How Regular Istighfar Helped Me Break Free from 20 Years of Addiction

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah, I want to share a bit about my experience overcoming a long struggle with pornography and masturbation that lasted over 20 years. I had tried many times to quit but kept failing. I won't go into the harms of these actions since there’s plenty of information already. Instead, I want to talk about one spiritual practice that truly made a difference for me: Istighfar, which means constantly seeking Allah’s forgiveness. Even though I prayed, fasted, and tried to stay true to my faith, the addiction stayed with me for a long time. Alhamdulillah, I started to sincerely ask Allah for help, guidance, and strength to remember Him, be grateful, worship properly, and to stop these sins. I also began learning more about the spiritual benefits of Istighfar by listening to lectures and reflections from scholars and speakers who explained how it changed their lives. I made a goal to say Astaghfirullah as much as I could every day, even when busy. I got a digital counter to keep track, and instead of listening to music during my daily commute, I filled that time with Istighfar. The result was amazing: By Allah’s mercy, I completely lost the desire to watch porn or masturbate. I just finished a full month without these habits, something I never managed before. The longest I had gone in the past 20 years was just one week! The only new thing I did this time was keep up with Istighfar constantly. SubhanAllah, Istighfar changed my heart first, and then my actions followed. If anyone is facing the same struggle and can’t quit, I truly encourage making Istighfar a daily habit with sincere repentance. You’ll see changes not just in your habits but also in your heart and life. I’m happy to answer questions or share more if it helps. May Allah guide and strengthen all of us.