Habits
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Read 'Your Brain on Porn' by Gary Wilson to grasp how pornography impacts neural function.
It was very helpful... it teaches how that material disrupts you.
- You can download the PDF for free.
some people found it on their own
Think of soda as a dessert or treat rather than a regular drink, and only have it in moderation.
This mindset can make it easier to remove sweet drinks from daily routines and helps meet calorie goals.
some people found it on their own
Join a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Smart Recovery, or similar outlets to find community and guidance.
Finding the path is much easier in a group, and you will find support and encouragement.
- Some find AA's philosophy dismissive of previous sobriety gained outside the program.
- Some dislike the biblical shaming elements in AA.
some people found it on their own
Set short-term abstinence targets, like one day or week, instead of aiming for permanent cessation.
Permanence feels unattainable and causes early setbacks; daily focus is much more manageable.
some people found it on their own
Go for a hike, a walk, or a long drive to enjoy nature and clear your mind.
The bright colors and sounds of nature provide absolute bliss.
some people found it on their own
visual10
Read books like 'This Naked Mind' or 'We Are the Luckiest' to reframe your relationship with alcohol.
Read 'This Naked Mind' by Annie Grace to gain perspective and regain a sense of power over drinking.
It helped some readers quit drinking immediately and maintain sobriety for years without desire to drink.
some people found it on their own
- Read books like 'This Naked Mind' or 'We Are the Luckiest' to reframe your relationship with alcohol.9
Search for and read or listen to the 'Easy Peasy Method' for quitting porn.
some people found it on their own
Channel overwhelming sexual energy into positive outputs such as working out, talking to potential partners, starting a business, or engaging in creativity and social activities.
Having romantic interests or being busy with purposeful actions can help you forget about porn and masturbation.
some people found it on their own
Gradually reduce porn intake by increasing the interval between uses before attempting to stop completely.
The less you watch, the less you want to watch; decreasing the dose gradually is best for addiction.
some people found it on their own
- Stop watching porn but continue masturbating if desired, focusing on eliminating the visual stimulus.4
4 more on this
Masturbate using imagination instead of online pornography to reduce reliance on external visual stimuli.
Pornography creates manufactured desire through photos and videos; using imagination is healthier and may naturally decrease masturbation frequency.
some people found it on their own
Read books such as 'After the Affair', 'The Wisdom of a Broken Heart', 'Runaway Husbands', 'Laws of Human Nature' (specifically the chapter on envy), or 'The Lies We Tell Ourselves'.
some people found it on their own
Masturbate using only imagination instead of visual stimuli to retrain your brain.
some people found it on their own
Read James Clear's book 'Atomic Habits' to learn strategies for breaking bad habits.
some people found it on their own
water, soda, drink, coffee18
Place a covered bottle of water on your bedside table before sleeping so it is ready to drink immediately upon waking.
Drink water until you are satisfied before having soda to lower your total intake.
You will likely drink much less soda.
some people found it on their own
Drink two glasses of fluid with each meal to mask the sensation of smaller portion sizes.
It helps prevent feeling the difference in meal size.
one person who lived it
Place a covered bottle of water on your bedside table before sleeping so it is ready to drink immediately upon waking.
Drinking it upon waking helps you feel wide awake almost immediately and avoids the risk of dust, insects, or pets contaminating open glasses.
- Avoid using open glasses due to risks of dust, bugs, spiders, or cats drinking from them.
some people found it on their own
Drink a glass of water before consuming soda or juice to quench thirst first.
Water is absorbed quickly by cells when dehydrated; this approach helps maintain hydration and reduces consumption of sugary drinks because the initial thirst is satisfied.
some people found it on their own
9 more on this
Stop buying soda for home consumption to remove temptation and limit access.
Having it readily available increases the likelihood of drinking it; keeping it out of sight reduces temptation.
some people found it on their own
- Get rid of all soda in your home and decline to order it at restaurants or fast-food places.5
Keep a refillable bottle with you and top it up often so you have water nearby.
some people found it on their own
Replace soda with black coffee to satisfy caffeine needs without the addictive flavor, sugar, or carbonation.
It provides the benefit of caffeine without the specific triggers of soda.
some people found it on their own
If you struggle to quit soda, try switching to sparkling mineral water or club soda as a substitute.
some people found it on their own
Try carbonated water to satisfy the urge for bubbles and tingling sensations.
The fizz provides a similar feel to soda without the downsides.
- Some people find sparkling water disgusting.
some people found it on their own
Wean yourself off coffee by starting with robust black tea, progressing to lower-caffeine varieties, and ending with caffeine-free options such as rooibos.
some people found it on their own
- Stop consuming coffee or other caffeinated drinks later in the day.5
- Switch to black or green tea as a gentler alternative to coffee.3
- Quit caffeine by first reducing cup sizes, moving to half-caf, switching to tea, and finally stopping entirely.3
Add sliced fruit, cucumber, citrus juice, or herbs like mint to plain water to stimulate taste buds and increase enjoyment.
Discovering new flavors and textures can make drinking water more pleasant.
some people found it on their own
Drink decaf coffee occasionally if you love the taste but want to avoid caffeine.
some people found it on their own
Add lemon, lime, cucumber, or mint to water for natural flavoring.
some people found it on their own
- Add sugar-free flavor enhancers like Mio or flavored tea powders to your water.6
activities, cravings, habits, smoking33
Distract yourself with rewarding alternative activities like walking, taking cold showers, doing chores, working, picking up new hobbies, hanging out with people, meditating, reading, drawing, calling a friend, or sitting outside when urges arise.
Focus on staying sober for just today; the days will accumulate into weeks and months.
The time passes faster as you continue.
some people found it on their own
Keep the cash saved from not buying cigarettes in a visible spot to act as a visual incentive.
Seeing the accumulated funds can help resist cravings.
some people found it on their own
Stay busy with productive activities to avoid idle time.
Struggles often arise when you aren't doing much; keeping busy helps prevent urges.
- Do not become too busy, as you can burn out very fast.
some people found it on their own
Identify as a non-smoker rather than a smoker trying to quit.
some people found it on their own
25 more on this
Channel sexual drive into exercise like running, lifting weights, hiking, swimming, or biking.
This releases built-up tension.
some people found it on their own
Carry a limited number of cigarettes in a case while leaving the pack at home to ration your daily intake.
Limiting access forces you to space out smoking and reduces consumption over time.
some people found it on their own
Pick up clean, healthy hobbies such as reading or writing to replace addictive behaviors.
It helps reprogram your brain.
some people found it on their own
- Replace bad habits with good ones that fulfill a similar need.5
One approach that helped: perform push-ups on the floor between video game matches.
It allows you to work out while playing games.
one person who lived it
Remind yourself that cravings often peak and then fade within 10-15 minutes, so try to wait them out.
some people found it on their own
When the urge hits, get yourself out of the situation by doing push-ups or taking a cold shower.
some people found it on their own
- Distract yourself with rewarding alternative activities like walking, taking cold showers, doing chores, working, picking up new hobbies, hanging out with people, meditating, reading, drawing, calling a friend, or sitting outside when urges arise.11
Learn to forgive for your own improvement, not for the sake of the person who hurt you.
some people found it on their own
Acknowledge that you have an issue, since recognizing it is the initial move toward getting better.
some people found it on their own
Accept that progress is not linear and that occasional slips back into bad habits are natural.
some people found it on their own
Replace oral or hand habits during trigger moments with substitutes such as hard candy, chewing gum, a straw, or holding a water bottle.
It helps more than you might expect.
some people found it on their own
Log your alcohol intake daily to develop awareness of your drinking habits and quantities.
This insight motivates reduction and fosters deliberate pauses between drinks for better decision-making.
some people found it on their own
Get your dopamine from other activities, such as picking up heavy stuff at the gym or going for a run.
some people found it on their own
Remove all access to nicotine products immediately to prevent temptation.
Having access leads to frequent use.
some people found it on their own
Delete social media apps from your device to remove distractions designed to keep you engaged.
- Deleting apps may not work if you simply reinstall them when urges return.
some people found it on their own
Identify activities that bring you joy and do them as much as possible.
some people found it on their own
Remove yourself from situations and surroundings associated with smoking to avoid triggering cravings.
Psychological associations between surroundings and smoking actions can trigger cravings.
some people found it on their own
Pick up new hobbies such as photography, chess, hiking, video games, or creative writing.
some people found it on their own
Remove all alcohol from your living space to eliminate temptation and signal a commitment to yourself.
some people found it on their own
- Replace the habit of drinking with specific alternatives like non-alcoholic beverages or walking.7
Join social or physical groups like cooking workshops, sports leagues, hiking clubs, or Toastmasters to meet people and enjoy activities.
some people found it on their own
Ignore cravings by reminding yourself of your reasons for quitting and outwitting your brain's signals.
some people found it on their own
Celebrate small wins, recognizing that any progress is valuable regardless of size.
some people found it on their own
Frame home cooking as a source of happiness rather than deprivation to sustain budget-friendly habits.
one person who lived it
Use the money saved from quitting smoking or drinking to buy yourself something nice.
some people found it on their own
- Celebrate financial savings from not drinking by buying something nice for yourself or someone you love.3
Take up manual activities like knitting or solving Rubik's cubes to keep hands and mind occupied.
some people found it on their own
Chew gum or eat candy whenever a nicotine craving or thought arises.
some people found it on their own