I don't think I have any good advice to offer, but some words of encouragement. You say you're "pushing 25" as though you are now an old, fully sexually evolved person. You're not. Man I would love to be 25 again (and I'm only 28). I can tell you this; my infatuation with tickling is much less intense than it was 10 years ago, and slightly less intense than it was 3 years ago. That's not to say I find it any less arousing, just that it no longer dominates my toughts as it relates to having sex (during the times in my life when there is a fairly regular sex life - currently single). While the inclusion of tickling is definitely preferred, I can still enjoy a nice trip to pound-town without any. Although, I think I probably do start thinking about it during sex when I am "close", so..
All this being said, I do feel it's ruined my porn life. I have never really watched traditional porn, probably never will, and feel like I have missed out on a major rite of passage and part of a person's life. I'm half kiddnig here, which does however imply that I'm half serious.