For example, you might notice that you tend to become aroused and access porn late at night, after watching movies that feature love scenes, or when you’re bored. Knowing these triggers can help you to be more mindful and prevent accessing porn.
For example, under pros you might list things like “relaxes me,” “takes my mind off being lonely,” and “makes me feel good for a little while. ” Under the cons side, you might list things like, “costs me money,” “makes me feel ashamed and dirty,” “displeases my Creator" and “will lead me to Hellfire. " Try keeping the list with you and reading over it often to help remind yourself of the reasons why you want to stop using porn. Try to understand how the Shaytaan (devil) operates, how he takes advantage of human weaknesses and tries to weaken our faith by drawing us towards temptation.
Subscribe to an internet accountability service, which periodically sends a list of questionable websites visited and internet searches to a trusted confidant, religious leader or parent, to whom you will have then to account for your choices. For a more extreme option, you might even cancel your home internet access for a month or two so that you will have no way of getting to porn sites while you are at home.
If you do slip up, it is very important to pray to Allah to acknowledge your sin, promise with sincerity not to repeat it and ask for forgiveness. Remember that Allah loves to forgive those that turn to Him when they fall to temptation, but hates it when we repeat the same sin and may decide that punishment is due.
Feel out of control and unable to stop or limit your porn use. Experience a cycle of shame, guilt, remorse, and depression after viewing porn. Go out of your way to conceal your porn habit from other people. Spend a large amount of time thinking about pornography. Have developed a masturbation habit when viewing porn. Have increased the amount of time that you spend watching porn and let it interfere with other responsibilities. Experience relationship issues as a result of your porn use.
Try saying something like, “I think I might be addicted to pornography and I want to stop using it. ” Or you could say something like, “I’m worried that I might have an addiction. I am not sure what to do about it. ”
You can search online to find a Muslim therapist in your area who may be able to help you or ask at your local mosque.
If there are no meetings in your area, consider participating in online meetings or an online forum on overcoming porn addiction. Try to ensure that your advice comes from an Islamic perspective as some non-Muslim therapists may try to encourage you to satisfy your urges in haram (forbidden by Islam) ways. Study the evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah that forbids sexual gratification outside marriage and use the divinely prescribed penalties to motivate yourself to stay away from such sin. Understand that intentionally sinning in this way leads to Hellfire and that only Allah can save you from this fate. Try to be mindful of the rewards that are available in this life and the next to those that are able to control their inner desires and live life in the way that pleases Allah.
Examples of medications that may be helpful for treating porn addiction include naltrexone, paroxetine, and SSRI antidepressants, such as fluoxetine and sertraline.
For example, you could try running, biking, swimming, boxing, horse riding, archery or something else that you like doing.
You could also look into a class or study group at your mosque to help you develop your relationship with Allah. Consider volunteering at a madrassa to help young Muslims learn about their religion. Try to develop your daily routine of worship, especially your prayers, so that pleasing Allah becomes the central focus of every day. That way, you will find it much easier to combat temptation and stay away from sin. A great way of becoming more mindful of Allah is by repeating beautiful phrases, such as Alhamdulillah and Allahu Akbar, over and over again as you go about your daily business.
For example, you could set a goal to run a 5K, learn to recite your favourite surah with beautiful Tajweed, or try to improve your Arabic. Closely following the Islamic dress code is a good way of reminding yourself of the standards of behavior that are expected of all young Muslims.
