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Success! 5 MONTHS NO PMO

Discussion in 'Success Stories' started by LifeWorthLiving!!!, Oct 24, 2016.

  1. LifeWorthLiving!!!

    LifeWorthLiving!!! Fapstronaut

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    At 523 yesterday afternoon, I hit 5 months no PMO.

    By far, the thing that inspired and inspires my drive to move forward is the posts of success stories. I have never posted in this section, but I do hope that someone may be inspired by my post.

    All of this really began when years ago when friends on the block found a garbage bag of pornography in an empty lot. The fact that it was in a garbage bag should have been a red flag, but I was 5 or 6 when I first saw it. It kicked off a dopamine rush and my brain bookmarked that high.

    In my teens , I found my father's pornography and became fascinated with porn. ( I am currently in my late 40s, so the internet wasn't established just yet. ) I would eventually go and buy porn from a place that sold it in town. With women I would not be focused on friendship. I had objectified them.

    I first got the internet in October of 1999, and I can remember rationalizing that I would be fine. It wasn't long before I started and my brain was fighting to watch it. It was like I had found the garbage bag of porn again. So many images available. I would sacrifice sleep to look at porn.

    Quickly, it began to edge away at my physical well being, feeling exhausted. Socially, I felt ashamed. No integrity. I tried to look like all was well but inside I felt like I was falling apart.

    I tried everything to quit, but when the urge hit, I felt that my fall was inevitable. I thought that the only way to rid myself of this urge was to give in. I thought that I would never sleep without masturbation. I thought that I would have constant pain if I didn't release it. I was told that somehow ejaculation keeps a form of cancer away.

    I thought that this battle would be lifelong.

    5 months ago, i began this journey. This is what I have learned and experienced - and pass on.

    1. I have learned, over the past 5 months, that the urge passes. The buildup will move though urine - It's tough to see, but I sometimes see traces of semen in the bowl after urinating. This truth was incredibly freeing, because I didn't feel like I was HAD to fall.

    2. The research on ejaculation somehow preventing prostate cancer? WRONG. Again, this has been debunked by counter research.

    3. Another thing that I discovered was that the voice of my limbic system has no conscience. It can speak suddenly and powerfully, demanding that I find pleasure to counter any of life's suffering. But i soon learned that my limbic system can be challenged and controlled by my intellect. When I exercize the voice of my intellect against my limbic system, treating it like a kid who is repetitively demanding something that is unreasonable, I knock down the power of the limbic system. My intellect's statements are clear and authoritative, stated to my limbic system " NO, WE ARE NOT GOING THERE. THIS IS NOT AN OPTION. WE DON'T LOOK AT PORN." It may sound somewhat mental, but it lets me stand apart from the limbic system and exercize my intellect and will. The limbic system initially "speaks out" by suggesting a porn memory, or a fantasy - it's like a laptop in my head. I shut it down by quickly introducing the voice of the intellect - with the previous authoritative statement. I find that this truly works. I do it as soon as I am conscious of my mind drifting. I will redirect my eyes if something pops up on a TV ad and I will quickly shut down the laptop in my head as it tries to replay what I just saw. Voice of intellect is amazing in shutting down that limbic voice. It takes practice but it works.

    4. I avoid TV channel surfing and Internet surfing. Both TV and online are like walking into a bad neighborhood. You don't meander around or you're going to get mugged. Go straight to a planned, safe destination. Get what you need and then get out. Advertisers online will try to hook you in with an image that triggers dopamine. This is how you get "mugged".

    5. I did cold showers for 100 days. This is all about building up your intellect over your limbic system. It forces you to exercize the voice of reason because your limbic system will move you to turn the shower to hot. I would turn the shower on cold, but not step into it until my limbic system started to speak. Then I would have my intellect let out a GRRRR!!! against the limbic system and step into the cold water. 10 seconds for the body to acclimate, but it makes you feel like a champ as you finish the shower. This was one of the best things that I did for myself.

    6. Prayer is also key. A little after 2 weeks in, I began to pray for an hour every day. Often times I break it up throughout the day, but it keeps me focused- asking God for the strength to keep this going.

    BENEFITS? MANY!

    1. I am far more confident in speaking about issues because I feel like a moral person who walks the walk. It has changed my ability to speak my opinion and dialogue.

    2. I am in far more control of my emotions. My ability to control anger has changed significantly.

    3. My ability to analyze what needs to be done and to explain a plan to others has dramatically changed. I know that I'm coming from a solid place and I live from a solid foundation.

    4. My capacity to endure trials has changed. I don't fold. I can take on a verbal challenge with a lot more confidence.

    5. I am able to speak about my weak areas with a newfound confidence. Letting someone know that I'm not good at something does not affect my value and well being.

    6. I don't depend on affirmation like before. I used to need every beautiful woman to smile back.

    All of this from no PMO. I would have NEVER thought that when I started this on May 23rd that I would ever get to this spot. I keep moving forward because this is an adventure - discovering that I'm a good man and that I have a tremendous mission to help others. My life has changed dramatically over the last 5 months and I am looking forward to great things.

    I truly hope that others are helped by my post.

    GOD'S PEACE!!!!
     
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2016
  2. rave756

    rave756 Fapstronaut

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    Excellent accomplishment! As a fellow of an age that was introduced to P pre-internet, our experience has been much more gradual. In 5 months, you have unwound so much. Great stuff on the benefits! I'm goign to ponder those and try to incorporate into my reboot, too - thank you for the inspiration!
     
    LifeWorthLiving!!! likes this.
  3. Sam@89

    Sam@89 Fapstronaut

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    I would never want you to drift away.Keep it up.Stay like this, happy and make fapstronauts like me -happy. ;)
     
  4. Quints

    Quints Fapstronaut

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    Thanks man for the post, it was truly inspiring and I hope that I will reap the same benefits that you did over the course of my journey.
     
    LifeWorthLiving!!! likes this.
  5. LifeWorthLiving!!!

    LifeWorthLiving!!! Fapstronaut

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    Thanks for the encouragement! Definitely sticking with this course of action.

    Peace
     
    Sam@89 likes this.
  6. LifeWorthLiving!!!

    LifeWorthLiving!!! Fapstronaut

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    The days before Internet were indeed a challenge, but it's nothing like today. I found Internet pornography in 1999, and I'm glad that I didn't find it earlier. I feel a strong sense of mission to help those that are in bonds of addiction. We are only going to see more and more porn induced dopamine addicts as time goes on.
    Thanks for the encouragement!

    GOD'S PEACE
     
  7. LifeWorthLiving!!!

    LifeWorthLiving!!! Fapstronaut

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    Your welcome. Stay focused and pray focused.
    I appreciate the encouragement.

    GOD'S PEACE
     
  8. DestroyingMyDemons

    DestroyingMyDemons Fapstronaut

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    This is amazing ! congrats!!!!
     
    LifeWorthLiving!!! likes this.
  9. iceman40

    iceman40 Fapstronaut

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    Great job. We all have a similar story. I find a stack of magazines on the side of the road when I was 13. This was around 1987. Ever since then I was hooked. Now at age 43 I'm taking charge. I just hit day 7 of no M while watching P. I fully agree with on everything you said.
    Great post!!!
     
    goldstein likes this.
  10. h215

    h215 Fapstronaut

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    Hey bro!

    Congratulation for this brave goal you've achieved!

    I just feel nowadays like you felt before this journey. You know, low self steem due to this lack of self control in this area of my life...

    Anyway, day 12 now and willing to go free from porn/masturbartion for life! Thank you a lot for the inspirational word and story.
     
    LifeWorthLiving!!! likes this.
  11. LifeWorthLiving!!!

    LifeWorthLiving!!! Fapstronaut

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    Congrats!
    12 days is truly amazing. I used to max at 3 and 5 days, but something hit me when I started watching videos on YouTube where people had given up PMO and we're speaking about a newfound confidence and clarity. I had never seen anyone speak about feeling amazing from getting clean from porn. But it got my attention and I found myself wanting to give this a shot.

    The piece on brain healing also got me. How dopamine receptors shut down because of the high amount of dopamine from high speed Internet porn - and how as time goes on wothout PMO the receptors heal. Normal pleasures are actually appreciated. Before, I did not appreciate a sunset. Now, I find myself outside more and taking pictures with my phone of sunsets. Before I used my phone for porn. This is a true shift of interest that is now my normal. I don't fake it or push it, it just happens. Nature's beauty gives my brain a high. Before, that didn't even register a 2 in entertainment.

    I lived a truly depressing existence, as I look back on this. But I can only look forward and chalk up all that wasted time as a gain - in that now I am dedicated to helping others catch that sense of mission. It's like breaking a horse ; taming that part of yourself so that it runs like it was meant to run.

    I remember feeling like a success at day 8, because I had beaten a week. Day 12 felt even better. Day 155, by the way, is fantastic. You are on your way to a brain shift in self-control. Make this a constant priority - read, study, pray. Take yourself out of the river of media that wants you to relapse and surround yourself with motivation.

    I thank you for the encouragement!!
    THIS IS POSSIBLE FOR YOU

    GOD'S PEACE
     
    douggie1962, goldstein and h215 like this.
  12. LifeWorthLiving!!!

    LifeWorthLiving!!! Fapstronaut

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    Thanks for the response. It's amazing how a stack of magazines back in the day will have such an effect. The brain remembers and pushes that solution forward over and over again.

    I found that in my journey, the key was to shut out porn and all mental imagining of sex. That goes for past experience with women, past experience of porn, and fantasy where I create that experience in my brain. As long as I looked at or imagined sex, I kept the dopamine feed going. Remember that it's really nor about women, it's about dopamine. The image triggers the brain and the drug gets delivered quickly. If you continue watching porn with no M, you still get a kick of dopamine that will keep your brain hooked, and it's impossible to heal.

    But thanks for your reply !!
     
    feo1966 and Believe like this.
  13. badeae1

    badeae1 Fapstronaut

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    Bro thanks for your story. I'm pretty stoked to see someone in the older category spoke about breaking this addiction since the high speed internet has hit the younger generation. I'd love to have you as a guest on a Skype group I admin to talk about your experience since I have two other people struggling also in their 40s. Kindly consider.

    Thanks and Stay Clean
     
  14. LifeWorthLiving!!!

    LifeWorthLiving!!! Fapstronaut

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    Day 159
    Got back to a cold shower today. I did cold showers from day 16 to day 116, and I got away from them. Did 2 today. Unbelievable how it helps.
    What I do to psych myself up is to run the shower cold but wait to get under it. I will make a growl sound and put myself in it. I need to stick with this GRRRR in order to deal with the 1st 10 seconds, but it does great things for my intellect - conquering emotion - using my will. I This practice changed my life and I want to get back to it.
    Taking a cold shower is like firing a shotgun. You can't passively wait for the recoil to bruise your shoulder, you have to assertively lean into it. The first time I shot a shotgun, it beat me up. A buddy of mine told me to man up with it, and my experience was totally different.
    I also realize that I need to back down from so much youtube. I look up good things, but the constant novelty in my research is giving me a lot of dopamine. I need to read more, but I tend to avoid it, since it doesn't deliver the same dopamine kick.

    GOD'S PEACE
     
    rave756 likes this.
  15. Pepper M.

    Pepper M. Fapstronaut

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    Great job! Keep up the positivity and thanks for sharing!
     
    LifeWorthLiving!!! likes this.
  16. Fort

    Fort Fapstronaut

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    awesome
    thanks by sharing
     
    LifeWorthLiving!!! likes this.
  17. soufstar

    soufstar Fapstronaut

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    hey!
    congratilations,realy it is a chalange to get free from PMO.for me I started watching porn when i was 21 years old,now I am 31 years old,I decided to quit porn life one month ago,the time I subscibed on this wonderful forum,the probleme is that the long period I struggled watching porn is two weeks and when I feel myself sad I relapse and return to porn.I faced this issue 3 times in one month.this is the 3 rd day without PMO.keep in touch I need your advices thanks a lot.
     
    rave756 and LifeWorthLiving!!! like this.
  18. Den24

    Den24 Fapstronaut

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    Thank you so much for the inspiration! Your story makes me feel much more confident about my endeavors!

    Wish you a good luck and joy from your new state of cleanliness!
     
    LifeWorthLiving!!! likes this.
  19. Dclassic

    Dclassic Fapstronaut

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    Good stuff man
     
    LifeWorthLiving!!! likes this.
  20. soufstar

    soufstar Fapstronaut

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    what you have said is true,don't be slave of porn,make your life better,occupy your time on things benefitial.
    good luck
     
    LifeWorthLiving!!! likes this.

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