote on 11 Oct 2016 16:21:

I can't tell you what your goal is/should be.

But your question resonated with me so I would like to share what I would answer for myself. My goal is to do the best to use my life the way Hashem wants me to. For me right now, this is primarily a focus on developing my abilities in my primary priorities of davening, learning, chinuch of my children, sholom bayis, and many other lesser priorities. I am a lot happier, more productive and feel a lot healthier when I'm not struggling with lustful fantasies, and I'm able to focus on this goal. Sometimes I found the challenge of the day is lust. As of now, it appears to be manageable. If I find I'm becoming too distracted by lust to stay focused on the other areas of life, I will have to reassess my plan of action.

Welcome TTG. 4 months is nothing to sneeze at. Good job! Also, about falling on Erev Yom Kippur, it's alright. I once left davening on Rosh Hashanah, masturbated, and then went back in. Not that it's a competition, but don't let it get you down.

 Vlo Sosuru Acharei Livavchem Vacharei Eyneichem Asher Atem Zonim Achareihem. Based on that pasuk I've learned that I will have desires and struggles but I should turn away from them. There are many tools here to deal with the struggles when they come. Sometimes just knowing that you don't have to act on your desires when they come is a good start. Having a chaver to talk to when the desire starts can help as well. The best tools in my experience are the ones I use as soon as I start getting pulled in the wrong direction. 

Welcome!  Have you read the handbook?  Can you determine what triggered you this time?  Was it physical - you looked where you shouldn't and were triggered?  How can you avoid that in the future?  Was it a feeling of anger, lonliness, depression or some other negative feeling that made you want to escape?  What can you do in that situation? (call a friend, listen to music, exersise...)

It sounds like you are doing pretty well.  Just keep in mind, addiction (used loosely here) has a tendency to get worse.  What I would not have considered today, becomes a reality tomorrow, and I can't believe it.