How to Stop Masturbating

The secret on how to stop masturbating lies in establishing correct patterns of though and replacing the time and energy spent masturbating with more productive and happy pursuits.

To learn how to stop masturbating, you must first understand a principle called the Law of Displacement. This will take you there: Changing Your Thoughts and the Law of Displacement.

Stopping this addiction is not about trying harder to quit or exercising more self-control. It’s about focusing on thinking and doing other things.

Many people believe in prayer. I’m a huge proponent of prayer. But you must understand the proper way to pray to overcome an addiction, and then pray that way.

If you pray, then today, one final time, pray the way you’ve been praying. Say something like, “Please help me finally learn how to stop masturbating,” or “Please take this terrible habit from me,” or some other plea for Divine help.

After today, the above examples are the wrong things to pray for. You’ve got to move on and quit thinking about it. This is how to stop masturbating.

So, if you’re a praying person , what should you pray for? Here are some examples:

• Help me as I work to be a better husband or father
  
• Please guide me in my efforts to do better in my job or in school
  
• Help me as I strive to fulfill those worthwhile goals I’ve always wanted to do
  
• And a hundred other things that center your life on doing good, uplifting, worthwhile activities.

If you’re not a praying person, I hope you get the point. You learn how to stop masturbating by focusing on thinking and doing other things. All of your thoughts must be engaged somewhere else, not on your addiction.

If you haven’t clicked on how to change your thoughts yet, click here.

Another key principle in learning how to stop masturbating is learning to redirect your thoughts. Through advance preparation you learn what to do when an unwanted thought comes to you, or when you feel an urge to act out.

How to redirect your thoughts: a story

I was helping a young man I’ll call Jason (not his real name). He wanted to learn how to stop masturbating.

Jason loved baseball and understood the game very well. He knew that in order to be successful during a game, he had to practice the skills necessary to win. Jason understood the physical skills he needed to play baseball – how to pitch, catch, hit, run, slide, bunt, etc.

Jason also knew that there are /em>mental skills that he had to practice in order to win. He had to mentally be aware of what was going on. He had to mentally prepare for every game situation

For example, let’s say Jason is playing first base.

I asked him, “The batter steps up to the plate, and on the first pitch he hits the ball to you. What do you do?”

“I field the ball, run over, step on the bag, and he’s out.”

“Do you always do that,” I asked?

“Of course,” he says.

I continued, “What if there is already a runner on first?”

“Well, that’s different. I’ll throw him out at second. Then I’ll go back to first and wait for the throw for a double play.”

“Good!” I say. “But what if there’s not only a runner on first, but there’s also a runner on third when the batter hits the ball to you?”

“Well,” Jason says, “depending on what the guy on third is doing, I may look that way to hold him on third and then throw to second. I may have to throw to third or to home to get him out. Since he’s the lead runner, he’s most important consideration at the moment.”

We talked about several other possible situations: bases loaded, pop flyer versus grounder, runners on second and third only, etc.

Finally I ask, “How do you always know what to do in these different situations? You only have a split second to decide. How do you always make the right decision?”

“Practice,” Jason says. “It just takes a lot of practice. I have to practice on the field, and I have to practice in my mind. Then, when a specific situation comes, my response – what I do – comes naturally.

“Ah! So, that’s the secret. Preparation. Practice.”

“Yep, that’s the secret.”

Perfect practice makes perfect

What happens when the thought or feeling comes to act out – to look at pornography, to masturbate, etc.? You have a split second to decide.

Can you imagine what would happen to Jason if the ball were hit to him and he just stood there wondering what to do?

So, let’s look at real life and overcoming pornography, learning how to stop masturbating, or ending any other sexual addiction.

The thought comes to you to act out. For many people the response is, “No! I can’t do it, I can’t do it, I can’t do it!” That’s like Jason standing there holding the ball, not knowing what to do. He doesn’t “make the play” and ends up giving in and acting out.

Another failure experience. The addiction cycle starts over.

When the thought to act out comes, what’s the right move to take? You think or do something worthwhile and positive. You “make the play” and get the runner out – every time. You’re NOT going to think in any way about pornography or any other sexual thing.

A Game Plan

Here’s a game plan that really works, a proven plan that can set you up to win. You or your loved one can be on the road to freedom from masturbation today.