Before porn, we were probably much happier, more confident, and socialized more. But later when we became fixated on porn, we began to experience problems in our lives. After all, our brains are like plastic—repeated stimulus, such as watching porn, affects the neurochemical balance in our brains. Here are 6 things porn does to the brain.
- Depression
As we give in to the lure of porn, we may become depressed. It can leave us feeling tired, sad, irritable, unable to sleep, worthless, hopeless, and many more symptoms. Our amygdala is the part of our brain that helps deliver emotional responses like fear and pleasure. When the amygdala has constant exposure to cortisol, like while watching porn, it can become enlarged and more hyperactive. But we can deal with the detrimental effects of depression by seeing a doctor and a licensed Christian counselor. [Read more…]
Obsessive thoughts are a struggle for so many. If left unchecked, however, these obsessive thoughts can play over and over in your head like a record that has a scratch. Your thoughts can change depending on the situation. But once they’ve entered your mind, you may not be able to get rid of them.
One of the dangers of living in bondage to your compulsive behaviors for a while is that you may see yourself as more bad than good. This all-or-nothing type of thinking in life is extreme. When you think this way, every thought—from how you view yourself to how you view other people—can be divided into black-or-white terms. This leaves little room, if any, for the gray areas in-between.
Most of us are familiar with the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. Although we’ve heard this story countless times and in countless ways, if we struggle with addiction, it is also a timeless story that has much to show us. There are the 10 truths that the Prodigal Son teaches us about recovery.
Is your journey of Life Recovery going well? Or, are you overwhelmed at the path set before you of getting through all of the 12 Steps? If so, you are not alone. Whether it’s our first time in recovery or we’re getting back into it after a long break, the 12 Steps can seem intimidating.