The enemy has a plan; how aware are you of his tactics? By recognizing how the enemy tempts us, and how that temptation leads to trapping us, we can choose to avoid the sin cycle and the effects that come with it. Check out the message below by Pastor Craig Groeschel as he breaks down the sin cycle the enemy uses to ensnare us.

Read below for some practical steps to recovery from Hope Line resources.

1. Seek professional help. If you think you have a pornography addiction, it is almost certainly a symptom of a larger mental health issue. Depression, anxiety, and even ADHD have been linked to excessive use of porn and masturbation, which makes perfect sense. Both activities can lead to the production of dopamine or serotonin in your brain, and if you have an underlying mental health diagnosis, your brain could be seeking every opportunity to get the chemicals it desperately needs. Find a licensed therapist who has experience talking with patients about porn, and let them help you find a way forward.
2. Identify replacement activities. If becoming preoccupied with and constantly seeking out pornography is your brain’s way of regulating dopamine and serotonin, research other ways you can achieve that. Talk to your doctor and or your professional counselor about healthy coping skills. You can also try things like exercise, getting enough sleep, deep breathing, music, sunshine/Vitamin D, etc. When you start feeling the urge to turn to pornography, replace that behavior with one of these.
3. Mind your surroundings. When, where, and how do you usually watch or feel like watching porn? Try rearranging your life so that your usual habits are interrupted. You can try leaving your phone or computer in another room when you go to bed in the evenings, making it more difficult for you to access pornography. And remember, watching pornography in public places like school, work, or public transportation is risky behavior with potential legal ramifications. Bring a book with you everywhere, and when you’re tempted to look at porn on your phone, try reading instead.
4. Learn to confront your shame. Feeling shame is central in the discussions and research on porn addiction and shame only needs three things to make it grow: “secrecy, silence, and judgment.” Where can you root those things out of your life?
5. Consider the role of the media in your life. What type of music are you listening to? What types of shows, movies or other visuals are you consuming regularly? Consider the role of Social media and its perpetuating algorithms that continuously put in front of you what you spend the most time viewing. These things can very much be gateways and barriers to freedom.