**Sugar Walls>Pixels: Official NoPorn V6** (w/ FAQs, Miscer experiences & interviews)

[b][u]Cliffs:[/u]

-Long ass thread, read it in bits or use CTRL&F with the contents.
-Modern porn (HD, streamable and plenty of content) can be detrimental to your brain functions and personal life
-Quit masturbating to porn and do it moderately to imagination or just orgasm with a partner
-Thread now focused on Noporn
-Noporn/Nofap is for self-improvement, for better sex lives/relationships, fixing dopaminergic systems etc. Don't expect “superpowers”
-New feature: Miscer interviews (PM me or watch vid for info)
-Register @ chains.cc and join this group -[url]http://chains.cc/groups/H4t7cegq1C3Epzp[/url]
-Please check FAQ’s
-Post informative/motivational stuff and personal accounts.
[/b]


[center][youtube]hn13AYrD0cM[/youtube]


[u][size=+3][b]Contents - Don’t forget to use Ctrl&F to navigate![/size][/b][/u][/center]

1. Introduction
[indent]-State of Affairs
-Dopamine: The Helper and The Hindrance
-Dopamine’s link to addiction
-A Revelation
-“Manual Handling”[/indent]2. Incentives
[indent]-NoPorn incentives (including sub-section: Porn’s influence on real sex)
-NoFap incentives[/indent]3. The Reboot Period, and Expectations
[indent]-A Personal Goal
-How Long
-The Porn-Masturbation Link
-What to Expect[/indent]4. The Pursuit
[indent]-Principles
-The Struggle is Real[/indent]5. Motivational/Milestone posts from Miscers
6. FAQ’s/Terms glossary
7. Prostate Health
8. Resources and Misc media
9. Relapse posts (to help think twice)
10. Final words

[center][size=+3][b][u]1. Introduction[/size][/b][/u][/center]


[size=+2][u]State of Affairs[/size][/u]

As time advances in the modern world, something is coming to light;[b] the populous of the world, particularly the “Anglo-sphere” are turning their brains and bodies into mush. [/b] Whether it’s through excessive television/internet/gaming, indulging in foods bereft of nutritional value, or substance abuse (from alcohol to Heroine), sedentary and escapism lifestyles have become more prevalent in the 21st Century- a prevalence that continues to increase today.

This increased prevalence brings an increase in individuals that develop addictions to such activities. Chemical additions (CA’s) are well catalogued in study, however what of the activities that do not introduce chemicals into the body? Findings over the past decade or so have shown that individuals can actually develop an addiction to an [b][i]action[/i][/b]; the previous mentions of television viewing, internet surfing or gaming being relevant examples. These addictions are referred to as [i][b]behavioural addictions. (BA’s)[/b][/i]

[color=Steelblue][size=3][b][i]In the past few years a new behavioural addiction has come to light- an addiction to the viewing of pornography.[/i][/size] Excessive porn usage has shown to produce debilitating issues like Erectile Dysfunction (ED). Masturbation habits have also been brought into question too, due to the association between the two.[/color][/b]

But before we delve into that, let’s discuss the topic of addiction.

The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines addiction as:

[quote]: a strong and harmful need to regularly have something (such as a drug) or do something (such as gamble)
: an unusually great interest in something or a need to do or have something
[/quote]

Addiction is also usually characterised by the “four C’s”:

[img]http://i.imgur.com/YdBI8or.png[/img]

[indent]Source- [url]http://knowledgex.camh.net/primary_care/guidelines_materials/Pregnancy_Lactation/Pages/defining_addiction.aspx[/url][/indent]

The legitimacy of BA’s being actual addictions were once under debate, however in the 2013 published Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) a BA category was introduced. How do BA’s and CA’s occur? Brain chemistry, otherwise known as neurochemistry. Brain functions involve Neurochemicals; organic molecules that participate in neural activity, each of them serving different purposes. Examples include Prolactin, Seratonin, and Melatonin. The one we’re going to focus on however, is [size=2][i][b]Dopamine.[/b][/i][/size]

[size=+2][u]Dopamine: The Helper and The Hindrance [/u][/size]

[quote]Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain's reward and pleasure centres. Dopamine also helps regulate movement and emotional responses, and it enables us not only to see rewards, but to take action to move toward them.

Source- [url]http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/dopamine[/url][/quote]

Simply put, dopamine is your “Go get it” neurochemical. That sensation you get when you’re anticipating or experiencing a positive occurrence- that’s your reward circuitry activating your dopamine receptors and subsequently motivating you to seek the relevant activity.

Here’s a really good article on seeking and dopamine in terms of internet use:

[url]http://www.blog.theteamw.com/2009/11/07/100-things-you-should-know-about-people-8-dopamine-makes-us-addicted-to-seeking-information/[/url]

Clearly dopamine is important; without it, our brain functions would be debilitated and we’d be significantly less motivated in our pursuits. However, it is also responsible for the development of addiction pathways.

[size=+2][u]Dopamine’s link to addiction[/u][/size]

[quote]Using brain scanning equipment researchers have established that all addictions can be traced to dopamine-induced expectations. Expectations of getting “high” keep junkies lying, cheating, stealing, and craving the next fix. For some, the expectations involve *******. For others, it can be nicotine, alcohol, sex, gambling, or food.

Source- [url]http://dopamineproject.org/dopamine-addiction-da/[/url][/quote]


If you consider an activity that evokes dopamine as a stimulus, an activity that may result in addiction can be considered a [size=2][i][b]Super-normal stimulus[/b][/i][/size]-something that produces an exaggerated form of the original response. Our brains may have developed over the course of millennia, but in terms of the past few centuries there’s been little to no development while in contrast our lifestyles have changed drastically.

The contextual example for this thread would be increased exposure/access to sexual material. Predating mass-media and urbanisation, we lived in small communities where sexual prospects would be scarce. The pursuit of said prospects and attempts at trying to copulate with them is a dopaminergic activity- in accordance with one of our most basic functions in life; reproduction. However thanks to technology, we have high speed internet and high definition imagery, the implication of which means we have viewing access to literally thousands upon thousands of women at our fingertips, right inside our homes. Our brain responds as it would to seeing a sexual prospect in real life- only far more intensified as with each new video or picture, dopamine transmission increases.

Maybe you’ve been here at one point; you load up one video, only to find other videos that pique your interest and next thing you know you have multiple tabs open while your arousal is through the roof. This is a dopaminergic high. As mentioned before our brains are not designed to handle a dopamine response to this extent, and prolonged exposure results in the following brain changes:
[indent]1. An overall decline in dopamine, in the form of a lower dopamine response to normal activities
2. A decrease in the number of dopamine receptors available.
3. Loss of grey matter, resulting in fewer connections and ergo less dopamine and dopamine receptors present in the brain.[/indent]

These brain changes, combined with our biological propensity towards dopamine responses will culminate in us pursuing what evokes dopamine regardless-the addictive activity, in this case porn.

[color=Steelblue][b] If you find yourself generally unhappy in life, only finding stimulation through loading up your favourite porn provider there’s a good chance you’re addicted to porn. [size=3][i]The good news is just like any other addiction it can be resolved by a “reboot”-significantly reducing your usage, perhaps even halting it indefinitely (going Cold Turkey). [/size][/i][/b][/color]

There’s also something else to consider-The Coolidge effect:

[img]http://idblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/picture-2.png?w=500&h=276[/img]

In a nutshell, the Coolidge effect is the sexual phenomenon of an individual garnering more arousal from a new source (as opposed to an old one that has lost its novelty). It’s why men who date supermodels end up cheating on them with someone who...isn’t-she simply provided more novelty. And it’s why the avid porn viewer can rarely repeat video’s, resulting in a hard-drive full of erotic scenes (ones they will probably watch once, and keep “just in-case”). And for porn it’s not just novelty in the sense that users seek different actresses, [b]they may also escalate to seeking more explicit material.[/b]

This constant pursuit of novelty is a catalyst for porn addiction, pushing your reward circuitry towards seeking new material all the time.

[url= http://www.yourbrainonporn.com/porn-novelty-and-the-coolidge-effect]This YBOP article goes into further detail (click).[/url]

[size=+2][u]A Revelation[/u][/size]

There’s a lot of scepticism surrounding the concept of porn addiction, mainly because sexual imagery has been around for millennia with apparently no issue. However the sexual imagery of the past was far different from the ubiquity of today, where even a 10 year old can be exposed to porn through their Smartphone.

Up until recently, existing negativity in regards to pornography was merely religious fear mongering on grounds of morality/sin. It goes without saying that these claims were unsubstantiated, and had zero credibility amongst individuals whose belief system differed. However in 2011 a game changer arose, in the form of an Italian study:

[quote] (ANSA) - Rome - More and more young Italian men are suffering from 'sexual anorexia' and are unable to get erections because of Internet porn use that started in their mid-teens, experts have said.

...

"It starts with lower reactions to porn sites, then there is a general drop in libido and in the end it becomes impossible to get an erection".

Source-[url]http://www.ansa.it/web/notizie/rubriche/english/2011/02/24/visualizza_new.html_1583160579.html[/url][/quote]

The phenomenon of being unable to achieve an erection is not new; Erectile-Dysfunction is a problem many men have had to deal with at least once in their lives, and is usually a result of performance-anxiety, stress, fatigue, age, alcohol (whisky-dick) or any combination of those factors. However the individuals in the study did not exhibit any of those traits, resulting in confusion. This was the first instance where porn usage has ostensibly led to [i][b]tangible[/i][/b] implications through study, as opposed to speculative implications. After that study more men that shared such criteria have come forward, many of them claiming that once porn was removed from their lives, their ED alleviated. [b][i]When a single variable is removed, and the problem ceases to exist it is difficult to argue zero causality between the variable and the problem.[/i][/b]

Fast forward to today; where even more studies on the matter have taken place, Porn-Induced Erectile-Dysfunction (PIED) is being recognised as a legitimate condition, and communities have cropped up across the internet full of individuals trying to deter from watching porn (many with successful results) for their own reasons.

[url=http://yourbrainonporn.com/porn-induced-ed-media]A compiled list of media recognising PIED[Click][/url]
[url=http://yourbrainonporn.com/brain-scan-studies-porn-users]Links to Brain Studies on Porn Users that support PIED discussion[Click][/url]

[size=6]Cont.[/size]

[size=+2][u]”Manual handling”[/u][/size]

Let’s pull away from porn temporarily, and discuss masturbation.

[size=3][color=red][b][i]Let me issue a disclaimer: Masturbation is not “wrong”. It’s not unnatural. You are not a better person if you don’t masturbate compared to someone that does.[/b][/i][/size]

However, [b][u]excessive or dependant masturbation[/b][/u] is a different story. [/color]

Have you gone through any of the following scenarios?

[indent]-You’re post-orgasm. Underwear at your ankles, you’re fatigued and if you’re a guy you’re left with flaccid dick in hand and sperm in whatever deposit was within reach beside you. You feel some modicum of shame, realising you’ve once again been playing with yourself for an extended period of time instead of doing something productive. Maybe this is even your 5th session of the day, and it’s gotten to the point where you doing it “just because”. Even worse, perhaps you have a tonne of personal issues that need resolving and now that your session is over every single one of them dawns on you with even more clarity. One of these issues could be a perpetual loneliness from lack of a partner, even.

-You’re thinking of that incredibly cute girl/guy you saw today, and how you failed to approach them. Whether it was from a sense of futility, anxiety, low self-esteem or perhaps you did approach but got rejected horribly-regardless of the circumstance, instead of a creating a potential romantic prospect for yourself you now have sexual frustration, a blow to your confidence and possibly a mental image of them in your head ready to be used for “material”. And you choose to indulge yourself just to experience a modicum of pleasure. Unfortunately, this is a crutch scenario and should be avoided.

-You’ve just had sex with your partner, and although it was an incredibly long session and they received more than enough sexual pleasure from it, you however are left unsatisfied as you did not. Or maybe it doesn’t phase you...but your partner is certainly affected by it. You feel helpless; your partner is convinced they’re too inadequate for you, but the truth is you barely felt anything or simply couldn’t reach climax.[/indent]

If any of these scenarios seem familiar to you, you may want to consider reducing your masturbation frequency as well as porn usage. More detail can be found in the following Incentives section.

[center][size=+3][b][u]2. Incentives[/size][/b][/u][/center]


There are many incentives for why you might choose to go on Nofap/NoPorn, you may have deduced a few from reading previous sections but I outline them here.

[size=+2][u]NoPorn incentives [/size][/u]

[indent]-You’re simply addicted to porn. Your inability to refrain from watching it is not only affecting your productivity, but also your dopaminergic pathways (Read section: Dopamine’s link to addiction). Those pathways are dulled to the point of not being able to enjoy or be motivated towards normal activities. You may also have erectile dysfunction as a result of watching porn (Read section: A Revelation). Regardless of the problem, it’s worth addressing.

-You’re been single and sexless for some time, and you notice everyone around you getting sexual attention. You however are continually left in the dust, and have to resort to porn to relieve the feelings of inadequacy that result. You’ve come to discover this now only serves to exasperate that inadequacy, leading to depression-particularly when that post-orgasm “fog” has lifted. Refraining from porn allows you to find alternative ways of dealing with these inadequacies.

-Continuing on from the above incentive; you’ve had an epiphany and realise that a contributory factor to you being single and sexless is porn actually fulfilling your need for sexual validation- By removing that you may force yourself to get out there and meet a real partner instead.

-You’re in a long-term relationship, and although you care about your partner your porn usage is resulting in neglect and will ultimately lead to a break-up, should the rift grow larger. Maybe it’s hampering your ability to contribute to the relationship, or perhaps you’re not addressing your partner’s sexual needs due to only meeting yours, regardless reducing your porn usage or removing it completely will lead to you increased appreciation of your partner and sex.

-You want to rid yourself of “Porn Standards” (Read the following sub-section)[/indent]

[u]Sub-section: Porn’s influence on real sex[/u]

[QUOTE=Username removed]I'm insecure about my penis size after watching many porn video. Guys with bigger cocks make a girl orgasm just by grabbing and slapping their cawks on their vagina various times. I don't have that luxury. Also, the eyes they make is just....[/QUOTE]

Porn has a huge impact on how we perceive sexual relationships, especially when exposed to it at a young age and therefore have no basis of comparison until we have a sexual partner. [b]In-fact studies have shown that children as young as 10 are exposed to porn[/b], due to increased accessibility through the internet combined with widespread use of devices such as smartphones. Nowadays all it takes to find sexual material is a quick Google search, pop-up or a stray hyperlink. This easy exposure provides an opportunity for a completely skewed perception of sex; all those hours of watching porn or perusing photoshopped pictures of models can establish both unrealistic expectations of a partner and insecurities stemming from the perceived standard we should meet for them.

Unrealistic expectations and personal insecurities derived from sexual media are both image and performance related. In regards to image, females found in sexual media tend to exhibit well-endowed characteristics such as large breasts, a specific hip to waist ratio, faces enhanced by cosmetic products, while the men exhibit chiselled physiques and large, consistently erect penises. Performance related issues are in regards to attributes such as sexual endurance, proficiency, techniques utilised (positions and acts) and a partners willingness to participate said techniques regardless of extremity. Sex acts that are made purely for entertainment purposes could be utilised in moments of intimacy simply because the actors portray said activities as enjoyable. Imagine a scenario where a couple both sharing their first sexual experience; the female is incredibly nervous and feels vulnerable, but the male puts on a rough, extremely dominant act because a porn film convinced him it’s what girls like. Perhaps the female has also been exposed to such material herself, and feels obligated to follow the act simply to please her partner. This is far from an ideal introduction to intercourse.

[B][size=3]So what’s the truth?[/B][/size]

Let’s focus on two male grievances for a moment; penis size and erection “quality”. The average male length is only 5.5 inches, and anything above 4 inches is usually enough to please a female, so any insecurity in regards to having sub-8 should be quashed immediately. In fact, for a male having an incredibly large penis may be a detriment; if he finds himself with a partner who cannot accommodate it comfortably he has to be wary of his actions, while an average man can go “balls deep” without caution. If you do happen to be unfortunate enough to be below 4’, oral pleasure (given an adequate amount of effort) is still a sufficient alternative, which should be more than enough incentive to master the craft and potentially be a better lover than her previous, more-endowed ones. [i][b]At the end of the day-if at any time a girl judges you by your penis size, she is simply not worth your time.[/b][/i] Another grievance reserved for males is the propensity towards maintaining an erection, a grievance especially common amongst Nofap/Noporn community members that suffer from PIED. Grave concerns over not being able to achieve “100% erections” for entire sex sessions are abound, and it’s extremely unsettling to see the amount of anxiety they display over it (probably exacerbating the issue, completely unbeknownst to them). Porn’s depiction of sexual relations and lack of behind-the-scenes discussion is at fault:

[quote] Sometimes, the shots are shot out of sequence in a porn film. The last scene is shot first so that the man can erupt without worrying about having to stay all bottled up for a long period of time. Then, after the last shot is shot, the rest of the sequence goes on, and the male doesn’t have to worry about ejaculating. Sometimes, you might spot a semi-flaccid erection, and this is because the male porn star is still recovering from the climax. If you’ve ever been puzzled or perplexed by a semi-hard penis throughout a sex scene, then you’re not alone. The man probably already came.

...

Sometimes, there are additional support members that give the stars oral sex between takes. These people are called “fluffers”.

...

The reality is that you have to keep it up for 1-4 hours if you want to be a porn star, and that’s just not possible without supplements.

Source-[url]http://www.totalpenishealth.com/article/how-do-porn-stars-do-it[/url][/quote]

Moving on from solely male grievances, the vast majority of men and women do not require perfect physiques on their partners to find them sexually attractive. Females tend to be emotionally driven, deriving attraction from personal connection and comfort rather than pure visuals. And although it’s true that males tend to be attracted on a visceral basis which includes the visual spectrum, sexual appeal is not merely limited to aesthetics but is also attributed by things such as body language, sexual expression and amiability.

Finally, porn provides the grave misconception that all women are capable of having countless orgasms, and with barely any effort from the male beyond simple penetration and thrusting. And on the man’s part is able have penetrative sex for 20+ minutes, until the girl is thoroughly spent. The truth is in porn it’s very common for girls to fake orgasms while they perform for the camera, finding it difficult to relax in that environment but still having to provide their demographic with the required entertainment. Not only that but while it’s not incredibly rare, not every woman has the capacity to have 5+ orgasms per session; some women struggle to even have one, especially with penetration alone. And regarding session length, it’s not mandatory to be able to keep going for hours on end. In fact after a substantial amount of time vaginal lubrication can diminish, making continual intercourse a sore and sometimes even painful experience. Any girl will tell you that they would rather their partner ejaculate within 10 minutes of intercourse than not at all, because sex is a bonding and sexual validation exercise rather than a means to an end.

To conclude: Any degree of perceptions derived from porn usage as opposed to actual sex, are in danger of being an example of “Porn Standards”. Considering the increasing prevalence of disorders such as Body Dysmorphia and Performance Anxiety in today’s modern society, it’s possible to argue correlation between this increase and the documented increase in porn usage. Beyond the HD cameras and professional editing almost everyone has imperfections, and not everyone will be comfortable with propositions; not acknowledging and addressing this may hinder your ability to connect with someone. Also not only will dissociating yourself from porn and other artificial imagery help you find beauty in natural looks and appreciate “vanilla” sex, you may find yourself engaging in less objectification and find yourself paying attention to more subtle cues of attraction. Being attracted to personality, eye contact, and body language becomes the name of the game instead.

[size=6]Cont.[/size]

[size=+2][u]NoFap incentives[/size][/u]

[indent]-Masturbation for you is simply too frequent an occurrence in life; leading to bouts of fatigue through exertion, and feelings of complacency through sexual fulfilment. Both of these attribute to an overall reduction in personal drive, so in essence cutting back will in theory increase your overall energy levels and productivity.

-Masturbation has become a coping mechanism or crutch to deal with your inability to attract a woman. Or, you simply refrain from approaching girls due to the effort required, instead addressing your sexual needs through pleasuring yourself (making it a cop-out). When you don’t masturbate the only way you can experience sexual pleasure is to approach, flirt with and hopefully sleep with a partner. The alternative is getting nothing (disregarding any nocturnal emissions). Without masturbation to fall back on you might find yourself sleeping with more partners than you could ever imagine, or even find someone to spend your life with.

-You struggle to orgasm, regardless of intense sexual attraction. Or maybe you simply struggle to orgasm while using a condom. The opposite of Premature-Ejaculation, this is referred to as Delayed-Ejaculation (DE) and could be caused by several factors.

Desensitisation is a primary cause; without sufficient stimulation, mental or physical it can be difficult to climax. This can be porn-induced, being so accustomed to having an orgasm through porn (Pavlovian conditioning) that intercourse doesn’t cut it. Or it can manifest physically, wherein your nerves have been exposed to such a high frequency of stimulation that your organ has significantly reduced sensitivity.

Other factors could be “Death-Grip” syndrome, underlying psychological issues such as performance anxiety, or simply being so accustomed to achieving orgasm though self-pleasure that your partner’s technique or sex organ can’t compete. Quitting the habit may help you “re-wire” to climaxing with your partner.


-You are in a relationship and feel that your sex life could be enhanced by restricting your sexual release to intercourse with your partner. Increased sensitivity, stronger orgasms (higher volume of semen for men in particular), and an overall increased drive to be intimate with your partner are all benefits to be found.

-An absolute test of willpower and determination. Due to our innate biological imperative to reproduce and ergo orgasm, to abstain from that is to defy our very biology which is very difficult to override. Developing the willpower to defy your own biology may lead to increased mental capacity in other aspects of life. [/indent]

[center][size=+3][b][u]3. The reboot period, and expectations [/size][/b][/u][/center]

[size=+2][u]A Personal Goal[/size][/u]

As outlined in the incentives, everyone has different goals. By entering this thread you may already have a purpose, if not it’s essential you create one so you have something to pursue.

[color=forestgreen][size=+2]It needs stating that what [i][b]you[/b][/i] ultimately choose to do should be based on:[/size]
[indent]-Your own critical thinking process
-Your current, personally acknowledged circumstances [/color][/indent]
[size=+2][color=red]And not:[/size]
[indent]-External motivating factors, e.g glowing testimonies, jumping on a bandwagon, or coercion. [/indent]
I cannot re-iterate it enough, abstaining from porn or masturbation is a choice you have to make with your own conviction. Anything less will result in reduced dedication, as you're not truly doing it for yourself.[/color]

Read the incentives, see if you can relate to anything written there and make your decision.

While we’re on the subject of this being a personal goal, I will take the opportunity to iterate an important aspect. Quitting porn, whether on a temporary or permanent basis, is a [b][i]personal choice. [/b][/i]In effect you should not try to enforce this lifestyle onto other people, and that includes your partner. This could be anything from internally judging someone who chooses to watch porn or masturbate, to outright attempts at convincing that what they’re doing is wrong. In terms of your partner they may derive enjoyment from exchanging intimate pictures or pleasure themselves over you, and who are you to deprive them of that because of your lifestyle? There is more detail on what Noporn/Nofap entails while in a relationship in the FAQ’s, due to the frequency in which users query the subject.
With that out of the way, let’s presume you’re here to reboot. And in turn, [size=+2]let’s talk about rebooting itself[/size].

Rebooting is the collective term used by the overall community to denote the recovery process that the brain undergoes, when you deprive it of the stimulus you are conditioned to-whether it is porn or masturbation.

[quote]If an addiction-related brain changes or sexual conditioning are underlying your symptoms, you need to reverse the process by giving your brain a well deserved time-out.

...

The quickest way to reboot is to give your brain a rest from artificial sexual stimulation—porn, porn fantasy, erotica, and for some - masturbation and orgasm.

-Source- [url]http://yourbrainonporn.com/reboot_your_brain[/url] [/quote]

That entire article is recommended reading, by the way.

[size=+2][u]How Long[/size][/u]

So, how long does this process take? Well, there are a lot of misconceptions floating around regarding this. Fortunately this write-up was peer-reviewed by Gary Wilson of YBOP prior to being “published”, and as a result we get to clear up a few things. Quite often Nofappers will cite “90 days” as being a good guideline; however this is just a figure established by the reddit community with no empirical science behind it. In terms of PIED, there was never any “X days” on reuniting.info (the first website discussing the condition). A more accurate consensus is that the length of time is usually determined by the severity of the addiction, rather than an arbitrary number. You may find your symptoms dissipate within a month, or it may take longer. Ideally-at least until your issues are resolved-you should completely avoid pornographic material and refrain from masturbation, either abstaining entirely or limiting it to imagination on a moderate basis (as opposed to using porn and compulsively). Regarding sexual relations that’s your choice, real sex with a real partner will always be favourable but some individuals still chose to go “hard mode” (avoiding all sexual activity).

However as a disclaimer, Gary offered this:

[quote]Many of the young PIED sufferers become asexual [when going “hard mode”], and need to seek out real partners to rewire - as you know. It's as if their brains are in the wilderness searching for the right form of stimulation. So longer may not be better...[/quote]

You can also choose to taper off from porn, for example going a couple of days, then longer and so forth until you reach your goal. However attempts at this rarely works, probably due to the amount of leeway available.

If you don’t need to reboot, and are doing it for other reasons the same applies except the duration is of your own choosing. However you may still want to consider avoiding masturbation for your chosen period, due to the activities being so linked. Read the following section for more information.

[color=red][b]Falling victim to any urges you have and thereby viewing porn or masturbating without intending to so prior to those urges is known within the community as a “Relapse”.[/color][/b]

You may be familiar with this word when it comes to relapses in the context of substance abuse, however it differs in the sense that your progress is not completed removed. In this context relapse is just a community driven term and it's important you acknowledge this so that if you do "relapse" you can pick yourself up and move on, instead of dwelling on yourself having to potentially start from scratch and suffering the anxiety that comes with that.

[size=+2][u]The Porn-Masturbation Link[/size][/u]

In the previous section I mentioned that the best approach to quitting porn is by also quitting masturbation. Now this isn’t some underlying attempt to make you take your abstinence a step further, regardless of your opinion of self-pleasure it’s been shown time and again that both activities are linked. Obviously when you watch porn, you’re doing it for the purpose of getting aroused and subsequently pleasuring yourself. So by that alone, porn usage and masturbation frequency are linked and if you want to reduce your porn usage you should consider reducing your masturbation frequency in tandem.

Even guys who have managed to go for months without doing either, have somehow found themselves viewing porn again once they introduce masturbation into their life again. IZionLionI expresses his personal view on the subject:

[QUOTE=IZionLionI;1021058183]I agree that porn is the greater evil than fapping, and fapping + porn is the worst. But my position is that for the purposes of this endeavor, you should do neither. Whether that is for 30 days, 90 days, 120 days, or whatever period of time one is doing the challenge. For me, No Fap goes beyond, if you will, the more mechanistic view of simply not watching porn and/or not masturbating. It is an opportunity to improve yourself and gain greater control over your actions. Abstaining from fapping is an important part of that, at least to me. Go out and smash women instead of fapping.

Maybe we need to come up with different terms for what people are doing, since we have different definitions of what constitutes what. Some people are abstaining from porn, some people are abstaining from masturbation, and some are abstaining from both. Porn is often viewed as the best masturbation aid, and "fap" is generally slang for masturbation. To me, No Fap always meant avoiding both masturbation and porn.

Essentially, here's my logical process:

1. "Fap" means "masturbation."
2. Porn is generally used as a "masturbation aid." (rightly or wrongly, and putting aside how addicting it is for a moment)
3. You abstain from masturbation.
4. If you don't masturbate, there's no reason to be watching porn. Porn is also very likely to trigger masturbation.

So there's a feedback cycle. Masturbation --> Porn, or Porn --> Masturbation. So my position is, don't do either. Many people can masturbate without porn. But for those of us who have been porn addicts - even if you completed a reboot cycle of whatever length - masturbation can always trigger relapses into porn. Can you ever say that you've truly, 100% purged the addiction? It just seems like tempting fate to me (fapping without porn, but also watching porn but trying not to fap). Recovering meth addicts don't sit around looking at meth rocks all day. They should be avoiding them, period.[/QUOTE]

Another POV from HunterMC6:
[QUOTE=HunterMC6;1247182783]Masturbation for those addicted to porn is so heavily linked it's nearly impossible to do one and not the other hence why we advocate not doing either one. There have been many many members here who have said I can quit porn and fap, only to return to porn within a few weeks. Once the association is gone I personally think it is fine but how long does that take? Something you have been doing for the better part of your life just doesn't go away that quickly. This is like a former alcoholic partier, going to a party and claiming they are not going to drink...[/QUOTE]

[size=6]Cont.[/size]

[size=+2][u]What to expect[/size][/u]

First of all; [b]drop all expectations.[/b] Nofap/Noporn pages are inundated with anecdotes of gents experiencing incredible changes, and claiming you’ll have them too. These can including an improvement in skin condition, a deeper voice, and being irresistible to women. I’ve even read an account where someone said they grew taller! But the truth is everyone’s experience is different; if you start this journey being convinced X will happen and it doesn’t immediately you’ll simply get frustrated and swear off abstinence completely. The best way to make anything happen while on this is to maintain a positive attitude, keep your determination high, and more importantly [color=Darkorange][size=3][b]leave the house, get out of your comfort zone and expand your horizons!!![/b][/size][/color]

[QUOTE=HunterMC6;1251573531]There isn't a special day for anything to fall into place here, you are not a bride on her wedding day, you are facing a crossroads in your life over a physical and chemical addiction. No-fap doesn't make you a god among men, it won't give you a bigger dink, nor will no-fap itself give you more confidence. That **** is all on you. This is just a step in the right direction so use it as a starting block to propel yourself.

Just understand that the "benefits" behind all this have no scientific backing and are most likely a placebo type of thing. The only way to carry them beyond the feelings of the first few weeks is to work at it, don’t look for a specific day or date for this to happen. Make it happen.[/QUOTE]

Now that all expectations are dropped, this is how your experience is likely to play out. That is, provided you don’t have sex or wet dreams. If you do, not much will change on a physiological basis. Anyway usually the first 1-2 weeks are the most difficult, with the exception of hitting a flatline (Please refer to the FAQ’s if you’re unaware on flatlining). This is for several reasons:

[indent]a) You’ll have to deal with the chaser effect (Refer to Glossary of terms)
b) If this is your first attempt, your inexperience with sexual frustration may result in difficulty to maintain a mental equilibrium.
c) If you’re a male, based on the well-known Chinese study, your testosterone levels will peak around days 7-9, putting you at a high-state of arousal. If you are a female obviously this is not an issue, however your highest state of arousal will instead be during the ovulation stage of your cycle.[/indent]

After those initial two weeks things are considerably easier; testosterone levels normalise, your experience thus far has resulted in you developing the mental capacity to deal with frustrations (to a certain extent), and it is often said that it takes 21 days to form a habit. From here on after, any difficulty you have will be determined by a number of factors; such as having a rough day and being so bummed out you’ll be tempted to relapse, or having a random day of high libido and having to deal with the consistent arousal that results. But be assured, as long as you don’t let your guard down it will get progressively easier as you become more attuned to how your body reacts to sexual deprivation. For continued effort, you may experience the following:

[indent]-A propensity towards seeking more productive dopamine stimuli, such as making new friends, discovering new music or trying out new hobbies.
-Gradually improved interactions with the opposite sex; due to lack of a “plan b” option, you’ll put more effort towards attracting them. You may also find yourself being attracted by more subtle cues such as eye contact and how a girl carries herself, rather than porn conditioning.
-Having a stronger inner-belief, as you’re conquering your own natural impulses.
-Appreciating other things in life more, as your brain becomes wired to produce dopaminergic responses from a variety of things instead of solely porn.
-Increased sensitivity, resulting in not only higher levels of arousal but also a lower threshold for becoming aroused. You may also benefit from multiple orgasms (Check FAQ on implications for more information)
-Nocturnal Emissions (Check the FAQ’s for more information)[/indent]

What happens after you reboot, or achieve your goal? First of all, enjoy your new life and take this experience into other avenues of it. You conquered your innate sexual urges; who knows what else you could conquer. Secondly, decide what you want to do next regarding self-pleasure. Are you going to aim for a longer streak? Have you realised that masturbation is not a necessity and can continue on without it? Perhaps you’ve acquired a partner, and enjoy more than enough sex as a result of it? Or maybe you haven’t, and want to masturbate occasionally for personal reasons. It’s up to you.

[b]If you choose to masturbate again, do your utmost to remain vigilant and don’t fall back into old habits. Many gents have gone over 100 days, and convinced they’ll never touch porn again they moderate only to find themselves binging on pornography again later in the year. [/b]


[center][size=+3][b][u]4. The Pursuit[/size][/b][/u][/center]

[size=+2][u]Principles[/size][/u]


As mentioned in the opening video, this replaces the Rules section.


-[U]It’s wholly recommended that you don’t have a “final fap/porn” session.[/U] Barbara Sher’s quote on “Now being the operative word” couldn’t be more relevant here. You may be tempted to have “One last Hurrah” before quitting for an extended period of time, perhaps on the premise that getting it out of your system will make it easier. However this only serves to emphasise how much you enjoy it; you deem it necessary to experience it just one more time. And what stops you having “just one more time” the next day, and the next? Equate it to quitting smoking or drinking, you know anyone who follows the precedent of “Just one more cigarette” is doomed to fail and this is no different. If you truly want to do something, you’ll do it [size=+2]Now[/size].

[quote]“''Now'' is the operative word. Everything you put in your way is just a method of putting off the hour when you could actually be doing your dream. You don't need endless time and perfect conditions. Do it now. Do it today. Do it for twenty minutes and watch your heart start beating.”

-Barbara Sher[/quote]


-[U]No “Viewing with Intent”.[/U] Essentially this means seeking out any sexual material under the premise of garnering arousal- curiosity will have little consequence given it doesn’t go beyond that, but it’s up to the individual to determine which side of the line they’re on. [b][i]If in doubt, do not check it out.[/i][/b] Reason being is that regardless of the context, anything sexual that jacks up your dopamine is detrimental to progress. And even worse; if you’re avoiding masturbation you might not be able to resist the temptation, ultimately leading to a relapse.


-[U]If you’re on Nofap; refrain from Edging, Jelqing or any kind of prolonged physical touching beyond hygiene purposes[/U].

Edging is masturbation without reaching orgasm, and is not advocated for several reasons:

[indent]a) You’re still masturbating, orgasm or not.
b) It is far worse for productivity than just masturbating for a few minutes, with some gents reported having gone for hours at a time.
c) It is extremely detrimental for dopaminergic pathways
d) Not really related to Nofap, but edging may develop a desensitization that eventually inhibits your ability to enjoy sex.[/indent]

[quote] If you are edging to porn you are combining naturally high dopamine levels of masturbation with the dopamine raising abilities of 1) exciting, novel visuals 2) searching the net for porn 3) finding surprising or shocking genres. Edging can keep dopamine levels elevated for hours, and train the brain to require constant visual stimulation, rapid-fire novelty, clicking from scene to scene, and your own hand. None of this matches real sex.

Source- [url]http://yourbrainonporn.com/what-if-i-use-porn-without-orgasm[/url][/quote]

Jelqing is a practice that practitioners claim increases penile size, through a daily 30-40min routine. The user MegaPump has experience with it, and here is his input on why it should be avoided:

[QUOTE=MegaPump;1165884003]Personally I see jelqing just like masturbation, I prefer not to do it and see it as the same or similar thing. But thats just me. I dont see the point of it since you gotta do it every day for the rest of your life and the results arnt great at all other than a few mm in girth. Maybe better erections and a visually more muscular looking penis, but the problem is you can get addicted to seeing your dick that way. I use to jelq but now im shamed to do it. I personally dont wanna be handling my dick like that every ****ing day.

I just accept my penis for what it is. Dont watch porn and you wont think your small. Its porn that makes you want to enlarge your dick!

Jelqing involves masturbation and playing with your dick. Its still very pleasurable especially at 80% like I was doing it, and your still shooting off the same sex hormones and chemical reactions (dopamine) as fapping.[/QUOTE]

We’ve already discussed porn’s influence on sex, and MegaPump brings that influence into light once more with his statement. It begs to question how many guys who choose to Jelq do so because of porn, and if the practice would even exist if porn did not.

-[U]Go beyond simply quitting porn or masturbation.[/U] Although many individuals automatically garner motivation towards other aspects of their life, you may find yourself an exception to the rule. Also, as abstinence becomes more common practice to you its empowering effect will diminish so it’s imperative that you implement changes into your life from day 1, rather than delay them. These changes may also aid progress, as you’ll have much less opportunity to masturbate-the concept of masturbation to relieve boredom may be familiar to you.

[color=Darkorange][b]Take up a new hobby, or multiple ones. Put more dedication into losing weight/gaining muscle, if you’re not doing so already. Go outside more often, increase your social activity. Travel outside of your hometown, and discover a world of natural beauty not found on your computer screen. There are so many things to learn and experience in life, things you may have thought yourself incapable of. Defying your very nature to act on sexual impulse is a powerful trait, and you may find that very power can help you accomplish those exact things.[/b][/color]

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/v45cGea.jpg[/IMG]

Check out Rusty82’s post in the following section for a good outlook on this.

[size=6]Cont.[/size]

[size=+2][u]The Struggle is Real[/size][/u]

You only have to spend 5-10 minutes reading entries in communities like this one to observe that abstinence is incredibly difficult for the average person to do, especially given our biological impulses. Not just those with a penis either, even females have urges which they find difficult to suppress, particularly during ovulation. Moreover it doesn’t help that most of us live in a post-sexual revolution culture, where sexual imagery is ubiquitous and expressing sexuality is wholly encouraged.

[url=http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=156827083&p=1249511861&viewfull=1#post1249511861]Here’s a post from Hunter which displays an amalgamation of difficulties through quoting other user’s struggles [click].[/url]

So how do you deal with struggles? Unfortunately there’s no “easy way”, no magic formula or technique to avoid a relapse. You can ask successful users all you want; but they cannot give you a definitive answer, at least not something that is guaranteed to work anyway. Most of them just developed the willpower over time, or created methods which worked for them personally. Yes you can use blockers, but the brain has an amazing capacity to seek what it wants-and it wants nothing more than to meet its sexual needs; you will find yourself attempting to bypass them or seek alternative sources of arousal. Regardless perhaps the following will help you on your journey, should you find yourself in a state of high arousal:

[indent]- Take cold showers, in-fact do some research into the benefits of cold showers and consider implementing them regardless of arousal.
-Whenever you get urges, distract yourself with an activity. Quick, high intensity exercise such as running or calisthenics, reading, or making something to eat are just a few examples. Perhaps you’ve recently picked up something new as another aspect of personal development, what better opportunity to work on it.
-Some users attest to squeezing the area above your knee to an almost painful degree, in order to lose an erection that seemingly won’t go away.
-Establish a meditative technique or a Pattern-interrupt (Look up pattern interrupting if you’ve never heard of it). I myself have a power stance, find what works for you.
-Aforementioned porn blockers. Although it’s my opinion you should be able to succeed without one, it’s been a useful tool for many. Check the resources section for links.
-Read accounts of people who have succeeded, or read accounts of those who struggle but maintain their course and understand you have the same power inside of you.
-Share what you’re doing with other people, for some accountability and someone you can communicate with should you find difficulty. If you’re addicted and have an SO it’s imperative to confide in her so she can provide you with emotional support. [/indent]

The user gloria7 gave her input on this subject:

[QUOTE=gloria7;1264361601]Like almost 100% of us attempting to quit fap & porn, first days can be smooth sailing after e.g. a "binge" or feel like death. Sometimes it didn't feel any different than what quiting smoking or drugs/medication feels. You feel anxious, helpless, full of rage and you can't think about anything else. At that point you can give up or take a deep breath and realize what this actually means. You realize the degree at which this habit has consumed you.

The more torturing the feelings, the more "damaged" you are, physically (several articles and videos have been posted regarding hormone imbalances) and emotionally. You've been doing this for so long that it feels natural. You absolutely need to do it to have an ordinary day. However once you quit and go fap/porn free for a decent amount of days, you look back -or relapse- and you are disgusted because you have already make so much progress towards being what actually "normal human being" means: You are energized, productive, you aim for human contact and you have this feeling that you could do anything you put in your mind because you are winning the battle against your deeper instincts.

Then you wonder: now what? Those moments come when you feel like you failed yourself even if you haven't failed PM(O) because you had a bad day or just a boring hour. You feel like being alone and you have zero motivation to do anything; or maybe you actually achieved whatever you wanted but still there's something missing. You get depressed out of nowhere, you think everything is pointless and you're contemplating whether you should just masturbate just to be occupied and feel good for a few minutes. This is no different from issues like emotional eating-obese people and/or individuals with eating disorders running away from their emotions and numbing themselves through tons of food-or alcoholics.

The real issues are still there the next day and you've wasted another day of your life by standing in the same spot. And the people who actually go out there, getting out of their comfort zone, working towards their goals make you look like you are running backwards. They are not better than you. They just [i]do[/i] and you don't.

It's easier to say "**** it" and go back to being pathetic but you actually forget that nothing hurts more than quitting. If you're tired starting over, stop giving up. It can get rough at times but those moments are just another door. You break through every one you find and eventually you will be "out".[/QUOTE]

[center][size=+3][b][u]5. Motivational/Milestone posts from Miscers[/size][/b][/u][/center]

These are posts taken from previous threads that I’ve chosen personally. I have many more archived on my computer, and I’ll be archiving any made during this thread too. Make sure you’re included! I tend to save anything that is elaborate, demonstrates passion and is a result of having admiral experience. Any 90+ day reports are added by default. In order to save space on this thread, I’ve pasted the posts onto my blog and you can view them there. Simply click on the name and you’ll be transported to the relevant page.

[url=http://moveagainstmediocrity.wordpress.com/2014/12/28/rusty82s-observations/]Rusty82’s observations[/url][quote=Exerpt] I don’t want to look back on my life and regret wasting so many beautiful days. It’s my greatest fear. But first I had to wake up and crucially examine every minute of my day. and it was uncomfortable to face the reality of what I was. [/quote]

[url=http://moveagainstmediocrity.wordpress.com/2014/12/28/gloria7s-take/]Gloria7’s Take[/url]
[quote=Excerpt] When you fap and/or watch porn you are hiding as deep as you can in your own special bottomless hole called comfort zone. Everything else becomes second, third, 100th priority. Not only what you think you have to do but especially what you, as a human being, need to do.[/quote]

[url=http://moveagainstmediocrity.wordpress.com/2014/12/28/huntermc6s-milestone-post/]HunterMC6’s “Milestone” post[/url][quote=Excerpt] This has been a long time in the making, to say the least. I have been on this no-fap journey for over 2 years now. Lost track of my actual day count but I started October 18th 2011. It’s funny that I actually remember this date as most “important” dates I typically forget. Guess they aren’t as important as they seem. Anyways I am going to summarize my journey because after typing it all up I realized it is the same regurgitated topic that has been covered over and over ITT. I really want to cover few topics that are important so here we go:[/quote]

[url=http://moveagainstmediocrity.wordpress.com/2014/12/28/x_exhaust_xs-90-day-account/] x_Exhaust_x’s 90 day account[/url][quote=Excerpt] It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but I’ve finally hit day 90 after countless failures. Instead of writing an inspirational story, I will cut to the chase and keep everything short, sweet and simple.[/quote]

[url=http://moveagainstmediocrity.wordpress.com/2014/12/28/daath-triple-digits/]Daath Triple Digits[/url][quote=Excerpt] Now, the changes in myself have really outweighed the expectations/thoughts of what could happen. A great way to explain it is that I feel “more alive.”[/quote]

[url=http://moveagainstmediocrity.wordpress.com/2014/12/28/csolesons-90-day-account/]CSOleson’s 90 Day Account[/url][quote=Excerpt] Fapping is a crutch, like being bedridden for years simply because you didn’t want to get up and walk. Day by day you learn how to interact normally, how to give up those years where you compensated with some false sense of security. Those who fail don’t realize this and they don’t fill their lives with beneficial activities.[/quote]

[img]http://i.imgur.com/ZMUWAao.jpg[/img]

[center][size=+3][b][u]6. Glossary of Terms and FAQ’s[/size][/b][/u][/center]

[size=+2][u]Glossary of Terms[/size][/u]

[color=Mediumpurple][b]Reboot-[/b][/color] Period in which you avoid porn, masturbation or both for whatever purpose.
[color=Mediumpurple][b]Relapse-[/b][/color] When you watch porn or masturbate without prior planning to do as such. You may be familiar with this word when it comes to relapses in the context of substance abuse, however it differs in the sense that your progress is not completed removed. In this context relapse is just a community driven term and it's important you acknowledge this so that if you do "relapse" you can pick yourself up and move on, instead of dwelling on yourself having to potentially start from scratch and suffering the anxiety that comes with that.
[color=Mediumpurple][b]Reset-[/b][/color] The opposite of a relapse, when after critical reflection you choose to end your Nofap streak.
[color=Mediumpurple][b]Viewing with intent-[/b][/color] You seek material you know is going to elicit arousal for the purpose of getting aroused. This is the quickest way to a relapse.
[color=Mediumpurple][b]Flatline-[/b][/color] An period characterised by little-no libido, depression and anxiety. Read the relevant section in the FAQ’s for in-depth discussion.
[color=Mediumpurple][b]Chaser Effect-[/b][/color]-An effect which occurs post-orgasm that lasts for up to a few days, wherein the orgasm sets off chemical responses which condition you to seek another orgasm.
[color=Mediumpurple][b]Edging-[/b][/color]Masturbation while holding off from Orgasm. Check the Principles section for more information.
[color=Mediumpurple][b]Jelqing-[/b][/color]A method of enhancing penile size. Read the relevant section in Principles for more information.
[color=Mediumpurple][b]Peeking-[/b][/color] A term coined from another part of the community but not used here. Essentially it means checking out sexual imagery for a short period of time.

[size=6]Cont.[/size]

[size=6][b]-Everywhere I go there’s sexual material. How can I avoid this when I’m on NoPorn? Every time I watch Game of Thrones I feel like I’m relapsing![/b][/size]

If you live in a “westernised” country exposure to sexual imagery is a certainty, due to the hyper-sexualisation present in the culture. As a result, any attempt to remove sexual imagery from your life short of relocating to an Islamic country is a rather fruitless endeavour. Besides sexual desire is an inherently human trait to facilitate breeding, and to quash that may be to deny your very humanity. Not that you should go overboard; being able to keep oneself under control is also imperative.

If you can be exposed to sexual content without getting too aroused, the content is fine to view. Obviously if you find yourself becoming aroused and urges arise from that, you should take precautions. Refer to the section “The Struggle is Real” for more information on such steps. However if you’re watching it for the [b][i]purpose of arousal[/b][/i], this is referred to as Viewing with Intent (See glossary of terms above) and is going to be detrimental to progress.

Here’s a response from Hunter on this topic: [QUOTE=HunterMC6;1223558821]shrug it off man, sex is everywhere you can't avoid it and if you try you are not doing yourself any favors. Its fine to be sexually expressive and that is all writers are doing in movies shows etc. The problem is when you start seeking out this material on purposes and moving other realistic things out of the way to gain more pixelated eye candy. If you watch any subscriber channels on cable they all have nudity sex etc but those are some of the best shows on TV.[/QUOTE]

[size=6][b]-I’m on NoPorn, and I have a partner. We exchange intimate pictures from time to time, including nudity, and I feel like it counts as porn. We also Skype and sometimes she will get sexual and revealing-surely this is like using camsites? What about sexting?[/size][/b]

There is room for debate on this, and as with sexual imagery the choice is once again down to the individual.

In favour, and the general philosophy is that there’s no harm in sharing such sexual experiences with your partner, in spite of it being through an electronic medium. In the end you’re still interacting with a potential sexual partner, as opposed to a porn scene or a camgirl-far more contributory to a healthy sex life than going out of your way for avoidance. Also, your partner may take great importance in sharing their sexuality with you, and also take pleasure in your reciprocation. And who are you to deprive them of that? It’s your decision to abstain, not theirs. The activities in question here can also be great ways to develop sexual tension, to subsequently release when you eventually find yourselves in a moment of intimacy.

The other side of the debate is that NoPorn is about establishing arousal and connection through physical interaction rather than artificial imagery, regardless of the source (the pixels are pixels argument). You also have to consider the possibility of escalating back to porn use. It’s purely down to your discretion; just make sure to exercise caution. And it should go without saying that if your partner takes grievance to you deciding to refrain, they are simply not the right person for you.

[size=6][b]-I’m on Nofap, and I get that masturbation is discouraged...but what about sex, handjob, blowjobs etc? Can I have hookers & FWB’s?[/b][/size]

Nofap is not about abstaining from orgasms or intimacy in general. Intercourse with your relationship partner (or anyone else) is 100% advocated. While some users may choose to refrain from sex for their own reasons, the majority of people choose this lifestyle to actually increase their sexual activity or appreciate their current one even more. And when it comes to relationships, once more remember that this lifestyle is your choice; by refraining from intimacy with your partner, you are forcing your decision on them.

[quote=gloria7] I never understood why people abstaining from masturbation kept asking this question. Masturbation is a bad habit, it drains you, it fills every moment that you could spend bettering yourself. It cuts you off from communicating with people, verbally and physically. What does this have to do with having sex? This is one of the ultimate purposes of abstaining. Putting the effort to actually be intimate with a person instead of your screen.[/quote]

The common rule is, as long as a willing partner is present...anything goes. However as much as sex is advocated, the topic of getting escorts or prostitutes is open for debate. While some consider it a gentlemen’s pursuit where you’re just having sexual release while avoiding all the potential drama that dating entails, others consider it equivalent to masturbation-albeit with a body instead of your hand. Some people regard One Night Stand’s as something to avoid for the same logic, however it can be argued you actually need to put effort into having a ONS, as opposed a simple transaction.

[size=6][b]-I don’t understand why masturbation is something to be concerned about, when sex, a blowjob or even a handjob isn’t a problem. Aren’t they all the same thing?[/b][/size]

There’s some truth in this. In both instances you’re garnering sexual arousal, followed by genital stimulation and concluding in orgasm. However, there’s much more to intercourse. Firstly sex is a physical activity between two people, so there’s a social aspect to consider. Whereas masturbation is a purely solo activity, making it anti-social. Secondly there’s an emotional aspect to intercourse; you are two physical beings attempting to connect and enjoy each other. Masturbation OTOH is merely an exercise of self-pleasure. Thirdly, sex is [b][i]FUN[/i][/b]. Seeing each other naked, touching each other like you’d touch no-one else. Discovering what makes the other get off, and showing off the techniques you’ve developed. Accidentally bumping heads and laughing about it, teasing each other and being driven to crazy amounts of arousal as a result. There are so many more layers to sexual intercourse than experiencing an orgasm.

There’s also a neurological difference between sex and masturbation:
[quote]the magnitude of prolactin increase following intercourse is 400% greater than that following masturbation.

-Source-[url]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16095799[/url][/quote]Prolactin is a natural dopamine inhibitor, and as we’re trying to limit sustained high dopamine levels sourced by sexual pleasure then intercourse is far more beneficial than masturbation.

[size=6][b]-I see Dopamine widely discussed whenever I read up about why Porn is harmful. For example people say that viewing porn or edging results in ‘too much dopamine’. Does this mean dopamine is bad for you? Should I be limiting my dopamine production?[/size][/b]

If this concerns you, you should read the section “Dopamine: The Helper and The Hindrance” (if you haven’t done so already). This section goes into detail on what dopamine is, and why it’s an important neurochemical to nurture given it’s under a productive context.

[QUOTE=MsMiserable;1251083391]You can't deprive yourself from everything in life. Music is very difficult to avoid for the fact that you won't be able to watch a movie, go in to a shop etc. Avoiding every dopamine boost we can get is not going to improve our lives. Music can help you become more productive and that way be able to improve your life.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=0rders;1251082121]No. You can't stop living man. The point of this is to find enjoyment in stuff other than fapping/watching porn, and if music gives you that happy feeling, so be it.
Also, 3 weeks strong today![/QUOTE]

[quote= Myself]Remember the aim is not to remove sources of dopamine, as it's a valuable hormone in our lives. Rather the aim is to pursue more productive sources of dopamine. That's where the re-wiring comes in; it's not just about repairing pathways but also about establishing pathways that don't revolve around porn usage/masturbation habits. What you need to ask yourself is, is music a detriment to your life? Have you ever listened to an amazing track, and then felt satiated and done nothing for the rest of the day? Does listening to music effect your personal relationships in a negative way? Does it waste your time?

I doubt any of the answers to that are yes; in that endeavour listening to music shouldn't be an issue. Cutting music out of your life would be equivalent to cutting your social life-That's a dopamine hit too.[/quote]

[size=6][b]-I keep reading about flat-lines, and how difficult they are. What are they?[/size][/b]

A flat-line is defined as a period that provides a state similar to depression. Mainly characterised with feeling little to no libido, it can also extend to experiencing negative feelings such as sadness, anxiety, decreased self-worth, and having low motivation towards pursuits. The symptom that users tend to acknowledge first is a complete lack of sexual interest, which would set off alarm bells in anyone especially as you would anticipate the opposite effect to occur.

[QUOTE=TallSaint;1317350981]I'm around day 40.

I haven't had a wet dream yet (wtf?) and I am not observing any boost in confidence these days. I find myself completely unmotivated and even tired the past two weeks (wtf?). I'm wondering what's wrong with me today so I looked at some hnnggh pics/vids and didn't even feel a thing (wtf?).

I don't know if I'm going to make it brahs. I'm scared.[/QUOTE]

[quote=gloria7] I experienced what I would call a "flatline" from the very first days of my every attempt. Sometimes from the second day, sometimes during late first week. It never lasted more than a couple of weeks however. During that time I felt really depressed. I didn't feel any urges nor did I have any courage t to do anything productive. It was tough because I felt so unmotivated that even without the urge, mentally I was prone to fapping because I felt it would be the only thing that would make me feel good.[/quote]

It’s a common occurrence to those who quit both porn and masturbation, particularly if they’re accustomed to said activities. [url=http://www.yourbrainonporn.com/porn-recovery-and-mysterious-flatline]YBOP has a good article on the subject. [Click][/url]

So when to expect it, and how long will it last? First of all, you may not experience one, at least not for some time anyway. Flat-line, like many terms is community defined so not only is there no set criteria for its timing and confirmation, a lot of users are quick to label any low instances of libido as a flat-line. When the truth is that they may simply be experiencing a period of low libido. Libido is a very fickle thing, it’s affected by a myriad of variables and levels naturally differ over time. If you do happen to hit a flat-line, the lengths of will be just as indeterminable as its occurrence. Some users have flat-lined for months, only to wake up one morning completely revitalised and paying attention to every girl they see. Many users have attested to this.

Flat-lining is largely responsible for many failed attempts, due to it being unbearable or because people mistake it for their libido dying and attempt to “revive” their sex drive by having a release. However libido always comes back, don’t stall your recovery or give up on your challenge under the assumption that it won’t.

[size=6]Cont.[/size]

[size=6][b]-I’ve been abstaining fully for months, and yet I still have ED when I try to be physical with someone. I thought that quitting porn/masturbation would cure this? Is my penis “broken” because I’ve ignored it for so long?[/b][/size]

You’ve probably read at least one Miscer bring up the term “Use it or Lose it” when it comes to masturbation. The rationale is that by not encouraging your libido through masturbation, you will eventually lose all sex drive. However the truth is that libido doesn’t just ‘die’, [B]it will always return[/B]. Presuming you’ve gone enough days to “reboot”, and alcohol consumption is not a variable, it’s very easy to jump to the conclusion that your libido is non-existent. Which of course is going to illicit fear; many of us identify our sex drive as a core aspect of our humanity. However if you've still got issues after so many days, it's more likely you’re simply experiencing a period of low arousal. Libido is not something that’s supposed to be running 100% of the time; we’re not machines running at full capacity.

Another factor to consider is potentially suffering from environmental factors such as performance anxiety, underlying depression, or even alcohol consumption; I have found that most of the gents expressing these concerns come across as [i][b]incredibly anxious[/B][/I] in their writings to the point of writing paragraph after paragraph in regards to their situation. Unfortunately they fail to acknowledge this, instead thinking they’re still suffering from Porn-Induced ED and get depressed over it-leading to gratifying themselves.

So many users have gone for long periods of time without any sexual activity, and when it came to performing they had no issues. There are of course instances where someone has taken a long time to restore their erectile health, but before you consider yourself in that category try to consider anything else that might be responsible. Are you truly relaxed in the bedroom?

Here’s a good article on the subject: [url] http://www.webmd.com/erectile-dysfunction/features/erections-use-it-or-lose-it[/url]

[size=6][b]-Are there any implications for going on Nofap? Every medical article I’ve read says that masturbation is healthy, which leads me to believe not masturbating is detrimental. I’ve even read that abstinence leads to depression! [/b][/size]

It’s natural to consider that abstaining would be detrimental, considering the potential implications presented both by media and hearsay. However, these implications present various misconceptions; the following discussion will cover both. Unfortunately due to male physiology a large proportion of this discussion will be exclusively male issues, so female readers will have to excuse the emphasis.

[indent]-Ejaculating in order to conceive offspring is one of our most basic functions once we cross the precipice into adulthood. As a result the male body is [i]designed[/i] to ejaculate as many times as possible- not withstanding factors such as fatigue and semen production. Abstinence goes against this design, so one could conclude that it in itself is bad for our body-particularly in terms of the reproductive system. This is of course pure speculation, thus has no credibility on paper.

-The “use it or lose it” claim. Check the “still have ED” question in these FAQ’s for more information on what this is, and why it’s false in this context.

-According to many sources regular masturbation helps prevent prostate cancer, purporting the concept that refraining from it is contributory towards the development of PC and other prostate related issues. However, there has been studies to suggest zero correlation, or that frequent ejaculation even [i]increases[/i] the probability for prostate cancer. Overall, research has shown the link between ejaculation frequency and prostate cancer to be inconclusive. [i][b]There’s much more detail to cover, but I’ve given prostate cancer its own section, as is warranted.[/b][/i]

-Increased sensitivity. Premature Ejaculation (PE) can stem from this, and as it is a common theme in problematic sex lives males considering Nofap will no doubt wish to avoid it. PE leaves your partner unsatisfied, as (without foreplay) it results in you getting all the pleasure while she gets none. It reduces the amount of time spent on physical intimacy. It may also lead to performance anxiety, which can not only impact future encounters but also affect your personal life through reduced self-esteem. However increased sensitivity can be beneficial if excessive masturbation has resulted in major desensitisation, or if you are able to avoid Premature-Ejaculation (PE) regardless of your sensitivity. Both scenarios will lead to sex being a far more enjoyable experience. Increased sensitivity may also provide you with more incentive to engage in foreplay, allowing you to become more connected to your partner instead of it being a purely penetrative affair. Finally an increase in sensitivity can result in multiple orgasms; rather than a single 30 minute session of intercourse and being fatigued afterwards, you may have several sessions over the course of an hour with a short recovery time between each.

-The very act of depriving yourself from sexual pleasure has the capacity to affect your mental state. As we hit puberty and grow further into adulthood, our need for sexual fulfilment becomes more innate, due to our biological inclination towards procreation. As a result, many individuals subconsciously correlate their self-worth to sexual activity. A “sex life” being considered a basic psychological need in certain perspectives (e.g Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs), corresponds with this. This need for self-worth results in people masturbating purely out of sexual frustration, especially in the context of rejection (whether from a singular event or complete rejection from their sexual preference). Without this sexual fulfilment in lieu of a partner, self-worth drops and in turn so does emotional balance.
However where this concept fails is the issue of tying self-worth to your sexual activity, and how much of a temporary fix it is. Even tying your self-worth to relationships is something that should be avoided. It’s imperative that you find other, more productive and lasting sources of self-worth, like drawing it from accomplishments. Fulfilling your sexual needs 24/7 puts yourself at risk of complacency, you only need to look for the countless men sitting at home and doing nothing but video games, eating and masturbating to porn in order to see this complacency occurring.[/indent]

All in all, abstaining from masturbation has the [i]potential[/i] to be detrimental; provided the points discussed have sufficient weight. But how much weight each one carries is debateable; some of them being determined by your own approach. Important things to take into account is that [i]short-term[/i] abstinence is more than viable, and if you participate in regular intercourse or have a high frequency of nocturnal emissions most of the above is completed negated.

[size=6][b]-Last night I had a weird sexual dream, it felt real and when I ejaculated in the dream I ended up ejaculating in real life! Have I relapsed? I don’t want to start this all over again. Also, how do I stop this from happening again?[/b][/size]

What you had was a wet dream/nocturnal emission, and it’s perfectly normal-especially for those not sexually active. Don't try to prevent them from happening; NE's are your body’s natural method of dealing with sexual tension. Just accept it happened, and move on. NE’s are [B][U][I]not a relapse[/I][/U][/B]. When it comes to relapses, ask yourself "could I have prevented its occurrence?" You cannot control them, as dreams themselves are a result of the subconscious. As for your streak, an mere ejaculation =/= starting from scratch. If you used to masturbate to orgasm several times a day, and you managed to halt it until this occurred then you’ve still made progress. “Just hop back on the wagon”, is a phrase oft used here.

Diurnal emissions (spontaneous ejaculations during the day) follow the same logic.

[size=6][b]-I'm on Nofap, and it's very likely I will have sex tonight. However I feel like I won’t be able to last very long, in fact just thinking about what we’ll do puts me at bursting point. Should I have a pre-emptive session so I’ll be able to last longer when it’s properly on?[/b][/size]

First of all it’s great that you’re connecting with someone, this will be a perfect opportunity to see if your pursuit has produced any desirable results so far. It is said that you will not truly know if you have “re-wired”, until you find a partner to be physical with and now you can find out. The fact that you’re excited to spend time with this person, is a good indicator of your investment towards being intimate with a real person that may not have existed prior to abstaining. But let’s talk about that pre-emptive session. Remember it’s your body so ultimately the choice is yours, but here are the things you should take into account when making your decision:

[indent]-If you have regained sensitivity, there’s a good chance that you will still be sensitive to the point of an easy climax even with the added pre-emptive session. This is an issue given the considerations that a) you may hold importance to being masturbation-free and b) if you hadn’t masturbated your sexual encounter may have been far more intense due to sexual excitement, amount of sexual fluid stored up, etc. In this case masturbating would be nothing but a waste. Conversely, your plan may work [i]too[/i] well and not reach climax at all, resulting in frustration from both sides.

-If you do choose to masturbate and are unable to be aroused with your partner, you will probably feel confused, anxious or both. Confused at why you’re still having problems, and it will be difficult to determine whether the source of those problems is because your progress isn’t substantial enough or simply because you masturbated prior.

-You can always engage in plenty of foreplay, ensuring your partner is provided with plenty of pleasure before you move onto penetrative sex. If anything, Nofap is an incentive to introduce more foreplay into your sexual encounters as without it you risk intimacy being cut short.

-As a male, when it comes to sex it’s not required to last for hours on end. In-fact a girl would prefer that you come in a short time, than not at all. Detail on this is in the sub-section “Porn’s influence on real sex”. It’s better than being able to go for an hour plus and never finish, because a girl’s self-esteem dictates that her attraction is proportionate to your ability to climax “over her”. Not to mention long periods of sex can result in soreness, preventing any future sessions until the soreness has subsided.

-If you do finish early, assure her you’ll be good to go after a short length of recovery time. And don’t just say “oops, um please wait and I’ll be able to go again”. Stay in a frame of stimulation; for example in a seductive tone you can tell her that you “couldn’t help it because she’s so fricken hot, and you’ll be good to go again in five”. Then proceed to make out with and pleasure her manually so she’ll stay aroused.[/indent]

Some input from me on prolonging intercourse, even with high sensitivity:
[quote]I find I can still go on for ages if I'm so focused on pleasing the woman that I can't achieve orgasm; that "bite" you need to work up to it just doesn't occur. It's when I'm so comfortable that I know I have nothing to prove when the ejaculations just keep rolling out. So don't pay any attention to your pleasure and how you're feeling, just focus all your energy on her and you'll be able to keep pumping until she no longer cares about her pleasure and just wants to see you orgasm.[/quote]

[size=6]Cont.[/size]

[center][size=+3][b][u]7. Prostate Health[/size][/b][/u][/center]

In the FAQ’s I addressed potential health implications of abstaining from masturbation, bearing in mind you may not have a regular sexual partner or nocturnal emissions and in accordance do not experience regular ejaculation. I did not however elaborate on prostate health, pledging to address it in another section-This is that section.

As a male, your prostate health may undoubtedly be the largest determining variable when it comes to partaking in Nofap. Cancer is a word that elicits a great deal of fear, and PC is no exception. You may have already seen a response inside a Nofap thread go along the lines of “Good luck on your prostate cancer goals of 20xx” or “Goodnight Sweet Prostate”. If you didn’t know already, prostate cancer is considered correlative to a low ejaculation frequency, under the premise that without (paraphrasing here) frequent clearing of the pipes your semen will rot and subsequently result in the development of it.

There are several points to address here. The first one is that contrary to popular belief, PC is not determined by low ejaculation frequency alone. In-fact new theories suggest that chronic viral infections are a main risk factor for PC due to cancer being related to low level inflammation, via many mechanisms-including infection. It can also be a result of attributes such as [url=http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cancer-of-the-prostate/Pages/Causes.aspx]Age, Ethnic Group, Family History, Obesity, lack of exercise and your diet[Click].[/url] Prostate cancer is also linked to STI’s, meaning males who ejaculate frequently though multiple partners (while unprotected) may be more at risk than a male who does not have an active sex life. It does not take long to discover that when regarding risk of prostate cancer, ejaculation frequency is usually a hot topic when the truth is so many other factors need to be taken into account.

The second point to address is that while there is a lot of discussion and data regarding prostate cancer and ejaculation frequency, a lot of it is inconclusive and often conflicting. I will not link to anything that supports abstinence>prostate cancer as it’s easy enough to find, while discussion of the empiricism of findings is often overlooked, as abstinence is only commonplace within a religious context.

[indent][url= http://yourbrainonporn.com/discussion-of-prostate-research]YBOP’s page on prostate research [Click][/url]
[url=http://www.yourbrainonporn.com/forum-members-ask-their-urologists-about-ejaculation-frequency]Urologist responses Re: ejaculation frequency [Click][/url]
[url=http://www.yourbrainonporn.com/node/1211]Myths of masturbation frequency dispelled[Click][/url]
[url=http://yourbrainonporn.com/weird-masturbation-habits]Studies with young students paint a very inaccurate representation of society[Click][/url][/indent]

Thirdly, if after doing thorough research and coming to an objective decision that you’re still at risk from prostate cancer if you abstain from masturbation, you should consider these factors:

[indent]-If you engage in sex on a regular basis, you’re still going to have regular ejaculations and ergo have nothing be concerned about.
-Likewise if you’re fortunate enough to have wet dreams regularly, same rule applies.
-There’s no evidence to suggest that a temporary abstinence period will ultimately lead to prostate cancer. No “Nofap practitioner” has reported developing prostate cancer during their streak, so if you’re still worried simply abstain for as long as is needed, then practice it in moderation and without porn.[/indent]

[size=3][b][color=Steelblue]Your well-being (both mental and physical) is incredibly important to us in the community, the last thing we want to do is put that at risk. Best case scenario is you meet a long-term partner that’s also sexually compatible, and you never need to masturbate or watch porn ever again.[/color][/b][/size]

In light of the above, I will conclude this section with a personal account from one of our users. Dardarz was diagnosed with Prostatisis, and he was helpful enough to share his experience. While it’s difficult to prove that it was a direct result of his abstinence, especially as many others (such as myself) have had no adverse effects it may still give you some insight. Bear in mind that he abstained for almost a year, before masturbating under direction of his urologist.
[QUOTE=DarDardz;1200365951]Alright lets begin. It's time to discuss prostatitis.

First of all what is prostatitis? Basically prostatitis is an inflammation of your prostate and possibly other organs around it. It's classified as a prostate infection.


You're probably thinking why the phuck should I care right? Well here's why: It can happen to you and if it does it will phuck you up. Especially for people on no fap. The entire reason people stay on no fap is due to the so called "benefits" they receive. While you guise may say if you don't fap/watch porn it doesn't matter because its not breaking the rules. The truth is any kind of reasons takes a toll on you. What happens with this condition is that not only do you experience terrible symptoms like groin pain, testicle pain, prostate pain, lower abdomen/back pain, excessive urination, consistent urge to urinate, and other symptoms but you will probably have excessive WDS. While that may seem like a good thing to you guise it's really not. They are worse than fapping because you will get them so consistently and they will be bigger orgasms and feel worse than fapping mentally. On top of that if you seriously have a good case of it they will happen 1x sometimes 3x a day everyday. People will try to tell you it's normal but you understand your body better than anyone. If it doesn't feel normal it's really not. Don't take anyone's answer for it.

Alright. So here are the ways the actual disease prostatitis can be caused. 1.) STD. (Usually Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, and some people have reported to have it due to trichomes [usually occurs after being blows]) 2.) Activities that annoy the prostate (Biking excessively) 3.) An Infection really for no reason (consider yourself lucky if it's an actual infection. it'll be cleared up in 2 weeks/)

So there's 3 types of prostatitis. 1.) Acute Bacterial (you will experience all symptoms [probably not WDS] but the symptoms will provide severe pain and you'll have very high fevers) 2.) Chonric Bacterial (regular symptoms but not as severe and last months and it's very hard to cure. you'll be on anti biotics for a very long time) 3.) Chronic Non Bacterial prostatitis. 95% of the cases. Nobody really knows why it's caused and nobody has really any success curing it lol.

Now if you have symptoms like pain and urination and such and it's like legitimate pain then I would go to the doctor and get yourself checked out. If you're like me and the WDs are a main problem for you I may have some good news for you. What you have is called a congested prostate.

A congested prostate is where the prostate becomes inflammed/swollen due to excessive liquid. Which can causes symptoms like prostatitis because prostatitis is really just an inflammation of the prostate. I'd say the main way to really know if you have a congested prostate is if you have very very frequent WDs. It makes perfect sense. If your bucket is filled 90% when you produce 20% it will overflow. Your prostate is already filled with excessive liquid so when you produce more it will overflow/WD.

Here's the worst part. If you have a congested prostate regular releases (fapping)/WDs don't have that much of an effect on your prostate. I'm not entirely sure on why but the way I see it is to think of it rotting. If something rots it becomes old and sticky and solidifys. The way I see it is the old fluid has some mechanism where it's stuck and like rotting.

So how do I cure it? Well what I did was kind of a mix of many things. I was on anti biotics. I fapped so much for 2-3 days I thought I was gonna die lmao. Stopped taking cold showers. OD'ed on things on tyenol/aleeve (don't really OD just take like 3 a day). And lastly, I read that the only way to really clear your prostate is to drain it yourself. This is gonna sound brutal/scary but I mean if it's ruining your life like it did mine you do whatever you gotta do. You have to basically give yourself a prostate exam and when you get to your prostate you have to poke it VERY VERY CAREFULLY (don't like falcon punch your prostate you will ****ing die lol) but you have to do that until your prostate starts working and starts pushing that old stuff out on it's own.

Of course the best way is to avoid this in the first place. So why does this happen in the first place and how do I avoid it?

Basically you want to avoid serious arousal without a release. What happens is when you are aroused your prostate goes into it's zone and starts producing 2-4x more liquid. You have to realize that when you ejaculate the majority really comes from your prostate and then a little from your actual testes. So what happens is that excessive arousal without a release will get your prostate always to produce a lot and if it's that much excessive building up then you will get a congested prostate. (Think about it mathematically [<3 Math]. When you are aroused for an hour straight lets say you produce 2 units. If you're aroused for 3 hours a day lets say that you have produced a total of 6 units. Then your body needs a release so it resorts to a WD and a WD releases 4 units. And say that once you get to 12 units WDs/fapping do nothing and you have a congested prostate. Do you see how after a few days you will catch up to 12/congested prostate?

The reason I had it was because my ex and me would do stuff everyday for a while and she was super religious so was never fully comfy with getting me off all the time. (only did like 4 times in a span of 2-3 months). There is a theory that if you think about sexy chit all the time and don't fap then you can get it as well. (really depends on how high your libidio is).

The ironic part is that it can happen on the other end of the spectrum as well. If you masturbate excessively you can receive it as well. The reason being is your prostate is excessively being asked to work. What happens is that your body gets stuck in that zone of working excessively cause you fapped excessively. From what I have researched the only way to get through this is to just stop fapping and it will go away in a few weeks. I believe 2-4 weeks. This case is probably better than the other end of the spectrum considering it goes away on it's own and lasts 1/5 of the time usually lol.

Oh and if you don't have WDs have all the other symptoms GO TO THE FKIN UROLOGIST. It could be actual bacterial infection of prostatitis, or a STD, or even prostate cancer. Very early stages of prostate cancer have symptoms similar to prostatitis. Believe me, for the last few months my WDs would deplete my chemicals in my body and I would feel excessively depressed/nothing like myself but on top of that I was under the impression that cancer was a serious issue that that was even more depressing. So goodluck. If anyone needs anything just ask :). I wish none of you have these problems though because they will phucking ruin you lol.[/QUOTE]

[size=6]Cont.[/size]

[center][size=+3][b][u]8. Resources and media[/size][/b][/u][/center]

The go-to video when it comes to information, reminding yourself why you’re doing this or sharing your decision/issue with your partner (or anyone else). Gary Wilson is the man behind Your Brain On Porn, this TEDTALK video is not only informative but incredibly concise, humorous and user friendly.
[youtube]wSF82AwSDiU[/youtube]

Ran Gavrieli talks about his personal experience with porn and why he had to leave it behind.
[youtube]gRJ_QfP2mhU[/youtube]

Noah B.E. Church tells his story on an open-mic styled event.
[youtube]GXtEcQGLWW8[/youtube]

Gabe Deem (one of the most famous faces on Porn Addiction) presents a really informative video on rebooting.
[youtube]I0dDLWGMhUo[/youtube]

[url]http://yourbrainonporn.com/[/url] -The quintessential website for all porn awareness discussion, particularly PIED. Mr Wilson is not an advocate for banning porn, only to help men deal with and hopefully cure their PIED or other porn-based symptoms affecting their sex lives.

[url]http://www.reddit.com/r/NoFap/[/url] -Reddits Nofap page. At almost 125,000 users, it’s the biggest Nofap community on the internet.

[url]http://www.yourbrainrebalanced.com/index.php[/url] The Unofficial-Official forum for NoPorn. Gary and Marnia Wilson use this forum to communicate with other users and grab personal accounts to share on YBOP.

[url]http://www.yourbrainonporn.com/porn-brain-documentary-uk-channel-4[/url] - Documentary on porn by Channel 4 (UK broadcaster). CONTAINS SEXUAL MATERIAL.

Two recent studies that mirror the claims made by YBOP:

[url]http://yourbrainonporn.com/brain-structure-and-functional-connectivity-associated-pornography-consumption-2014[/url]
[url]http://yourbrainonporn.com/cambridge-university-brain-scans-find-porn-addiction[/url]

A tonne of other articles, courtesy of Dardarz:

[url]http://yourbrainonporn.com/was-the-cowardly-lion-just-masturbating-too-much[/url] (This article talks about the negative effects of masturbation. Ex. Social Anxiety)
[url]http://yourbrainonporn.com/men-does-frequent-ejaculation-cause-hangover[/url]
[url]http://yourbrainonporn.com/women-does-orgasm-give-you-hangover[/url]
(Both articles discuss a “post-orgasm cycle” required for your brain to stabilize and recover from an orgasm)
[url]http://attach.bramblethorne.org/Compulsive%20Masturbation%20Biochemical%20Effects.pdf[/url] (Neurochemistry and science behind masturbation)
[url]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16020138[/url] (Talks about how orgasms are actually more of a psychological thing and take place more in the brain rather than physically down there)
[url]http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cupids-poisoned-arrow/201002/the-right-masturbation-advice[/url] (Talks about excessive masturbation)
[url]http://www.reddit.com/r/NoFap/comments/r7xob/nofap_resource_thread_90day_reports/[/url] (Success Stories/Personal Stories)
[url]http://www.yourbrainonporn.com/what-benefits-do-people-see-as-they-reboot[/url] (Benefits/Success Stories/Etc)


[center][size=+3][b][u]9. Relapse posts (to help think twice)[/size][/u][/b][/center]

[QUOTE=Dude069;1132395603]**** guys. I went over a month without fapping or watching any porn. I even got a girlfriend during that time! However, like a week ago, my girlfriend left for 2 weeks, job reasons, and I felt like I needed a release. So I watched some porn and fapped. Gotta be honest with you. It felt great. During AND after the fap. I felt euphoric as phuck. I was like "this no fap thing is a joke". So a few days later I watched porn again. Tbh I didn't even need to fap, my tolerance was so low I just came without even touching my dick. Again felt really euphoric and happy after the orgasm. Then the gaps between my porn viewing shortened 2 days turned to one day and yesterday when I fapped again, I already felt a small amount of sadness after I finished. Today it was even worse and I have to admit I am addicted again... It is so hard to turn away once you've started again and I already feel my mind clouding. What I am afraid of the most is if I am even able to perform properly after my GF comes back in a few days because of porn. Hopefully everything will be ok. Day 1 starts tomorrow, so day 0 right now. Will post tomorrow to update on progress. First week or 2 are seriously the hardest.[/quote]
[QUOTE=Travluh;1133218733]Relapsed a day ago after 45 days NoFap. :/
Had strong urges so I went to bed. I'm a belly sleeper, raging boner pushing on mattress and subconscious grinding was enough to set me off.

I felt chitty about it the next day, and was contemplating whether or not it really was a relapse or an NE.
Decided to be honest with myself. I could have stopped it; I should have rolled over and waited til it subsided. I didn't. That's on me.

Thought 'Phuck it, if I've gotta start my count again, might as well take a day off and clear the pipes properly.'
Restarted proper today.

That feel when relapse... god, I don't want to feel like that again. So disappoint.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=RoyalGuard;1134840083]I got to 18 days on Friday but i masturbated, partially caused by this video

[URL removed]

I wanted to see if stopping masturbation for that period of time would be beneficial for myself, if i would stop being so horny and so centred in sex. It was all a lie to myself to masturbate, but i hoped that doing so, would have a positive side to it.

It didn't. Immediately after ejaculating i got dead tired, i lost my aggressiveness (which i gained in those 18 days of no fap) and "will" to do things. My artistic side was dead. I was a zombie.

Masturbation feels great but as sex, when i finish i got really ****ing lazy and loose my creativity/strength. I can still have sex or masturbate for other 3 or 4 times, but aside from that i don't want to do ****.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Trekhan;1145827813]Yup I failed hard today brahs. I was home alone and I wholeheartedly gave into it. Feels so ashamed man, immediately felt the regret as I have taken a massive step backwards. And for what? 30 seconds of pleasure. I feel anxious and beta again, I cant even face people now knowing what Ive done. Fuark. Ive made measurable progess over this past 25 days, actually felt comfortable in my skin for extended periods of time, why the furk did I have to throw that away? **** I feel my mind foggy now, weak and anxious.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=IZionLionI;1086304533]All,

I would love to have this be a positive post with good news, but alas, it will not be. I wasn't going to post anything for weeks until the feeling and reality passed, but posting this gets it off my chest and also makes me feel accountable for my actions. I failed a few days back - Saturday night I believe, and haven't had a clean day since. My streak was approaching 40 days. It is now kaput. And I sit here again, writing a mournful post, lamenting my failures and inability to get past this addiction.

To put things in perspective, I am now 21. I started watching porn and fapping when I was 13. That is 8 years ago for ****'s sake. Probably to the month or week too, since it started the summer I was 13. I can't even fathom how I've been beholden to this for so long. Why can't I get past it? To my credit, I am putting up a serious fight now. Years ago, I rationalized it. I always felt in the pit of my heart that it was compromising me as a person and my values. It didn't make me feel good as a person. Yet, I ate up what pop culture says - that it is healthy, everyone does it, etc. In reality, it harms our brain. It harms our hearts. It harms our spirits. It compromises our ability to form meaningful relationships with other people. It compromises our ability to be honest with other people. How many of us - or, for that matter, the masses outside this thread who masturbate like there's no tomorrow - would proudly proclaim that we watch porn? Very few.

I don't want to live my life like that. I want to feel good as a person. I want my brain to heal itself. I want my heart and my spirit to be strong. I want to form meaningful relationships with other people and be fully honest with them. Pornography has been my only real vice in life. When I can say that I have kicked this addiction, this scourge - then I will be able to lead a fully purpose-driven life.

I failed last November, ending a 122 day streak. I failed in March, ending about a 90 day streak. I failed on Saturday, ending a 40 day streak.

I am sick of failing. I will not be a failure in life. By my count, there are 203 days left in the year. [b]I will reach and surpass that mark.[/b] I am not shooting for streaks anymore. I am shooting for victory. I will fight this with every ounce of will that I have to finally kick it from my life. If I can't be proud of it, then it has no place in my life.

Best wishes to everyone. Onward to victory![/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Adrogeus;1161740573]Ignore post if you don't want to read negative BS from a regretful relapse post, the latest of probably a dozen by now.

Relapsed on day 50. 7 damn weeks down the drain just like that. That and whatever little respect I was building up for myself.

Honestly what started it was seeing a picture of a naked woman in a book I was reading for assigned reading in some dumbass course I'm taking. A black and white picture in a boring textbook. Makes me think I have a problem that I need to go to sexaholics anonymous for, but I probably won't, I have a hard time believing a 21 year old FA socially inept virgin can be classified as having a "sex" addiction.

Oh well here it goes again...day 1 remembrance day tomorrow. Easy to remember.

I'm cutting the internet at home again (useless expense given what a problem it is for me). Gotta take drastic steps.

/pity party: you guys keep excelling at no fap.[/QUOTE]

[center][size=+3][b][u]10. Final words[/size][/b][/u][/center]

The NoPorn/NoFap community has been around for a few years now. As the bb.com users of this community have brought with them their tenacity towards self-improvement through their pursuit in fitness, so has it accounted for a high (if not the most) amount of success compared to any other collection of individuals taking this journey. Although many have come and gone, and some have failed while others succeed one constant remains; Change. Anyone implementing this into their lives has implemented change, be it minor or astounding and they will undoubtedly carry that change into the rest of their lives.

Change is an essential ingredient in life. It shapes our destiny, moulds our surroundings and establishes our relationships. A life lacking in change creates stagnation, develops a feeling of hopelessness and ultimately results in mediocrity. In regards to the pursuit of abstaining from masturbation and ultimately quitting porn we change our sexual health, our sexual preferences and our quality of relationships with both partners and friendships. We bring change to our determination, our willpower, and our ability to deal with the struggles of life. And most of all, we bring change to how we perceive the world. No longer revolving our lives around the pursuit of porn stars and URL’s, we seek to find beauty in that which is closer, more attainable to us and simply more profound-Nature and the comfort of companionship.

You may find in this that you achieve things you once considered impossible, and that you may consider the potential of accomplishing much more than you ever dreamed. That is the essence of this. Not just having a “hands off approach” and biding your time as you normally would, but taking the lessons you’ve learned and applying them into your future. To find true success in life a man must first find his limits, and then learn how to break free of them. What better limit to test yourself, than your own proclivity towards novelty and self-gratification?

[size=6]Fin.[/size]

[img]http://i.imgur.com/qGMMxq9.gif[/img]

fap and porn everyday crew srs.

This sums it up for me: [b]Sugar Walls>Pixels[/b]

Good stuff Op
Although I'm still a firm believer in nofap + noporn, particulary for the first 90 days
GOAT feeling when you get back to you old self

GL all you brave miscers

I'm in.

In.

Subscribing to thread, will have to ponder OP's points

ayy in on first page and subbed.

in!

in on 100+ page thread

[img]http://graphitepublications.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/SOfQGeO.jpg[/img]

Can confirm I was wank

Mind blown on how complicated sex, fapping, porn, etc is for some. Not saying anyone is weak just crazy how big of an issue it can be.

I'm a chronic porn fapper and I still connect well with people, do things I love, have great sex with rock hard erections, etc.. but there is still something that tells me the porn is detrimental. I know for a fact my standards for women have become so unrealistic that when a really nice body comes along I seem to fall for that person for that reason. But then I think it's just basic biology either way - to want what is physically attractive first.

Either way.. the thought of no porn crosses my mind but I never thought it was that big of a deal and I still have great faps to normal porn (no gateway effect into wierd fetish chit).

Is there a level of denial for guys like me that don't see the obvious effects? I'm truly curious, maybe it has a bigger impact than it seems..

I don't recommend doing this. Fapping and porn both help raise TEST levels.

Cliffs?

[img]http://i.minus.com/ibbzIHg775hDFU.gif[/img]

Haven't watched porn in 2015. Still fap doe

Fukkin In

In on first page aaaayyy

No fap no porn ftw

Amazing work Tobias! I've been waiting for this for a while and today is a good day for it to appear.

For the doubters, you don't need to be here, for those who (like me) understand just how big an addiction porn and fapping can be I hope we can all find the support we need.

Day 0 (again) let me begin again.

DAfook?

Innnnn!


Awesome work Tobias!!! Just glanced at it but will really get into it when I have time! :)

Glad it's been changed to No Porn. Great job