Four months sober: finally beating something I’ve done for almost ten years

Hey everyone, I just hit four months. Ive been stuck in this pattern since I was around twelve. They really pull you in when youre young, and its honestly a pretty messed up industry. For a long time, I didnt even realize how much it was draining my energy and messing with my head. It just felt like my normal, but here I am now 🙂

For those curious about the exact date, I actually kicked it off on May 24th. It was a Friday, and I just decided to start then to get a jump on things.

That first month was definitely the hardest part. I figured out pretty quickly that just trying to power through it with willpower wasnt going to cut it, so I went full strict and blocked all the sites. That honestly was what I was missing, because every time I tried to quit with just willpower before, Id always mess up. The urges do get weaker over time, but Id still suggest keeping those blockers on all the time just to stay in control.

Here is my setup:
– For my phone: I use a blocker that has a strict mode so there is no way to remove it or get around it when I get an urge. The regular apple filters or basic web blockers never worked for me because Id just switch them off whenever a strong urge hit. Not proud of it, but its true.
– For my computer: I set my DNS to Cleanbrowsing, the family filter version, which pretty much wipes out all those sites.

The changes Im actually noticing:
My mental strength is way up. I feel more in the moment and stable, and little problems dont send me into a spiral like they used to. My social life is actually coming back too. Before, I had zero interest in dating or meeting new people, but lately Ive been going out and genuinely enjoying connecting with people again. My overall vibe is just way better. Its hard to explain the fog, but once it lifts, everything feels more alive.

If youve been caught in this since you were a kid like I was, trust me, it is worth the effort. That first month is brutal, but the clarity on the other side is a whole different world. 2026 is going to be our year.

Did anyone else start this around May this year? Let me know in the comments. Thanks.