How I look at PMO right now.

Came across this:
https://www.reddit.com/r/NoFap/comments/398ihs/please_read_this_it_might_save_you_today/

This makes PM even LESS appealing than it already was to me.
Because "Once you have opened your eyes to the truth, you can never go back" .
Trust me, P will never feel as good as you think it did in the past.
There will always be that voice telling you that what you're doing is WRONG
and it will haunt you. Honestly I don't think it will even feel satisfying.
If I went full relapse mode right now I'd go watch for hours,
NOT because I want to O or because the P is so amazing NO..
It will just be my depraved brain begging me to fill itself with dopamine.
Like a junkie... trying to get that dopamine high.
YES P is unnatural, YES you should not watch it.
But the true danger lies in exhausting your dopamine and the activation of pathways in your brain linked to addiction!

What we truly want, what's behind all of this is we want to be ACCEPTED, FEEL GOOD ABOUT OURSELVES,
HAVE COMPANIONSHIP, GOALS THAT YOU'RE WORKING TOWARDS.
And THIS right here... is a big reason why that's all something "in the future" or "a fantasy" because addictions make it damn hard
to go do shit. because nothing will satisfy you since it doesn't give enough dopamine for your body to register.

I don't claim to be an expert or right but I think it's like this:

Dopamine is the motivator for humans to work towards goals, accomplish them AND try to find reproduction.
If you have too much dopamine, you're satisfied you don't need any so why bother doing anything?
And if you're low because of addiction, the only thing bringing you to that high point is fulfilling that addiction.
(doesn't have to be low can just be "desensitized" so it doesn't work as well and because of that normal is "low")

As soon as you do so you will get the dopamine high. Since it will be the only thing able to get you there,
after a while: Life will feel meaningless, barely anything will give you pleasure, you don't really care.
But you know what will feel good at that point? Binging for hours, drooling. Opening new video after new video,
browsing new categories, searching for more "Hardcore" stuff (bigger dopamine hit).
So if we quit, weaken those pathways.. we'll have extra low dopamine for a while (nothing released due to abstaining AND still being desensitized)
But that's when the magic starts to happen. You get less sensitive.
So what was only a small dent to your overall dopamine before,
can now be quite a nice hit.
So suddenly you're more confident, baseline of dopamine is higher AND you work towards your goals!
Pair this with semen retention and suddenly you have a perfect storm to get into a relationship too because:
You're confident, disciplined, working towards your goal... you have the nofap aura.

 

Thank you! To elaborate though: The dopamine high is not during O but before while you're watching. That's the thing that makes it so hard to quit.
If it was just you being horny it wouldn't be THAT hard to walk away. But every video and every body part or scene you see you get that dopamine hit.
That's why instead of just doing your M as quick as possible to reach the O you binge and watch for hours!

Honestly I'd say it could be seen as you doing drugs (watching for dopamine) -> effect wears off (orgasm) -> regret promising yourself to quit. (guilt/shame/depression)
Then when enough time passes the craving for the dopamine (drugs) gets big enough to convince you again and the cycle continues.

This is the reason that if you keep looking at for example instagram or other P-substitutes you get some benefits from nofap but it's a lot slower and way less effective!
Those might give less dopamine because they're less extreme and stimulate less but it's still something nonetheless.
It's when you quit all of those and experience true deprivation, your reboot will be quicker and better.
Will probably be harder in the way that you might/possibly(?) experience more withdrawal since you take away all dopamine sources..
but the cravings, way higher chance of relapse & slowing of the process is NOT worth it.

Just living your life, taking away all P-subs and fantasies and finding healthy replacements is the best cure and the easiest road to rebooting !
& I personally use all the new energy for the gym. Exercise is one of the best replacements.

 

Sounds real good! You'll make it dude. Don't let me pass you, keep me 2 days behind you!