People who recovered / high streak

I've tried controlled PMOing and didn't work for me. The thing with addiction is, you can't do it in moderation. Your brains have created neurological pathways that connect porn/masturbation with release of dopamine/oxytocin. The only way to break these pathways is not to use them for at least 3 months (rebooting poriod), for most even longer. If you do it now and then, you're maintaining those paths and cravings for dopamine fix by indulging in porn/masturbation will never go away. It's the same as saying to 10 year cocaine addict to start using it only on friday. I bet you, he'll be craving all week and then getting his fix on friday, saturday, sunday...

From my experience cravings competely stop after 3-4 months and you don't feel the need to watch porn or mb anymore. But you get all kind of different problems, like anxiety, depression, tiredness if your life has been a mess to begin with. You become aware of your emotions and have to learn how to cope with them. Dopamine/oxytocin mix is mixture of feel happy and sedative "drugs" and you're not getting them anymore, so all kind of weird stuff start resurfacing from your subconsciousness, you've been trying to run away from. Not a pleasant nor easy journey.

 

Before I started Nofap I would go a month or two without porn then binge for a day or two. I would MO without P daily. I was perpetually trying to quit. Despite being infrequent my P use caused low self esteem and I was addicted. I developed premature ejaculation from edging. When I understood that PMO was the cause of my problems I was determined to quit for good. That was the start of my current streak.
IMHO you are still addicted. You are correct that less PMO is better but you will never be truly free without a longer streak. Mental and physical improvements continue beyond 90 days and often come suddenly weeks after a milestone: 60, 90, 120 days, 6 months, 9 months, a year. I feel like there are still improvements coming for me.

 

Hey Eddy. I feel where you're at right now in your recovery. I was in the same place where I would put together a week or two without PMO, then relapse a couple times and then get right back on track only to have the same thing keep happening. It gets to be sort of an emotional roller coaster. The ups and downs can be taxing, but I believe that it is progress and eventually you'll get tired of this pattern and want to push yourself a little further.
I'm now at 31 days PMO free and I'm noticing that once you go beyond that two week mark, things do get much easier. Sort of like the gravitational pull of PMO is getting weaker. I believe that you are on the right track and remember that it will probably take many attempts, so don't feel ashamed about it.

 

I was working a 15 hour a day job for about a month and a half. That help me build the foundation to the streak I have now. Alot of people on here will tell you to stay busy all the time which leaves you with time to never give PMO a chance. I believe that to some extent but in reality staying busy "masks/band aids" the PMO addiction. Even when I have ALOT of free time like I do now( injury so unemployed), I do not get craves because I meditate (still learning to do it the proper way: zazen style) and exercise. Meditating has helped me get to the core of my PMO addiction.

Bro, that is AWESOME! Give yourself some credit man, from 20-30 times a week to only 2 or 3 times a day (14-21 times a week). Whatever youre doing is obviously working, keep it up!

 

im not sure we ever get really "out" i think, or rather i hope, life just gets better and we kinda find our way,
i don't think i will ever be cured in the fullest sense because i have just too much addiction in my soul, but things do get a little better each day,,,,i saw a t shirt --today is the best day ever==and if i can stay focused on that thought and be grateful for the journey then thats helpful==
the way i finally quit was i was surfing p videos and i saw one, and it was so ugly and rotten and creepy bad, i said to myself, thats it,,,whatever this thing is, and it has a video that bad, i do not want to be a part of this thing anymore,,,thats it,,,and so far so good

 

yes, i think the monkey is always on your back,,,he may be sleeping, or chilling, but he can awake anytime and look for a banana

 

Hey guys,i have a question,if i don't feel the need to fap or to watch porn,that means i'm cured or that i'm in flatline?i have around 65 days on streak and can say that i mb 3 times in around 5 months.I'm not really horny so maybe i'm in flatline,bcs i imagine that if i wouldve be more horny i needed to watch porn,or am i just strong mentally? :d not having errections during the day neither,but maybe that's normal ??? before NoFap i had errections maybe because i was visualizing porn?? can that be true? hope my english isn't that bad

 

Sorry if I sounded harsh or judgmental. I misunderstood your intentions. It's great that you've achieved some longer streaks and binged less. Everyone's path is different. There are some people like myself who completed long streaks immediately or soon after starting Nofap. There are many others who had several short streaks before completing a long streak. I think what we have in common is a defining moment: a "rock bottom" experience or a realization that caused a higher level of commitment. When I understood that PMO was the cause of my pain and suffering I was highly motivated and determined to eliminate it. The pain of the addiction was greater than the discomfort of recovery. I had no choice but to succeed.