>>20559992>>20559996The literature on porn addiction isn't really out there explicitly in the way that it is for other addictions, but many of the concepts are the same, so you can use resources for Alcohol addiction and Sex Addiction as guides for how to manage this as well. One key concept from sex addiction that applies to porn addiction is the idea of the inner, middle, and outer circles.
Outer circle behavior is stuff that has nothing to do with your addiction and is actively good. Riding a bike is outer circle behavior. Cooking a nice dinner, painting, hanging out with your friends, whatever good, healthy, positive things you want to do go in this. The goal is to spend as much time with these kinds of behaviors as possible.
Inner circle behavior, by contrast, is the addiction. If you're jacking off to porn, edging, gooning, etc. you are actively engaging with your addiction and are in the inner circle. This is the stuff that you want to completely 100% avoid.
Finally, the trickiest circle is the middle circle. This is where that gray zone lies, because porn addiction isn't binary like taking the drug or not. This could include masturbation without porn for example. Or maybe you will define masturbation without porn as part of your inner circle. The key point is that the line between middle and inner circle is unique to each individual and you will have to define what is and is not acceptable behavior. Middle circle stuff is generally approaching the borderline. Things that you want to allow, but could maybe bring you closer to a true relapse. The goal is generally to minimize time in the middle circle, while not restricting it outright.
The nature of this kind of addiction is such that seriously contemplating what is and is not acceptable for you personally is a necessity to making serious headway.
