INPUT ARTICLE: Article: While it might be easy to identify specific triggers or situational triggers, such as those above, try to see if you can isolate patterns to your triggers. This understanding can help you become more proactive about the types of things to avoid when trying to decrease sexual thoughts. Do your triggers tend to be more visual or more verbal? Men, for example, tend to be more turned on by visual stimuli, while women might be more affected by verbal ones. If a particular person, time of day, or emotion always leads you to distracting thoughts about sex, learn to identify those triggers that drag your mind into the gutter. Create a list of your triggers. Maybe you always think about sex: First thing in the morning. During a particular class, like gym, yoga, etc. On the bus. When you're supposed to be studying or working. When you're around the opposite/same sex. In bed. While it might seem like a way to satisfy sexual urges temporarily, developing an unhealthy reliance on or relationship with pornography could spiral into more and more sexual thoughts, making it very hard to get free of their grip. Get rid of pornographic videos, magazines, calendars, and other materials in your house and, to the best of your ability, avoid watching it. If you have a firewall guard in your computer, try to enable parental controls, and put the profile to teen so you won't accidentally stumble across any pornography. Parental controls don't have to be just for kids, of course, and you can set them up on all your browsers and other devices. This is basically what you consider the opposite of sexy. You could try turning yourself off by training yourself to think of unsexy things when your mind drifts into sexual territory. Anything that you would consider an unsexy mental diversion could work here. Try thinking about neutral pleasant topics like scenic outdoor views, underwater scenes, puppies, sports bloopers, or chess strategy. You could think of cold-related topics like big and bulky clothing, snow, or winter. Get in your own way and don't allow yourself to think about sex by focusing on these other things. It will become second nature before too long. Find something to do immediately as a diversion. If you're always dwelling on sex during idle bus rides, for example, make a special effort to do something else during your ride, like finishing some homework, reading a new book, or talking to a friend. Or, if you start thinking about sex at boring points in a class, a meeting, or at work, for example, you might start taking notes. By keeping your pen moving, you'll have to stay focused on the conversation at hand and not what's going on in your mind. Keep discussion topics top of mind. If you can't run into a particular person without thinking about sex and getting embarrassed, come up with three specific things you want to ask them next time you see them. You could also come up with more thought-provoking topics that apply to most people, such as those surrounding current events, global affairs, the environment, or even politics. Make a minimum goal to curb your sexual thoughts so that they don't distract you from your other daily activities, such as work or school, and commit to it. If you need help remembering your commitment, wear a piece of jewelry or a simple string around your wrist that will remind you to power through the temptation to get lost in sexual thought. Tell someone about your goal. Telling a trusted friend or family member about your efforts is a good way to help you stay accountable. Have them check in with you regularly to see that you're doing okay and to provide help or suggestions, if needed. Reward yourself for keeping your commitment. This should be pretty straightforward. You could reward yourself with a favorite dessert, a shopping trip, or something else you like. Thinking about sex is a big part of adolescence and adulthood, and you don't need to feel guilty about it. The only way sexual thoughts become a problem is if you can't focus on what you want to think about. Remember that it's not always going to be difficult, and the present urge will pass.

SUMMARY: Understand and anticipate categories of triggers. Know your own particular triggers. Make it difficult to look at pornography. Keep a list of unsexy topics. Replace your triggers with other thoughts and topics. Make a commitment to yourself. Don't beat yourself up.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Get out the knives you'd like to sharpen. Determine how dull the blades are so you know what grit size you'll need on the sharpening stone. To test the blade, slice through a tomato or piece of fruit. Feel how much resistance you're getting as you slice. The more resistance, the duller your knives are. You should also think about how often you use your knives. If you use them every day, they're probably duller than if you only use them every once in a while. You'll need to choose a natural or synthetic stone that can be used wet (soaked in water), with oil, or dry. There are also diamond stones that are actually very small diamonds attached to a metal surface. Stones that are soaked in water are softer stones which means you can quickly sharpen your knives. Unfortunately, these stones will wear down faster than the others. Oil stones are the least expensive and they're made of a harder material. Oil stones are a little messier to use and clean up although the stone will last for a long time. Diamond stones are the most expensive, but they'll last the longest. Sharpening stones are available with different grit sizes. For example, you can choose fine, medium and coarse stones. You should use a coarse stone followed by a fine grit if your knives are dull. If your knives have been sharpened recently or they aren't too dull, consider using a medium grit. Try to use a grit level ranging from 325 (for coarse) to 1200 (for extra fine). You may be able to choose a stone that has different grit levels on both sides.

SUMMARY: Examine your knives. Choose the style of stone. Select the grit of the stone.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: When hedgehogs feel scared or threatened, they curl up in a ball. When your hedgehog uncurls from a ball in your hands or on your lap, it means it's feeling safe, so you'll want to reward that behavior by giving it a treat. Over time, your hedgehog will start to associate spending time with you with safety and rewards. Keep the treats nearby when you're handling your hedgehog so you're able to quickly reward it. One of the best ways to win your hedgehog's trust and affection is to use treats that it will love and want more of. Since hedgehogs are insectivores (insect eaters) in the wild, freeze-dried crickets and mealworms are a great treat to use while you're taming your hedgehog. You can find freeze-dried crickets and mealworms online or at your local pet store. If you don't want to use crickets and mealworms, you can give your hedgehog small pieces of fruits and vegetables like corn, apples, and carrots. Hedgehogs are susceptible to obesity, so you'll want to make sure you're not giving your hedgehog too many treats. While you're taming your hedgehog, stick with 2-3 treats per handling session. If your hedgehog looks like it's gaining a lot of weight, reduce the number of treats you're giving it every day. If you can still see your hedgehog's face, ears, or feet when it curls up in a ball, it's a sign that your hedgehog is overweight.

SUMMARY:
Give your hedgehog treats whenever it uncurls from a ball. Provide treats that hedgehogs love as rewards. Avoid giving your hedgehog too many treats.