Madhva Said: Evade masturbation? How? What supported that evasion as compared when you are unable to evade it?

Rishabha's Response: I reduced masturbation a few years ago after I quitted pornography cold turkey. I think I developed some resistance over the years from ignoring the impulse and utilizing distractions earlier on. Sometimes I would jump up and move about if I caught myself approaching that moment of indulgence. Other times I avoided touching the genitals in anyway that may stimulate it. And if stimulation occurred I resisted and busied myself, fighting thoughts of indulgence until it subsided.

I think it also helped that I had sexual partners along the way. As I would forego masturbation for the actual intercourse. Additionally, I sometimes knowingly and unknowingly acted out my prior attraction to porn stars and other females with my partner at the time. This helped me to resist the temptations to resort back to porn. Which was the main culprit for my masturbation.

Now, after years of resisting the temptations, masturbation may occur for me once or twice for the entire year. When it did occur over the past year. It was with a partner over the phone. Porn was not involved, since I am terrified of relapsing to that addiction. But the flirtations, and my exposure and attraction to females in my environment at the time. Lead me to simulate the sexual act over the phone with the partner.

I still get the temptations, and the prods to do it. But my habit is to divert my attention away from it. Doing this has gotten a lot easier over time.

Madhva Said: Suppressed? what does that mean?

I used the word “suppressed” here to declare that I am still victimized by the need for sexual indulgence. The particular experience did not completely eradicate the need for sex indulgence. However, I did not feel inclined to indulge for an extended period of time. Hence, there was a temporary disinterest in sexual intercourse or a temporary release of the need for it.

Madhva Said: Absence of an urge is not necessary caused by suppression of the urge.

Rishabha's Response: Would the appropriate descriptive word be “Suspension?”