How I Quit +18 Content - A Muslim’s Practical Plan (14 Steps)

Assalamu alaykum - I once asked for advice and with your help I found a way forward. I learned these steps from a YouTube video and adapted them for a Muslim lifestyle, so here’s the plan I followed 👇🏼 There are 14 steps in total 1. Admit the Truth: Say it out loud: I am addicted to masturbation, no excuses. Stop lying to yourself. Record yourself saying it or tell someone you trust deeply. Turn that shame into motivation. 2. Picture a Negative Future: Take a notebook or your phone and write: My life in 5 years if nothing changes. Be brutally honest. Imagine yourself still stuck in this habit and write down the consequences. 3. Map Your Triggers: Every time it happens there’s a path leading to it. Keep a Trigger Journal for at least 7 days and after every urge note: - What time was it? - Where were you? - What were you feeling? - What app or site were you on? - What exactly triggered you to look it up? Look for the pattern. 4. Remove Visual Triggers: Once you know your triggers, remove them. Unfollow accounts or delete apps that lead you there. Use site blockers for porn. Clean up your social feeds and stop defending content that harms you. 5. Make Access Hard: Add friction so it’s not easy to relapse: - Keep your phone out of the bedroom at night. - Give the blocker password to someone else. - Turn on screen time limits. - Disable private browsing. Add every possible barrier - addiction feeds on ease. 6. Have an Urge Emergency Plan: When an urge hits, do these immediately: - Stand up. - Do 10 push-ups or 20 jumping jacks. - Splash cold water on your face. - Leave that place. - Call or talk to someone. 7. Replace the Input: If you don’t replace the time you used to spend, your brain will look for porn. Swap that time with: - Quran recitation - Learning a useful skill - Sports or exercise Give your mind new, halal sources of dopamine. 8. Build Daily Micro-Discipline: Small daily habits become big wins. Make these 4 non-negotiables: - Perform the five prayers on time. - 15–20 minutes of Quran daily. - Set a fixed sleep schedule: sleep early, wake early. - 20–30 minutes of exercise or walking. 9. Social Accountability: You can’t always fight this alone. Tell someone trustworthy (or use a trusted accountability tool). Text them a check mark each day you stay clean until it becomes natural. 10. Track Streaks: Use a physical calendar. Mark a big X for every clean day and an O for a slip. Count your streaks and celebrate progress. 11. Rewire Your Brain: Years of porn images are etched into your mind. For at least 30–90 days flood it with positive input: - 20 minutes of Quran recitation daily. - 10 minutes of Islamic talks or beneficial reading. 12. Manage Health & Energy: A weak body fuels cravings. Fix basic habits: - Sleep 7–8 hours. - Eat whole, clean foods. - Exercise regularly. You’ll notice urges decrease. 13. Practice Fasting & Discipline: Fasting disciplines the nafs and teaches control. Try regular fasts (like sunnah/qadha options when possible). Also consider occasional cold showers for willpower. 14. Relapse Recovery Routine: If you relapse, don’t give up. Immediately: - Perform ghusl and cleanse as required. - Pray 2 raka‘ah of tawbah. - Call your accountability partner. - Journal what triggered you and what you’ll change. - Delete whatever caused the relapse. - Fix what you can and start again. This is a personal, simple plan that helped me stay on track. May Allah make it easy for anyone struggling and grant us istiqamah. If you want, I can help you tailor the steps to your situation.