keys to maintaining sobriety after the first year

[j0nathan]

What have been the keys to maintaining sobriety after one year of no porn/masturbation?

Here are some things from my experience:
the keys for maintaining sobriety (as i saw them) were:
1- keeping a stable program (finding what works and keeping that level of activity going; if a conflict forces a change, the original level of activity is returned to after the conflict is over)
2- not thinking that the edges are ok (the person that slips after a long period of sobriety usually has been taking in lust hits for a while, but has ignored the effects of them)
3- keeping honest: saying what our biggest problems with regards to our addiction and our addictive thinking are and getting them out of our heads into the light in front of others.
4- working on other character defects: not being complacent, but making ourselves better in other ways
5- returning for help early: coming and staying at meetings when the addiction starts rearing its head in mild ways
6- not letting other priorities interfere with recovery efforts (when things go well it becomes increasingly easy to relegate recovery to "when i've got the time for it"
7- service for others (particularly 12th step, but any type)
8- a spiritual program of improvement

[brian16]

Very useful and comprehensive list! Thank you for sharing! God bless.

Brian

[taino]

AMEN!

[Maddy]

I may get stoned here, but I think that there does become a point where we can beat this and no longer need the 12 steps, the constant "working the program." I mean, part of my recovery has been to not make sex the focus of my life. If I am constantly thinking about recovery, then sex is still a focus. I am not saying that I am "cured" or that I am anywhere near a point in my life where i can not worry about acting out. And I will always be learly of certain television shows, R rated movies, etc. because I know they might trigger. But even now, I don't concentrate too much on my recovery and I like it that way.

but then again, what do i know? I slipped after thinking I would be sober/clean forever.

~maddy

[oparth]

I think they're is some truth to that--but there also is the danger of slipping back when we let our guard down, as you have discovered.