If you've ever had an introductory psychology class in high school or college, chances are you've heard of Ivan Pavlov and classical conditioning. At the turn of this century, Russian physician and psychologist Ivan Pavlov had been conducting an experiment involving meat and dogs, presenting dogs with meat and measuring how much the dogs would salivate. However, before the meat was presented to the dogs, a dinner bell was rung. Pavlov noticed something odd: eventually the dogs began salivating as soon as they heard the bell, even when there was no meat present: the bell had taken on the properties of the meat!
Today, we classically condition ourselves (often without realizing it). For example, a woman eats dinner in her living room most of the time. She soon finds that she gets hungry every time she sits in her living room, even though she's recently eaten (and shouldn't be hungry). For another example, a man makes it a habit to read soon before he falls asleep. He eventually discovers that he often becomes lethargic when reading anything, such as documents at his workplace.
Naturally this has a profound impact in regards to pornography. If a man views pornography at his computer a few times, eventually he will condition his body to expect pornography whenever he sits in front of a computer. Because of this classical conditioning, many men have intense cravings to look at pornography whenever they check their email, type their reports, or do anything involving a computer.
How can conditioning be undone? Are those conditioned cursed to remain conditioned? No. Classical conditioning can be undone by repeatedly presenting one stimulus without the other. In the case of pornography, this means using your computer without viewing pornography (could be for days, months, or years depending on the level of addiction). This may be extremely difficult given cravings and temptations, but this is the time to call upon God. Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).
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3 comments:
It sure doesn't help when so many email websites (such as hotmail) include pornographic ads! For men, I don't think you even need to be overcoming a pornography addiction for that to tempt you...it's a weakness to battle for almost every man--if not all men (I think). Know of any free email websites that do not post things like that?
I haven't noticed ads like that on gmail, all text based ads.
I think you are really onto something here. Most guys just fall into the habit of looking at porn websites as a natural part of their computer using experience. I have broken this link for several weeks now. It is quite liberating but it felt very odd at first, like removing most of the furniture from one of your rooms. There is an excitement that goes with the new shaping of the brain too. I only wish more people could make the transition and that I had made it earlier.
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