Will PMO once or twice a month reduce any good benefits gained?

It's not going to completely destroy all the good work you've done by getting so far, but the chaser effect will most likely get you and cause multiple relapses for a while. Trust me man, it just ain't worth it. The worst part is probably after PMOing and you realise you've just broken a good run, the regret is awful

 

Stick it out. Don't give in a couple times a month, because then you aren't really accomplishing anything. Your goal should be to gain the self mastery so that you are in control of your body, and you don't let your body take control of you. Overtime, the feeling of having a need to "release" will go away. Your body gets rid of the old on its own through wet dreams. Let your body take its course while you just focus on taking control of your body.

 

I agree with what the other guys have said.

Sex is a drive that grows with indulgence. When you feed that beast, it gets bigger. Notice what you said: you didn't simply give in, you "ended up PMO twice within two hours." That's usually how it happens. Frankly I'm surprised it only happened twice! Usually when I give in, it's like "oh well, screw it, I'll have to restart my counter anyway, so might as well jerk it a few more times while I'm still at ground zero."

Yes, you are helping your body get rid of sperm, but let's be honest--your body doesn't need help to do that. It's got its own built-in mechanisms for dealing with sperm, so don't rationalize masturbation by thinking it's somehow physically/medically beneficial.

You have to remember, 15 days of NoFap is great, but it isn't long enough to really give yourself a reboot. If you've been conditioning yourself with PMO your whole adult life, you're bound to have some withdrawl symptoms when you stop. For a period of time, abstaining from PMO could make your depression even worse--but if you can stick it out, you'll see the fog of depression vanish and the clarity of freedom will come in like a breath of fresh air.

You can do it. Don't give in.

 

I think that the challenge itself is all about not PMO'ing and changing your life with self-control. Honestly, I couldn't see this doing anything. If you're not ready to quit full time, don't yet. Wait until you are.

It's easy to make excuses and start debating whether it's right or wrong. But if you want a more positive life with changes, stop PMO'ing and begin living without it. Wet dreams will do the work for you.

 

My own experience has been that if I abstain for a period (even with minor relapses in between as you can see from my signature), it has helped me. I feel better, more energised and above all, more happy about my state of affairs. I tend to focus on the good things in my life and look forward rather than to brood over my failings and look back at the mistakes I've made.

If even this helps, I'm confident that completely abstaining will have more benefits.

Hang in there!

 

You feel better not because you have done right, but because you have had your fix. When you were pmo free your body was screaming, uncomfortable, your mind wasn't focusing and a host of all other unpleasant effects. These are called withdrawal symptoms. So, when you pmo you feel a bit better and a sense of relief you may deceive yourself by thinking that it has helped. What you have done is to simply feed the addict in you. After that you will start the cycle again: abstaining-withdrawal symptoms and discomfort-giving in to pmo and having a fix-feeling a sense of relief and then back to abstaining again. As long as you keep feeding the addict intentionally the addiction will not be defeated.

 

Difficult to say how long they last. You may need someone who has gone over a 100 days to enlighten you on this. It seems that you need at least 90 days reboot.

It is wise to have a shorter goal. I started out with 7 days> once I reached them I set the counter to 14 days, then 30, and now 45. When I reach 45 days I will move my goal to 60, then 75 and then 90.

Yes, the feelings of depression and suicidal thoughts are withdrawal symptoms. Don't freak out and don't act on them, try to think happy thoughts and do things that lift up your spirit. Those feelings will diminish and you will learn to control them. Good luck

 

Hang in there man! You need to give yourself enough time for the depression to actually clear because it's more than likely cause by your PMO addiction.

 

I think I'm currently also experiencing the discomfort of nofap and on the same time also suffering from a depression. It really appears now that I'm in a third flatline period and my depression is worse again. The first two flatine were during my first 75 days streak - last April till July. Now in my second (long) attempt for the last 3-4 weeks my libido just has slowly diminished, and seems completely gone since 2 days. Gosh, I hate it, but I also don't want to go back to my old (pmo) 'cooping methods'. I'm surprised to suffer - after already having done 75 days without and feeling so much better - from a third flatline, but I guess I have to just stick through it and really give myself/brain/whatever more time to reboot

 

On the same boat with discomfort, starting to flat-line I feel. But you know we gotta fight it. It's like I'm in a ring with myself. Something that I have seen that helps and FINALLY lol I am implementing is exercising regularly. That gives me a boost similar to pmo did.

Congrats on the 75 day streak.

 

I had days nothing seemed to make a difference - sporting, meditation, right diet - but that's also the quick fix thinking/relieve seeking. I'm doing my sports and other stuff, and definitely in the long run it has to make some difference. Always good to hear I'm not the only pal in this.

Thx for the congrats, I'm looking forward now to pass the 50 day mark again

 

If you can keep it with "only once", then possibly it is ok. For me it doesn't work, because one orgasm brings me out of balance and I start binging, takes me several days until I find momentum again.

So actually, I'm sure there is no way around "hard mode" (I prefer to call it "freedom mode"), and there is no shortcut to it.
"No pain no gain". And eventually, the pain will transform to pleasure.

But people are different, and your approach might work for you. I've been around in this forum since ~6 months, and I have seen that the levels and the causes of PMO addiction are different from person to person.

 

Had the same this April, when I went for >5 weeks full hard mode. Suddenly, I had zero libido, and my life began feeling totally dull, although I did a LOT of things, and I had a fulfilling life!

I then went like "the heck", and had a sexual encounter with my girlfriend --- one of the greatest intimate and passionate nights we ever had. Really great. Something you memorize. But afterwards, all the binging and relapsing and cycling began again. Life is an up and down, actually. In the moment, I am ready for a new streak and I am I ready to overcome the flatline this time, if it should come again.

 

Slippery slope, man. I say, once you've let it go, let it go. Don't give yourself reasons to fall back into it. Trust me when I say that it's not worth it.

 

Vlaw, if you can increase the amount of days between "PMO sessions" then that is definite progress. However, after a while your goal should be to cut out PMO altogether, because, like exercising, your body will get used to the routine after a while and the benefits will go down.