Lived Experience Forum

[paulee]

Anyone experienced porn and weed addictions? I've realised this was my coping mechanism. Porn for over 13years and weed for 10. I never took the time to realise it was having a negative effect on me. Anyone recommend someone to speak to or can refer someone in this field?

[CannonSalt]

Hi @paulee , glad you've found us.  You might like to check out Your Brain on Porn, if you haven't found it already - it's a self-help site based around quitting Internet porn.  Yeah, there is a book for sale, but it's for sale tastefully - there's enough information on the site to be useful without needing to buy it. Some of the principles might also be helpful for the weed addiction, too.

Because this is an anonymous forum, we don't recommend or disrecommend specific practitioners, as there would be nothing stopping a provider trying to drum up business by posting a glowing self-review here under a pseudonym - or someone making libellous accusations against an ex-psych.  Your GP might be able to help you begin your search. 

[Mazarita]

Hi @paulee

Good on you for recognising that there are some problems there that might need addressing. I have the smoking problem too and am currently receiving addiction counselling from a psychologist. I first tracked down psychologists in my area through Google searches and rang a few of them to see if they dealt with addictions. Then when I chose a psychologist to try, I went to my GP for a referral under a 'Mental Health Care Plan'. This is a special health scheme which gives a Medicare subsidy for the psychologist sessions.

Alternatively, a forum friend recently gave me another contact to try should I not have success with the psychologist:

National Cannabis Information and Helpline ph 1800 30 40 50 (free call)
11am-7pm est

Best wishes.

[suzanne]

Hi @paulee, you are genuinely not alone in facing these issues.  There are many many young men who retreated from the increasing challenges in their lives (relationships, work, school, family etc etc etc) into a more comfortable existence based on cannabis and porn.  But then they found that years past while their lives were essentially 'paused' and moving back into the world proved difficult.  I used to treat some of these young men back when I was in private practise.  It seems to me that it's becoming an increasingly common response to how difficult life seems to be. 

It's great that you've recognised that they are coping mechanism.  That's a really useful perspective to start from as you can then work on replacing them with more helpful strategies.  Any psychologist that your GP refers you to should be able to work with you on this approach.  As long as they are someone who you feel that you can open up to.  Please don't hestitate to try someone else if you don't feel comfortable with the first person you see.  @Mazarita and @CannonSalt have also provided some really useful resources.

Just getting to the point of realisation you're at is a really good start.  From here I reckon it's important to be determined but patient with yourself.  You may have been relying on these strategies for quite some time so I'll take a while to find other approaches equally as compelling and valuable.  

Do you feel able to talk to your GP?  Or ring the cannabis line?