It is really important to look at the motivation for your behaviour and the emotions you are avoiding. If you don’t you will only mask the problem.

However, whilst addressing the underlying motivations for your addictions there are also techniques that can be used to manage urges to go online and access indecent images, as set out below:

• Active distraction – proactively distracting self from fantasy, e.g. having a conversation with someone in real life or doing something enjoyable and healthy for you without being on the computer.

• Tell a safe person – someone from your support network, Ça suffit helpline.
• Thought stopping – physical prompt to stop fantasy, e.g. elastic band around your wrist.
• Urge surfing – ride the urge (drive, sexual fantasy) without acting on it, know it will pass.
• Fantasy blockers – think of “worst case” consequence – e.g. prison or being caught in the act by a partner.
• Escape routes – physically remove self from where you are having the fantasy, e.g. turn off the computer, go for a walk.
• Relaxation techniques – use appropriate guided visualization that works for you – this should be something that has been planned and rehearsed in advance.
• Practice mindfulness: for example, do three minutes of breathing or other techniques:
  https://mindfulness.cps-emotions.be/materiel-adulte.php (French only). Take a course,
  training or workshop in real life or online.
• Observe your general and sexual thoughts towards underage people, as if you were able to see these thoughts written on a wall in front of you. This is a way of seeing them from a distance instead of having your nose glued to them. Then just concentrate on your breathing, breathe slowly and deeply, feel your breath in your body starting at your abdomen, going up to your sternum or chest and back down to your abdomen. In this way, you will learn to fight less against your problematic fantasies, to better manage your inner discomforts.
• Accepting the presence of emotional discomfort: Unpleasant emotions normally always pass.

A long-term technique for managing addiction is self-care – including taking an interest in diet, social life, personal hygiene and exercise. Having an interest in this area can then be drawn on to use in the above techniques, e.g. for ‘active distraction’ going to the gym or cooking a meal.

Make a list which of these techniques you will find most useful or will try using.

It is important to review how well you are managing your urges and the techniques which work well for you. Completing the diary below can be a way of doing this.