90 days "No P+M Challenge"

Discussion in 'New to NoFap' started by OrUs, Apr 2, 2018.

  1. OrUs

    OrUs Fapstronaut

    7
    4
    3
    Dear NoFap bros,

    I just quickly wanted to share the beginning of my journey. Three days ago (on the 30th of March) I started my 90 days "No P+M Challenge". My main motivation for joining this forum is that during the last years I watched porn and masturbated multiple times per week (3-5 times) and I slowly realised that the sex with my girlfriend really suffered from this. Even though I was still attracted to her, I noticed that I was even more aroused when watching porn. Also, I became really used to hard-core porn and over time I found myself watching harder and harder porn in order to still feel the same "effect" when jerking off - this shit truly had nothing to do any more with normal sex.

    Now the first three days of no P+M were a piece of cake! Mostly due to the fact that since the beginning of this year I already tried to limit my porn consumption to a minimum. I was counting the days I didn't watch porn and masturbated. My best streak this year was 42 days. During this time I also noticed that the sex with my girlfriend became significantly better. Unfortunately, I relapsed after this 42 days streak because my brain was still not entirely rewired! Hence, I believe this time I have to try the 90 days challenge (which is also recommended here in the forum I believe).

    During these 90 days I will write a weekly diary and try to post the highlights regularly on here to keep you up-to-date and also get some feedback from you!

    Peace out!

    Best,
    OrUs
     
    Bemboli and Cantstop233 like this.
  2. I know the reference in your name: that profile pic is the eye of H(OrUs), or Horus. That's pretty creative.

    Anyway, welcome to NoFap!
     
  3. daveintexas

    daveintexas Fapstronaut

    144
    100
    43
  4. Cantstop233

    Cantstop233 Fapstronaut

    10
    6
    3
    Hey good luck today is my first day I’m 32 and I’ve had a porn problem since a teenager but recently it has been causing sexual problems with my girl it sucks! Well good luck
     
  5. OrUs

    OrUs Fapstronaut

    7
    4
    3
    Hey guys,

    day 5 and its going great! I can already feel that extra amount of energy! :)
    I recommend you to check out this video:



    Where can I find the journal function on here?
     
  6. Mitness

    Mitness Fapstronaut

    Hi, i write this to a lot of people who are starting to work on their recovery, so i hope it will help..

    Well, i guess addiction is just a symptom of a deeper problem. It's common for addicts to get addicted to other things when they cut the primal addiction. I guess when you get deeper into why you're addicted it's getting easier to understand.

    I've been addicted to booze, drugs, sugar, caffeine, pmo, pmo with a lot of amphetamine, instagram, facebook, compliments etc etc. When i stopped using one, i got involved in the other addiction.

    So figure out the reasons you're getting addicted so easy..;)

    And it helped me a lot to make a plan. So when i began to stop being addicted i just wanted to stop.. And that's good, but it's freaking hard to maintain focus with only one reason. So i made a plan. Why do i get addicted? What is it in my life that gives me so little joy that i always need to find other ways to get happy. .. So start with the gigantic question... WHY AM I ADDICTED? Do you fully understand why you happen to use all the time? As i wrote i was a full-time addict. Porn, drugs, booze, sugar, caffeine, social media, compliments of other people.. Every short-term solution i used to cope with my problems.. Really, after thinking for so so so long about my addiction i came to the conclusion that my addiction is in every fiber of my life!! And i finally got to a point where i really understand why i'm addicted. Since i fully understand what addiction is and what the mechanisms are behind (my) addiction, it's easier to not give in! For me it started whe i was 9 years old. I had many problems im my life.. I was bullied a lot at school. Long story short; me and two friends found some porn magazines and one told me what to do as a boy. In the afternoon i did and BAZINGA, i didn't care about the bullying anymore. At the age of 13 I experienced great youth trauma. And from there it escalated quick. Years of fapping, drug and alcohol abuse followed till they needed to take me into mental hospital 3 years ago. My main problem was that i have never loved myself. I started to believe it was my own fault that i sufferd that trauma, and when i started using drugs i was ashamed etc. At then end i could find only one reason, i used everything just to have a good feeling, find some rest in my head etc. And it was not only substance abuse.. As i wrote, it was in every fiber of my life. Everything was about getting compliments, people telling me i'm a good boy, likes on instagram etc etc...

    So, figure out all the things you need to know about addiction in general and about addiction in relation to you. The Internet is pretty useful for that. And, maybe not the most fun thing to do, get bored a lot! In this modern time, we are always busy with something. From the moment you realize you get bored, you will find a way to deal with that boredom. We have internet, books, SMARTPHONES, people to hang out with. See where i'm going.. Our brain get's stuffed with imput, imput, imput.... We are never empty anymore. Yeah, i know, boredom is not fun, but it's essential for healing the mind and for finding answers on such big questions as for why am i addicted, why do i relapse all the time. So, go on the internet, read stories about other people's experiences and get bored and think.. THINK A LOT. I happened to find it most relaxing to go out for a walk in the forest, do a lot of cardio, read, or just meditated. There are a lot of meditation forms. I like the one i count my breath. And, i like the one where i just think about everything that pops up. Most of the time its about my addiction.

    So you need to make sure that when you want to fully recover from addiction it has to be at the very top of your list... It has to be the most important thing besides food, water, air, and sleep. So when you fully understand what the mechanisms are behind your addiction, then you make a solid plan.. Just getting in to reboot without a plan is the same as beginning an iron man triathlon with no training at all.

    And with a plan i mean a real plan.. So i made a mind map of all the reasons why i don't want to fap and why the hell i want to quit my addiction. I would suggest you make a written paper with 40 reasons why you don't want to fap anymore. I say 40 because 2 to 5 reasons are to short. 40 reasons is a moderately long list so it takes a little time to read. It might take your mind of the urges. I guess we addicts are really good at finding reasons why we should do it.. And therefore we are so damn good at convincing us to give in.. And, not to forget, one of the most important things is healthy food. My recovery would have been absolutely unsuccessful if I had continued to eat unhealthily. In the end, I even had to give up caffeine and sugar and mastrubating to porn. We, addicts, are always seeking for the dopamine shot. So in order to recover and re-wire your brain, it's good to quit all short term solutions. I would suggest to join the dopamine challenge. I've added a link to the dopamine challenge. It's on the nofap page, but that's good. Mastrubation can be a problem to? For me it was a BIG problem haha..https://www.reddit.com/r/NoFap/comments/5crla0/the_dopamine_challenge_are_you_tough_enough/

    So we really need to change that mindset and make us only see the reasons why we don't want to use anymore..

    it helped and still helps me a lot, when i really have strong urges, to make a mantra of all the reasons why I don’t want to do it. And, as a craving for drugs, alcohol or a porn related thought or image comes up to my mind I count from 1 to 6 and backward and visualizing the numbers. I just count and visualize as long as I need to get rid of the porn images or thoughts. This does two things.. Namely, it get's your mind of the urge when you do it consistently and... it helps your brain make need pathways not related to substance abuse (rewiring). I really noticed that after 3 weeks of consistently doing this, the cravings began to weaken... And afterward, when the cravings are gone, i do full the mantra 6 times.. And if that not helps, and i'm at home, i jump under the ice cold shower. It's such a shock to the body and mind that in 90 percent of the time i cant even think about it haha.. And if even that dont help me, i will go run as long as i need. Last time i needed to run i kept on going for 25 kilometer hahaha.

    So the other things i do to deal with the urges are..

    Hard S olutions, Easy Life - Easy Solutions - Hard Life

    For now i will stop writing..

    If you have any questions, just asked..."
     
    Bemboli likes this.
  7. Bemboli

    Bemboli Fapstronaut

    10
    10
    3
    Really great stuff.
     
  8. OrUs

    OrUs Fapstronaut

    7
    4
    3
    Interim results:

    13 days, 5 hrs and 2 min since I quit P+M!! :)

    I will revert in the beginning of next week with my first journal entry...

    Peace out NoFap-broes!
     
  9. OrUs

    OrUs Fapstronaut

    7
    4
    3
    @Mitness thanks for this amazingly honest and supportive post! I will try to incorporate some of your suggestions and practices into my own “mitigation strategy”!
     
    Mitness likes this.
  10. OrUs

    OrUs Fapstronaut

    7
    4
    3
    Hey guys,

    just a quick update - my No P+M streak continues: I am now 18 days, 23 hrs and 10 min abstinent! ;)

    The only problem is that I became EXTREMELY horny these days. Last night I even dreamt of watching porn and jerking off. Due to some tensions with my girlfriend I also dont have sex at the moment (though this little “issue” is about to be solved because I will get to see her this weekend).

    Could you perhaps give me some tips in how I can get rid of this constant desire (in the back of my head) to wank?

    Thanks for bearing with me lol!

    Best,
    OrUs
     
  11. Mitness

    Mitness Fapstronaut

    it helped and still helps me a lot, when i really have strong urges, to make a mantra of all the reasons why I don’t want to do it. And, as a craving for drugs, alcohol or a porn related thought or image comes up to my mind I count from 1 to 6 and backward and visualizing the numbers. I just count and visualize as long as I need to get rid of the porn images or thoughts. This does two things.. Namely, it get's your mind of the urge when you do it consistently and... it helps your brain make need pathways not related to substance abuse (rewiring). I really noticed that after 3 weeks of consistently doing this, the cravings began to weaken... And afterward, when the cravings are gone, i do full the mantra 6 times.. And if that not helps, and i'm at home, i jump under the ice cold shower. It's such a shock to the body and mind that in 90 percent of the time i cant even think about it haha.. And if even that dont help me, i will go run as long as i need. Last time i needed to run i kept on going for 25 kilometer hahaha.

    So the other things i do to deal with the urges are..

     
    OrUs likes this.
  12. Mitness

    Mitness Fapstronaut

    I don't think the desire to masturbate will ever go away altogether. It is becoming easier and easier not to give in.
     
  13. OrUs

    OrUs Fapstronaut

    7
    4
    3
    Damn it! I relapsed today at work. Couldn’t hold it any longer.. had to blow off some steam because I will have a job interview later on today! Now I gotta restart my 90 days challenge :(!

    This time I will write journal entries from day 1!
     
  14. Mitness

    Mitness Fapstronaut

    Welcome to the world of addiction. Relapses are part recovery. A relapse makes you feel shitty. For me, the setbacks helped a lot because each time it brought me a little closer to the goal. Think of it as a marathon for which you train. For example, you've never run before. And yet one day you decide to train for a marathon. The first training sessions will be extremely demanding. You won't get any further than 5 kilometres, you have muscle pain afterwards, you feel bad. You don't think it's anything, you want to stop. But still, you keep going. You want to walk that marathon. Gradually you get better. Slowly you get less muscle pain. Gradually you walk longer and longer. And then, at some point, when you can walk longer than 45 minutes you will feel the endorphins and anandamides. Bam, delicious. But then, you become eager. You think you can train faster and the inevitable happens. You over-train yourself. You have an injury. All this time you have trained without help. You just did what you thought was best. You feel bad and worthless. Why did I go too far now? After a long time of rest you start again. Because you had to take a rest for a while, it seems as if you are starting over again. The first two running sessions are as tough as when you started. You're hesitating to stop again. But, the appointment. You continue and notice that you are back at your old level much faster. This is always the case and, in my view, there are two things that happen through this process. You run fast with the aim of running the marathon. But, perhaps even more important. Because of the many running you notice that other things in your life also go better. You feel better in your head, you look fitter, you feel fitter, you are healthier, your concentration gets better, you get less gloomy. Etc etc. The goal is not only the marathon anymore. The marathon has become a secondary issue. Do you know where I'm going? It takes time, energy, help from others, self-reflection and much more to achieve the ultimate goal. I even fell back into drug use after 1 year of being clean. It was only 1 night, but it happens. In the end, winners and losers are very similar. We all try to reach the goal. A winner is just a loser who tried one more time.

    And, have you read the previous long post i send you?
     
  15. OrUs

    OrUs Fapstronaut

    7
    4
    3
    Hey all,

    Just wanted to share a quick update after I restarted my nofap-journey:

    It has been 5 days, 3hrs and 44 min since I quick P+M once again!

    @Mitness For sure I read your long post from above! It was extremely helpful to reflect on what is currently going on in my life and WHY I want to quick P+M...

    Also: I started doing yoga once or twice a week and I intend to use the Headspace meditation app on a frequent basis. :)
     
    Mitness likes this.
  16. Teeyai

    Teeyai New Fapstronaut

    3
    1
    3
    Hi All,
    @Mitness I read your post above. it inspire me. I would like to encourage you.
    I would like to share my update.
    It has been around 2 days from my reset date. 2 days for P. 28 days for M+O. But, 28 days is not significant if I see Porn or nudity. So, I relapse. I decided to restart.

    I set bike as my hobby. 2-3 times per week. 15-20 km. per time. I feel it is helpful.
     
    Mitness likes this.