Can NoFap cure depression or anxiety

I am hoping it will help. The addiction pulled me into loneliness and isolation and not wanting to be around people so when situations come along where I have to be around people then I struggle.

I worry, dread and fear people, situations, confrontation or conflict and am not great at speaking up for myself

 

Cure? Maybe - if it was the only source of your problem, and it has not manifested itself permanently. In most cases, depression is more complicated than that. So NoFap will likely not cure depression, but it can certainly alleviate it. I have suffered depression my entire life. I started NoFap 289 days ago, and have also adjusted my medication about half way through that. My depression is now better controlled, and more manageable than any time in my life.

So NoFap should certainly help! Don't count on it as a cure; seek treatment with mental health professionals. Do consider NoFap part of your treatment.

 

I don't know who you see it what you have tried, so I apologize if you've already done all this. See a psychiatrist, and try different meds until you find one that works for you. I have always had great success with Wellbutrin. For some antidepressants the name brands have fewer and less severe side effects then generic. I have some of my prescriptions written "no substitutions" so that the name brand is covered.

Other important and powerful ways to improve your depression:
Proper sleep
Diet
Socialising
Being outdoors
Being out of the house

A combination of medication and talk therapy is the most efficacious treatment plan. Also read up on positive self talk.

 

Yes it can - definitively!

For me, this was even the biggest achievement so far. I had daily depressions for almost 30 years. But since last autumn it's over! Six months, and not a single episode!

The key is to go with NoFap and to confront yourself with your underlying fears.
For some days, go extreme and disallow yourself any distraction.
You will see, suddenly your fears will ramp up. The first time it might get totally unbearable.
I can remember that I suddenly had such fears that I almost could not breathe!

But this goes by. Be patient and confident. It takes days, weeks, months. But one day you feel that you have entered a new stage.

I also recommend to do a daily short meditation. Just 10 minutes, but daily!
E.g. I do autogenic training to relax myself, and then I visualize some of my goals.
Over time, this is programming your mind. You are feeding your unconscious and after a while you feel that it takes grip.

See it like a daily brushing of your soul - like daily teeth brushing or regular cleaning of your apartment.
Daily cleaning will hold the dust off your soul

 

Hi, I've suffered from anxiety/panic disorder for some years. I can say that nofap definitely is one of the answers to the problem you have. I don't know exactly what caused my acute anxiety (which developed into chronic anxiety) but I can say fapping is a part of the problem. I feel like anxiety is a withdrawal symptom and there are different stages of withdrawal every time you start nofap. I.e. fapping will feed the anxiety itself. This is very true because within two weeks of abstention you'll start to feel better and notice that panic attacks lessen in frequency and intensity. Within a month social anxiety gets better and within two months agoraphobia is actually tolerable. It may take months and months but yes nofap is part of the answer, absolutely. Do not get discouraged after some time thinking nofap is not the cure, it will help and you need to stick with it because every time you fap you'll have to go through the entire withdrawal pattern again. It's not a joke. I know how real it is and how the addiction gets a hold of you. If you want to get better you need to beat the demon that is holding you back. Like me you probably sinned so many times that God allows you to suffer. This is because your soul needs cleansing. It's hell but better to be in hell on earth than to be in hell in hell. That's what addiction is. It can get really bad and the darkness will not reveal itself until it gets so bad that you realize you have a problem and try to get better. This is absolutely true but know that you can and will get better. If you are religious pray. Being a christian I would advise you to stay away from meditation and yoga and other methods of relaxation as these tend to focus on new age beliefs. If you want peace turn to God. Jesus said PRAY, and He will listen. There's not one problem that cannot be solved by the Lord, although it will take time. God loves you and would like you to live by His Word. It's only the truth. How else would all this darkness exist? The Commandments are the solution. You can and will find peace of mind if you accept sin for what it truly is and answer God's call. If you are an atheist: start reading Scripture and carefully consider what is written. Judgement is coming. Look after your soul while there's still time.
Best regards

 

In your brain, emotions and memory are stored together.
A strong emotion can trigger the memory; and also, recalling a memory can trigger the emotion.

Now at some stage you combined anxiety with fapping. That means:

• You feel anxiety --> you want to fap
• You fap --> you trigger anxiety

The idea is to decouple these two. One possibility: You have anixety --> you do not fap , instead you go into a deep relaxation. For example, self-hypnosis works wonders! With nofap and daily self-hypnosis, I was able to totally overcome depressions, it is totally gone since 6 months, a true wonder!

Also, you can overcome fears by exactly doing the things you are fearing the most.
It is unbearable, but it helps.

• For example, if your biggest fear is a public speech, then hold a public speech!
• If your biggest fear is height, then climb up a high tower!

 

It's true that exposure therapy can help those with specific phobias but what if you developed a complex anxiety disorder such as GAD or panic disorder with agoraphobia? In those cases it's harder to overcome your fears through exposure therapy. The physical tension often is there without a direct cause (other than the addiction). What if you are afraid of bodily sensations how would you suggest dealing with those? In any case nofap is a key element in recovery. Cheers

 

A general key to overcoming fears is deep relaxation, I found that self-hypnosis is really working wonders.

Our brain is combining fear with certain memories. That's why some events can recall memories and subsequently can trigger fears and panic attacks. But that connection can also be reversed with relaxation.

I possibly had a kind of GAD, because when I became really serious with NoFap and total abstinence, I suddenly had panic attacks out of nowhere. That was totally strange. I started also with self-hypnosis, and it became much better then; this also was the way to get rid of depressions - they are away since 6 months.

Of course, also gentle touch is healing. But not everybody has the luck to have a gentle girlfriend.
Sensual erotic touching without orgasm and classic sex can give new sensations and can be totally healing.

 

You will want to wait at least until 3 months before you could feel any major difference. Right now you in the heart of recovery with some good days and some bad days. 90 odd days is a good number to measure your progress.

 

Amazing, wise, warm & supportive feedback & suggestions people - fantastic!

This community rocks the soul with it's authenticity & non-judgemental character.

More power to all NoFappers, present & future.

T22.

 

Sitting alone fapping then feeling shame afterwards and still feeling alone and isolated afterwards is bound to create anxiety and depression. Plain and simple.
Is it a cure all? Depends on the person but I 100% think it will help.