Scientific Answers/Evidence as to why we feel like shit when we binge relapse?

I’m feeling all those now! Definitely affects your brain and the overload of dopamine and then suddenly the lack thereof of dopamine.

 

I just experienced this but with a partner who I texted fantasies to then had sex and then stopped. Since, I've gone through absolutely horrid withdrawals mirroring what you've written. I've guessed that I'm going through some sort of intense sex-addiction-dopaminine withdrawal. As the sex was not really intimate, but more like PMO in nature. And then I suddenly ended things knowing it was very very unhealthy. I've been researching the web quite a bit, and given the size of the NoFap, the various TED talks, you would assume more psychologists would come forward. There is scientific evidence showing a correlation between PIED and porn, but otherwise it seems like the scientific community is not discussing withdrawal symptoms and want to kind of disregard porn or masturbation as real addictions. I hope things change.

 

I've posted urls to some videos and articles on relapse and how addiction cycle works. It's a mix of negative emotions of shame/guilt/lost-self control/self-worth plus waking up of old PMO neuropathway in your brains.
To explain it shorty. When you PMO a lot (or do any high dopamine/opioid rewarding activity for that matter) this behavior becomes a deep learned habit (addiction). From a neurological standpoint it looks like this: at first any behavior (PMO in our case) is managed by prefrontal cortex -PFC (rational thinking, self-control). When you repeat behavior many, many times (repetition loops), brain moves this behavior (task) to midbrain section (autopilot mode) to save on energy as thinking is much more energy consuming than automated behaviors (deep learned habits). For this to happen neurological pathway is created. Now when you see P you are automatically preconditioned to MO as PFC is not involved in the task anymore. When you abstain, PMO neuropathway weakens and eventually goes dormant over time. When you relapse, you risk "waking up" the PMO neuropathway again, especially if you indulge in PMO binge after a slip. Mix that with above mentioned negative emotions of failure and you fall into PMO rabbit hole again. That's why it's so important to prevent a single slip from becoming full blown binge relapse. A single slip is still risky but shit happens and if you have a preplan to prevent relapse after you slip, you have a good chance to get away without waking up dormant PMO pathway. Here are some of my posts on the topic: May 23, 2019 , May 24, 2019 , Jul 2, 2019 , Jul 14, 2019 , Jul 15, 2019 , Tuesday at 4:59 PM , Sep 13, 2019

 

I appreciate what you have to say, however, after my slip which involved M twice with no P and a strong concentration on breath, I actually feel pretty good. The anxiety I have now is much more manageable than what it was during my flatline. And at this point in my life I will take M as a stress release over neurotic thoughts. I'm not in the position to deal with the symptoms of flatline, if that is what I've been dealing with, right now. I also am wondering if my P addiction is really that bad. It's been a day or so and I really don't have any motivation to watch P at all. Or even to M that much. I wonder if I misdiagnosed myself with PIED. Although, at times, I would have a hard time getting erect just from making out, if the girl helped with her hand I got erect every time and stayed so during sex until climax, unless it was the 2nd or 3rd time in a short period. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm having some doubts about nofap right now and if it's actually healthy for everyone. The brain needs dopamine. After what I've been through on flatline, M is helping me function normally again. I will update this in a few days to see how things work out. But as of today, my anxiety is much more manageable.