Common Relapse Triggers

Community members most often name a small set of situations before a relapse. These are observations, not causes — a trigger frequently co-occurs with other factors such as tiredness, low mood, or privacy.

• Academic Pressure — Pressure from school or study, such as exams or grades, is a context some community members link to urges.
• Alcohol — Alcohol use is a context some community members link to weaker restraint and more frequent urges.
• Anxiety — Anxiety is a feeling of worry or nervousness that some community members describe before urges or after attempts to stop.
• Being Alone — Being alone, especially at home with a device, is a situation community members frequently link to urges.
• Boredom — Boredom is a state of low stimulation or lack of engagement that community members often name as a trigger for urges.
• Breakup — The end of a relationship is a period some community members link to increased urges, often tied to emotional pain.
• Dating — Dating, including using dating apps, is a context some community members link to urges or slips.
• Emotional Distress — Broad emotional distress — sadness, shame, anger, or overwhelm — is a state some community members link to urges.
• Failure — Experiencing failure or a setback is a situation some community members link to urges, often through discouragement.
• Fatigue — Fatigue, or being tired, is a state some community members link to weaker restraint and stronger urges.
• Frustration — Frustration, a feeling of being blocked or irritated, is a state some community members describe before urges.
• Idle Time — Unstructured, unplanned free time is a context some community members link to urges.
• Insomnia — Insomnia, or difficulty falling or staying asleep, is a situation some community members link to late-night urges.
• Internet Use — General, unstructured internet use is a context some community members link to encountering triggering content or drifting into urges.
• Loneliness — Loneliness is a sense of being disconnected from others that some community members link to stronger urges.
• Nighttime — Nighttime, particularly late evening in bed, is a common time of day for urges according to community reports.
• Phone Use — Phone use, especially in private or at night, is a context some community members link to urges.
• Relationship Problems — Conflict or strain in a relationship is a context some community members link to increased urges.
• Social Media — Social media use is a common context in which community members say they encounter content that leads to urges.
• Stress — Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain that many community members describe before an urge to use pornography.
• Weekend — Weekends, with more free time and less structure, are a period some community members link to more urges.
• Work Pressure — Pressure at work, such as deadlines or heavy workloads, is a context some community members link to urges.

Recognizing your own triggers is consistently described as a turning point. See the full Triggers section for contexts and coping strategies for each one.