Today I hit 90 days; the number I always wanted to reach ever since I started my journey of nofap 7 years ago. Last year I reached 60 days for the first time then and this year I have reached 3 months. I am not yet close to being cured. I have had a few close calls this week. I feel I would need another 3 months before I could be really out of this addiction. Those guys who are struggling, please continue to put all effort in that you got. One day you will surely win but it doesn't have to take as long as I did. Take drastic steps like disconnecting your internet for 3-4 months. It may sound extreme but it's not as extreme as PMO addiction. Good luck everyone! Edit: Forgot to mention that I went to a 2 month meditation retreat where we weren't allowed to use internet or any electronics. This obviously helped a lot.
That last advice that you gave is a good one depending of the person . For instance my PC is not working right now and I don't intend to fix it anytime soon. There is a library not too far from where I live and I work on their computers if I need to. It's a pain in the ass sometimes but it helps fight the addiction. I still my phone tho so I still go on Internet.
Keep up the good fight bro. That is quite an accomplishment...I sincerely look forward to achieving that level of consistency in my own battle. Thanks for the encouragement.
"I am not yet close to being cured. I have had a few close calls this week. I feel I would need another 3 months before I could be really out of this addiction."- Awakening123 Listen no need to be rude but that kind of thinking is bad. I'm a drug addict I have 1 year and 2 months sobriety. One thing they taught me was "once your and addict, your always an addict". Abstaining from PMO or using drugs is control over the disease/addiction not a complete cure, because a person can always relapse in the future. I'm currently 33 days free of PMO, but I hope you take my advice brother. Good job keep it up!
@Clean Plate I think you make a good point, about how it's important to always be on guard no matter how long you have abstained. However, I think the "Once an addict, always an addict" teaches a mindset of victimhood. I get why it is taught, because an addict has built habits he has come attached to, and wired the brain in a certain way. However the brain IS plastic, and does change. Those addiction pathways may always exist to some degree, but they can be nothing but a whisper in the background the more you abstain. I think the "Once an addict, always an addict" is perhaps the most damaging psychologically, because if you forever identify as an addict, how is that freedom? I think part of the key to breaking free, for any addiction, is learning to identify with the ideal version of yourself, and attaching yourself to the behavior you see your ideal self doing. Easier said then done! Good luck guys, and congrats to both of you for your absitenence on all fronts!
@Clean Plate You're so right about that. That really is the most fundamental thing about any addiction and its so important to always remember it - 'We will always be an addict in recovery'. This isn't a physiological disease. Its the brain we're talking about. I like one analogy that I read somewhere - Its like riding a bicycle, once you learn how to ride, no matter how many years you go without riding one, you can always be back on the seat and it all comes back to you. @Nightwatch We could agree to disagree on that one. Its easier said than done. I think a willingness to accept that we are addicts and will always be one is not limiting. Its just a constant reminder at the back of our heads that we need to tread with caution. Yes, after years of staying away, the degree of the addiction's hold on you may go down. However, to say that the brain is plastic and will change completely so as to forget what that dopamine rush was all about is a bit dangerous. I've seen guys on here who've been clean 5 years, 6 years and then started threads about how they fell. And after falling, it was like picking up the pieces that they had picked up countless number of times when they used to have streaks of 20 or 30 days. And binging happened despite years of abstinence. We're all different sure, there might be exceptions where a few might just ride through one relapse after years of abstinence like having had one piece of candy on a diet but for most, its just better to err on the side of caution.
Nightwatch the "Once and addict, always and addict" saying can have many connotations. The version I was taught in rehab was an addict in "continuous recovery" because triggers will happen down the future that might or might not cause a relapse. Sorry to tell you that but those are the facts. Accepting who you are is how a person overcomes the deceitful lies you tell yourself while in denial, it will set you free into the recovery state without any more roadblocks. Try signing up for a porn rehab and don't be embarrassed to express how you feel, good luck.
You have a valid point but instead of seeing that saying as victimized to us, we can see it as a caution like sirfapstinence mentioned. It's like keeping an eye on your mind all the time and being able to identify the early signs and warnings that would lead to a full blown relapse. I remember taking this online porn addiction course in which they taught how every relapse has several stages that occur one after another before you actually relapse. It all starts in your brain and the easiest and the safest way to avoid any relapse regardless of what day you are on is to stop the relapse process right in the mind as soon as the early signs arises.
Hey Awakening, I remember last year, When i joined NoFap, You was one of the first who supported me, encouraged me and helped me with my first reboot. Now, After one year, I'm here to celebrate with you your Success, You made it to 90days, WOW, Thats Really awesome, Good to see you happy mate, Congratulations, Well deserved, Thank you for inspiration, And hopefully, I'll celebrate the same number one Day.
Congrats!! Happy for you and what you've accomplished. So encouraging to me to read about people's tenacity, like the tenacity you have. Keep it up
7 years of struggle is a lot of a time and 90 days is still something I didn't reached. Good luck and keep going !
