This article was co-authored by Natalia S. David, PsyD. Dr. David is an Assistant Professor in Psychology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and a Psychiatry Consultant at Clements University Hospital and at Zale Lipshy University Hospital. She is a member of the Board of Behavioral Sleep Medicine, the Academy for Integrative Pain Management, and the American Psychological Association’s Division of Health Psychology. In 2017, she received the Baylor Scott & White Research Institute’s Podium Presentation Award and scholarship. She received her PsyD from Alliant International University in 2017 with an emphasis in Health Psychology. This article has been viewed 13,066,112 times.

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To stop a masturbation addiction, one of the best things you can do is to find a new hobby or interest, like painting, playing a sport, or learning a new instrument to fill your time. You can also plan ways to distract yourself when you get tempted to masturbate, such as doing pushups or reading a comic book. If you spend a lot of time alone, try to make plans with friends and family so you can stay busy and distract yourself. Alternatively, you can go for a walk or go to a coffee shop so you’re not sitting at home all the time. If you feel like you really can’t control yourself and your situation isn’t improving, don’t be afraid to reach out to a counselor or psychiatrist for support. For more tips from our Psychology co-author, including how to stop watching porn, read on!