I am more or less okay right now, with a gorgeous wife (thanks to TRP back in 2016), a great paying job, and a car — perhaps being the first person across all generations of my family to have achieved that much.
However, I do have a shitload or addictive behaviors.
If I buy a six pack of beer, I will drink all six at once.
If I buy a bucket of ice cream, I will eat the whole thing in a day.
When I bought a car, I'd drive it for thousands and thousands of kilometers.
When I bought a box of candies, I ate the whole thing in a week.
When I masturbate, I'd do it three, five, eight times in a day.
Generally I can't control myself to moderate the consumption of pleasure.
When I did a detailed DNA test, it showed I may have something messed up about the dopamine receptors and generally a high chance of addictive personality.
How do I begin to fix this part of me? Appreciate any hints, book pointers or your personal stories.
Corneliuscaruso 4y ago
Hypnotherapy
https://youtu.be/Zk6PTX853Fs
whytehorse2021 4y ago
It could be a lack of impulse control. Men don't develop that until age 25 when the prefrontal cortex finishes developing. Anyway, a CBT therapist may be able to help. Basically you replace undesirable behaviours with desirable ones. For dopamine I highly recommend athlete's/runner's high. The only drug that comes even close is phenethylamine and holy shit that is some motherfucking amazing high. Your body can produce it naturally... you just gotta create the right conditions.
[deleted] 4y ago
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Vermillion-Rx Admin 4y ago
I have the same issue. Get addicted to healthy behaviors and activities and find several of them to get addicted to
Further, wean yourself off of things that are artificially overstimulating. Porn for example (I know you didn't list it) is one such example. It's more stimulating in some regards than other sexual stimulation
You list substances more than once. Sugar is often overstimulating and has been shown to be more addictive than drugs in some studies.
Gotta keep your brain as naturally stimulated as possible when dealing with addictive qualities. And find activities that also wind you down and bring you to a state of calmness
Also congratulations on being the first in your family to achieve that status, well done
mattyanon Admin 4y ago
You can't fix the broken part and have life fall into place. You have to tackle it a bit at a time.
Good, you recognise this. Don't buy a 6 pack of beer.
Don't buy a bucket of icecream
Not sure this is the same thing
Then don't do that
Don't do that either - find something more productive to do
Probably, but you're just making excuses now.
Scorpion69_ 4y ago
This pretty much. OP, bro, u gotta take control. Its really as simple as to just stop doing that stuff, and stop buying candies and shit.
Driving ur car a lot is not necessary a bad thing, as long as it doesnt interfere with ur life
SheLarror1234 4y ago
This. I suffered and still somewhat suffer from addictive behaviors. The best solution is a all or nothing approach. If your already able to recognize you patterns, now its time to hack it.
Since you know your going to drink all 6 beers, just dont buy 6 beers or beers at all. Know that whatever beer you buy is going to be drunk all at once. Use your foresight to your advantage.
Same thing with porn and everything else you mentioned. Just dont watch porn. Or better said, dont masterbate. You know that once you start, it will be hard to stop.
Don't buy any sized candy unless you comfortable knowing you will eat the whole thing. Same thing for ice-cream. Look at the labels and accept that you will eat all the servings. When it comes to sugary foods, look for the most nutritious snacks. Eating 5 dark choco trail bars, or other similar snacks with minor health benefits are better than something like a snicker. Look at the nutritional benefits and servings, and accept that all of them will be inside of you.
When it comes to a car, thats not that much of a problem. Cars are made to drive.
ImOnThePoH 4y ago
I have an addictive personality as wel. Porn, video games, sugar, just as you pretty much.
I have found that I need to cut it ALL out. I can't even have a taste of it, because I ALWAYS end up going back down the rabbit hole.
If you know this about yourself, good! It is a gift and a curse. We can't moderate, but when we focus on the things that matter (Family, Health, Career, Finances), it goes a LONG WAY!
You'll be fine. However, I'd advise cutting out things you know to be bad for you.
redhawkes 2 4y ago
Many guys need to understand that you can't use 'everything in moderation' excuse on addictive products (porn/sugar/drugs/games). The term is used by neuroengineers to blame the consumer rather the product.
When you do that, you need to cut one thing at a time. Understand the (CUE-ROUTINE-REWARD) process, and replace the routine. It's not that your personality is addictive, it's the product itself. Once you fry your dopamine receptors, you'll need more of it to reach saturation.