When a Navy Seal is in an intense combat situation, they practice combat breathing to focus, remain calm, and get more oxygen to their prefrontal cortex. Instead of the emotional part of their brain controlling them, the logical part of the brain remains online with more oxygen.
Breathing techniques have become common in the last few years, but Navy SEALs have been using combat breathing for decades.
Dr. Andrew Huberman, a renowned neuroscientist, has also emphasized the significant impact controlled breathing can have on reducing anxiety and managing the body’s stress responses. Huberman even talked to a Navy SEAL about the signicant aid breathing techniques provide. Breathing techniques can effectively manage the body’s stress reactions, instantly alleviating that overwhelming sensation of escalating tension that everyone wants to avoid.
Combat breathing is foundational to our BRACE method. BRACE is a tool rooted in brain science and biblical principles that we created to help people quit porn. This approach, backed by both traditional techniques and modern neuroscience, has shown great potential in creating new neurological pathways in the brain.
It’s a testament to the fact that practices employed in extreme scenarios can be beneficial in various battles of life, including overcoming addictions.
While fighting a porn addiction isn’t as intense as being in combat, tapping into some of the same brain science can be applied in the fight for sobriety.
BRACE for Change
The BRACE method is a tool to help people quit porn,by helping them renew their mind. Renewing the mind is how lasting change takes place.
Instead of a sexual temptation leading to the old porn pathway, BRACE helps you build a new pathway.
BRACE stands for:
Breathe Deeply:
Taking deep, diaphragmatic breaths, like combat breathing used by Navy SEALs, helps supply more oxygen to the prefrontal cortex and improves decision-making and control over impulsive behaviors.
Try this: Inhale through your nose slowly for four seconds. (Your stomach should expand). Hold your breath for four seconds. Then exhale slowly through your mouth for four seconds (or however long you need to completely empty your lungs), and your stomach retracts.
Once you start breathing deeply, move to the second step of the BRACE method.
Remember the Truth:
This step involves recalling the teachings of God and one’s identity in Him. Remembering truth re-engages the prefrontal cortex (PFC), stimulating higher reasoning based on morals, values, and consequences. Memorizing God’s Word is a powerfulpractice we encourage here. You remind yourself…
- “The pure in heart will see God.” (Matthew 5:8)
- “Consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God.” (Romans 6:10-11)
- “You are no longer a slave but a son.” (Galatians 4:7)
- “God created man in His own image.” (Genesis 1:27)
Meditating on a Bible verse refocuses your mind on truth. It helps you remember:
- Sin hurts your closeness with Christ.
- The power of sin has been broken.
- You are a son, not a slave.
- You were made in God’s image and have infinite worth and value.
Ask for God’s Help:
Knowing God’s promises is not enough; they must be believed to influence behavior. Therefore, in the face of difficulty, asking God to help you believe the truth you are meditating on is crucial. God will help us when we are tempted. When we ask for help, we are claiming this promise of God: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Ask God to give you the courage to reach out for help, and then move to the next step.
Call an Accountability Partner:
Breaking isolation and engaging with someone trustworthy during temptation is crucial. Engage in accountability with your body regulated and firmly rooted in the truth. Call your accountability partner and let them know you are tempted. If they do not answer, leave a message or send a text. You must reach out for help. Knowing that someone will ask you about it later helps you resist the temptation. Making the call often makes the difference of whether you act out or not.
Escape Temptation:
The final step is to flee temptation, which means getting out of isolation and indulging in healthy activities. Recognizing your temptation and running from it is vital in quitting porn. “Flee sexual immorality”… 1 Cor. 6:18
Those seeking freedom must remember that repetition of porn pathways got them into their addiction, and repetition of new pathways will help get them out. In sixty seconds, someone can start training their brain to have a new response to temptation.
BRACE doesn’t just help people avoid their unhealthy behaviors; it draws from biblical wisdom and brain science to aid individuals in how to quit porn. It allows them to renew their minds by building new brain pathways.
Each time someone uses BRACE instead of turning to porn, they reinforce a fresh, healthy path. Instead of giving in to the temptations of a hijacked brain, they build neural pathways that lead to wise choices and freedom.
If you haven’t checked out our 30-Day Challenge. We encourage you to take the bold, brave step toward freedom with us.
Here is a preview:
Day 10 of the 30-Day Challenge that walks you through the BRACE method.
