Three Circles Exercise

One of the primary methods to prevent porn addiction relapse, or rather to achieve sustainable sexual sobriety, one needs to relieve all ambiguity in their relapse prevention plan. The Three Circles Exercise is a wonderful way of doing that.

Relapse

Clearly outline all behaviors that meet your definition of relapse. Be as exhaustive and specific as possible.

Leads to Relapse

Here, outline all behaviors, triggers, scenarios, events, people, places, music, substances, venues, seasons, time of day, emotions that SOMETIMES create your preferred acting out scenario.

Positive Self-Care

Sustainable sexual sobriety from problematic sexual behavior (porn addiction, sex addiction, repeated infidelity) is define by either PRESENCE or ABSENCE.

Sexual sobriety defined by absence is the individual who may not be acting out, however, their thoughts still anchor on their preferred acting out behavior from the perspective of trying really hard NOT to engage with it. This can look like counting days of a sobriety streak, waking up afraid/hopeful that acting out will not occur today, etc.

Sexual sobriety defined by presence is the individual who is engaged, empowered and intentional with what it is that they’re filling their life up with and what they are pursuing. Occasional triggers and/or cravings will continue to arise, however, the focus remains on processes tied to the beauty an individual is filling their life up with.