21m struggling with same gender content addiction

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I've been dealing with a porn addiction for a few years now, and it's something I've been carrying almost entirely alone.

I'm not here to debate religion or my identity. I'm just someone who wants to get better and is looking for practical advice from people who've actually been through something similar — especially if you've navigated this in a religious or cultural context where it's extra hard to open up.

On top of this, I'm going through a bit of a rough patch in life generally — nothing I want to get into too much, but it's pushed me to want to make some real changes. With summer coming up, I've been thinking about getting into the gym and picking up running. I feel like building some structure and taking care of my body might help with the mental side of things too.

A few things I'm looking for:

- How did you actually start making progress with addiction? Apps, therapy, cold turkey?

- How do you deal with the shame spiral that makes you relapse?

- For anyone who's used fitness as part of their recovery — did it actually help, and how did you get started?

- Did you ever talk to anyone in real life about the addiction, and if so, how did you approach that?

Any advice appreciated. Just trying to find a way forward.