Chapter 1: The habit Begins
Alex resided alone in a flat. He spent his days working in an office and returned home to solitude each evening. He appreciated the calm and stillness though occasionally it led to boredom. One evening following a day at work he settled on his bed with his laptop. He wished to watch something to unwind. He recalled noticing some videos on the internet. Choose to select one. Initially it was interesting. He wished to find out what it entailed. He believed it might be amusing and possibly somewhat thrilling.
The time he viewed it an unusual sensation stirred in his stomach. It was thrilling and unfamiliar. He didn't share it with anyone. Keep it private. A bit of guilt crept in. He convinced himself it was typical. Everyone did it occasionally. He considered it simply an amusing way to kill time. He chuckled quietly before shutting the laptop. He went to bed believing it was merely an incident.
That day, at his job he couldn’t get it out of his head. The sensation returned to his thoughts. He questioned what might occur if he viewed it more. That evening upon returning home he powered on his laptop again. The feeling intensified. He watched for a length of time now. His heart. A surge of excitement washed over him. When it ended he felt content and calm yet slightly remorseful. He reassured himself that it was okay. It served merely as a means to improve my mood following a day.
Before long it turned into a routine. Each evening he would settle on his bed. View the videos. Occasionally he missed dinner. Postponed sleep just to keep watching. He began anticipating it more than anything else. On days he even watched in the afternoon whenever he had spare time. Initially he didn't perceive an issue. He believed it was typical. Everyone required a method to unwind.
However gradually he began to observe differences. He experienced fatigue throughout the day. Occasionally he found it hard to focus while working. Small details slipped his mind. He felt unmotivated and occasionally down. He believed it was due to work-related stress. He didn't consider the videos as the cause. He was unwilling to acknowledge it.
One night he settled on his bed more. He powered on the laptop. I began viewing. He assured himself it would only be a while. Yet he continued. Hours went by unnoticed. When he eventually paused a slight shame came over him. He glanced at the clock; it was quite late. He had spent the entire evening watching. The thrill faded. The guilt remained. He kept it to himself. He set the laptop aside. Reclined. He attempted to sleep. His mind overflowed with thoughts. He continued reflecting on what he had seen and desired content.
The following morning he awoke exhausted. He felt sluggish and lacked drive. He didn’t want to leave the bed. He pushed himself to do so. At the office his concentration wavered. His mind kept going to the previous night. He experienced shame and anxiety. He promised himself he wouldn’t repeat it that evening. However, he was aware he probably would.
That evening when he arrived home the same urge returned. He attempted to read a book or watch a film. Nothing seemed thrilling. The sensation within him intensified. He turned on the laptop. Viewed again. This time he reminded himself he had to quit. He had to manage it.. The urge was too powerful. He couldn’t cease. He watched for hours. The thrill and excitement came back. Once it ended he felt remorseful and exhausted. He wished to go to sleep. However he was unable to sleep.
Time went by in this manner. Alex continued observing every evening. Occasionally he would steal a moment during the day. He began concealing it frequently. He kept it secret from everyone. He didn’t want his friends to discover it. He felt embarrassed. Was unable to quit. He convinced himself he was strong and managing it.. Beneath the surface he realized it was turning into an issue.
Occasionally he attempted to engage in activities. He tried reading, viewing programs or chatting with a friend. Yet nothing seemed as thrilling as watching the videos. He understood that he depended on them to experience happiness. He felt puzzled and annoyed. He disliked having these thoughts. He wished to quit. Whenever he considered stopping he became uneasy.
One evening he rested on his bed gazing at the laptop. He reflected on all the moments he had viewed. He experienced feelings of guilt and shame. Yet there was also a thrill. He questioned whether he could quit. He assured himself he wouldn’t watch the day. He made a vow to himself. Still he realized it would be difficult. He had done it frequently so that it had become a habitual part of his day.
Alex began to observe shifts within himself. Despite being surrounded by others he experienced loneliness. His laughter. Occasionally he became irritable quickly. He refused to acknowledge that the videos were the cause. He convinced himself it was merely stress or fatigue. Gradually he distanced himself from friends and gatherings preferring solitude, with his laptop.
Initially he disregarded the indications. He convinced himself it was merely a passing stage. Yet each night without exception he reopened the laptop. The urge and thrill captivated him. He couldn’t deny it. He. Afterward I experienced remorse. He assured himself it would be the occasion but it never ended up that way.
He wanted to stop. He wanted to be normal. But the habit was strong. He felt shame and excitement at the same time. He knew he had a problem but he did not know how to fix it. He closed his laptop and lay down on his bed. He tried to sleep but his mind was full of thoughts about the videos. The habit had begun and Alex did not know that it would grow stronger.