No masturbation for a year: surprising effects. Can anyone explain/confirm?

Discussion in 'Rebooting - Porn Addiction Recovery' started by fapw93, Apr 22, 2015.

  1. fapw93

    fapw93 New Fapstronaut

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    Hello. This is my first post here so I apologise if I have created this thread in the wrong sub-forum.

    On the 18th of April 2014, I decided to stop masturbating. At the time I did it about three times a day on average, and I wanted to see if I was able to stop or not. My first plan was stopping for three months, but as I went along I pushed forward the date and finally I was going for a full year. I ended my nofap-spell on the 18th of April, 2015. During this time I have occasionally watched porn and also woken up with an unvolontary ejaculation in my underwear a two or three times, but never caused one myself, so to say.

    It is safe to say that the last year has been the worst one in my life. About a month after starting the nofap year I suffered a stroke, there is still no real explanation to this as I am 22 years old, work out twice a week, play basketball on a fairly high level three-four times a week, do not smoke or drink, and so on. Also two rather close relatives passed away during this year.

    I do understand that the above events most likely do not have anything to do with my Nofap year, but the worst part is left: my best friend at the time "broke up" with me and six months later, I still had not been able to get over it in any way, and my former friend and thoughts and scenarios about her occupied my mind at almost every moment of my life. This caused me to fail most of my subjects at school, and enter what I would call a mild depression.

    Okay, we fast-forward to about four days ago, when I ended my Nofap year. Less than 24 hours later, the thoughts that had occupied my mind close to every minute of my time seemed completely ridiculous, I feel more motivated to do things, and have a more positive outlook on life overall. I felt amazed and suddenly remembered something I read on your forums before I started my challenge: that no masturbation can make you more emotional. Oh my, has it been true in my case!

    My conclusion is that even though the Nofap year definitely cured my addiction (I never felt like masturbating after the first week or so, and when the year had passed I almost felt skeptical towards doing it), I am never doing it again, and I wish I never did. I know that some of you praise the effect of feeling less "numb" and more emotional, but then maybe I am too emotional in the first place because for me it was like living hell.

    The only negative effect I have experienced from starting again is that my muscles feel exhausted much faster. Basically every day feels like I have been working out the same day (even though I haven't been at the gym since Saturday) and it's causing me to be much more tired during basketball practice. I am choosing this over being an emotional wreck very day though.

    Now to the point of this thread: is there any scientifical explanation to this? And has anyone had a similar experience? I know that my post is very long but any input would be much appreciated :)

    Cheers
     
    _vishal_ gund_ likes this.
  2. mook

    mook Fapstronaut

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    Hi fapw93

    Thanks for sharing your story. Could you clarify what you mean by "never doing it again"? Do you mean never doing nofap again, or never masturbating again?

    Thanks

    EDIT: Ok, I just re-read your post and understand you are not doing nofap again.
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2015
  3. fapw93

    fapw93 New Fapstronaut

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    I am never doing nofap for such a long time period again. I can understand doing it for a week or two, to "clear your system" and to get less addicted, but doing nofap for a year nearly ruined me. Thanks for responding.
     
  4. riis11

    riis11 Fapstronaut

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    fapw93. I read your post. First, I would like to say congratulations for doing NoFap for a year. That is a great accomplishment. It sounds to me that you are trying to justify a relapse. Everything that have read and watched about NoFap or stopping masturbation has stated that just stopping isn't going to change you unless you change yourself. What did you do with all the extra time that you had because you stopped masturbating? Did you set goals? Did you go to the gym more often or did you practice basketball more? Did you study more? What did you do to use your extra time? I believe that the key to NoFap is to use the time that you were wasting by masturbating to better yourself. Its an investment that pays in the future. Take a look at the book called the Slight Edge. It helps to plan out all that extra time that you have.

    I hope that you continue NoFap. I don't think that people like us that have been addicted to fapping can go back and do it once a week or once a month without it turning back into a big problem.

    You've gone a year. You're a freaking rockstar. Don't go down this path again. Just use your time to make yourself better. Stay Strong.
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2015
  5. Happiness

    Happiness Fapstronaut

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    The effects that you've noted after starting again, are merely the effects that you're noticing now, within the first 4 days of restarting. I can practically guarantee that as you continue, those effects will worsen, brain fog will return, and it won't really be what's best for you.

    Do you. But it seems to me that you''ll soon regret the decision. The problems that you've had over the past year, seem in no way to be correlated with NoFap. They're just life problems that you have to work through.

    I have to agree with the person above, this seems like an elaborate rationalization for relapse after such a long streak. Wishing you the best! Happiness (^__^)
     
    Kurapika likes this.
  6. fapw93

    fapw93 New Fapstronaut

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    The first few months I felt better, no doubt. In my mind, and probably many others', masturbation is something that "only losers do". It also did take its fair share of time in my life. Since I had a stroke only four weeks after starting the nofap year in April, it's hard to analyze what I did with my extra time as my summer and autumn were anything but normal due to lots of hospital visits etc.

    I think you can hardly call it a "relapse" since I had already voluntarily extended my nofap period three times without any problems (It was only supposed to be three months at first). When I first masturbated after a year I had absolutely no drive to do it, I basically forced myself to masturbate because I was definitely not planning to do Nofap for the rest of my life (seems stupid/risky for both medicinal and sexual reasons) and I had already postponed it for such a long time (If not now, then when?). I will definitely watch my addiction in the future though, and take like 14 days of nofap every other month or so.

    You are probably completely right when you say that I probably won't feel this great forever, as dopamine levels are probably peaking now initially and will get more normal soon. It's just that for six months I was completely occupied with these unavoidable and irrational sad thoughts, for a reason that is not THAT serious (it's not like she was my only friend or the first good friend I have stopped having contact with).

    It seems hard for me to believe that the moment when things I just a few weeks ago thought I would never be able to get over/forget changed to seeming so trivial, is SO correlated with the moment in which I started masturbating again. Especially when several unrelated people on similar forums seem to suggest that nofap could make you change emotionally.

    I am absolutely not saying that Nofap is bullshit! You undoubtedly save a lot of time, and being addicted to anything is destructive behaviour. If doing nofap feels good for you, go ahead! I'm just saying that if you feel unexplainably sad for a long period to the extent that you no longer recognize your own emotions, do not wait as long as I did before spotting the connection.

    Hope you understand.
     
  7. riis11

    riis11 Fapstronaut

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    fapw93. I wish you all the best. I still think that you're a rockstar for no fapping for a whole year. You have had alot of emotional things going on this past year. I hope that things get better for you. Stay strong.
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2015
  8. fapw93

    fapw93 New Fapstronaut

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    Thanks a lot! I never expected this much support and feedback when writing the first post - you guys are cool. Best of luck with your future endeavours.
     
  9. Behnam

    Behnam Fapstronaut

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    what do you call it when you do something without any effort or interaction with people to feel joy and happiness and be relaxed? It seems familiar to me. isn't it a short circuit in the brain?
     
    Kurapika likes this.
  10. batonrouge

    batonrouge New Fapstronaut

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    Hi.. im *very* new here and to this culture.
    I was a late bloomer. 13 and tender. My classmate told about this *thing* he used to do. I experimented out of curiosity which grew into an addiction and a branched out to a weird fetish phase. First porn was my bro's CD. Knew that moment it was very indeed interesting. Felt that feeling for the first time. Somewhere in the wilderness, I established that pre-mentioned fetish to farts. Yes! farts. I feel ashamed by telling you this. I wish I wasnt like that. I wanted to be normal.
    After a while I noticed the next day to a week or two of a fap night, I used to get this weird emotion of being lost and alone coupled with heavy dose of depression. It came in waves, very prominent waves.
    Then I blamed fapping for it. Found out it is reduced when I practice NoFap. I did intermittent NoFap periods for 3 years. they could be months or weeks. It felt good for that time, I got involved into the society, started talking to people. (-I didnt mention I was socially awkward/Social Anxiety). Also its effects reduced when I work out passionately. When I work out my eagerness to fap is also decreased. And eventually combined reduction of "weird depression"(I call it). I am a whiskey person. Days after a drunken night were mildly weird depressed and physically damaged. physical damage screwed up my mind as well.
    I lost my virginity with my best friend, out of a drunken blacked out night. She thought she was pregnant. (she wasnt, and i was very young) Gave me too much Stress and I have gotten very depressed. I hated Sex from that moment. It wasnt that awesome like everyone boasted out everywhere. It was over-rated. I try not to engage in any later, and stayed single. after a while I started NoFap. Till this moment, I believe 2 weeks. It made me bit more happier. Listening to music I like which made me happy and helped me (Hard Rock/ HEavymetal/alternative XD). Still struggling to accept who I am. follow the good things that makes me happy. make people happy, help people, get love in return.
    Still I get that heavy need for a big release. But I made unusual excuses to avoid it, it was very hard. But i am proud that i forced myself this long.
    for me it was very hard for the first 2 weeks. It was depressing. Later on, I got more better.
    Occasionally I feel compelled to be with a girl, and cherish life. But I cant for a few reasons
    1)Dont like people very close to me. Its not that I hate them, its just self consciousness. (may be cuz of my social anxiety)
    2)Afraid of commitment
    3)dont like sex (because of 1)
    4)single and totally free!!!
    5)obviously financial improvements
    But I want a really want someone because,
    1)Hope to have someone to support me as i go through stuff (basically I live alone, cuz of my anxiety i dont even try to attach with people, with few exceptions)
    2)I just like a very beautiful smiling face. and aesthetics of a woman, naturally releases certain hormones and just make me, i guess, happy? and it is obviously an evolutionary trait to breed and continue population. wish i never had this.
    3)try to like sex, train myself out of my social anxiety by mingling with a person.
    4)not to be sad when others are with their 'other half' watching them canoodle. or FOMO (fear of missing out)
    5)being with someone who share the same likes as me. Like gaming, cruising motorcycle, looong drives and adventure, hard rock and metal, GUNNER (guns and roses fan) etc.
    I dont know if I am making the right choice. I am highly confused of how my (love) life should be. People have complimented me how smart or nice guy I am. But i am a big failure in relationship and social interactions department.
     
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2017

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