P.A.W.S. - what are they, cure, duration

After 120 days in the process I still suffer from brain fog, what is the average time for recovery?! I was an addict for about 20 years. When will I start feeling better?

 

I would say you need 1-3 months for each year addicted to recover 100%. So 20 months to 60 months for you.

 

That is too much. To allviate totally from symptoms it takes about 9 months - 2 years, depending on many factors. But nobody can proof exactly how much it takes.

 

I think the length of usage is a factor but the least contributing one when it comes to paws. From what ive seen the severity and length of paws comes firstly from your genetics. Then is impacted by edging and what you were using it to escape from, finally the length of time you were using it for.

I know a tonne of people that have pmod for years and never had issues. Length of time consuming cant be the only factor.

Therefore i dont think you can place a number of months for each year as its far more complex for each individual. For example, i pmod for about 5 years before i quit then went into constant heavy paws. Even after 16 months i was only just seeing improvements.

 

I understand the optimism, but how can you be sure that the damage done to the brain is not irreversible?

And how am I supposed to survive five years without PMO at all?! I'm 30 years old and I'm going to get married soon

 

Can you share more about your case? How long have you been addicted? When did you start to see improvement? How do you feel today ? What did you suffer the most? Which symptom went away for you first and what was the last?

 

On average it is the same for everyone as you keep up with staying away from stimulants, rewiring your brain to a healthy lifestyle and habits, and eliminating stressing and factors from emotions, food, isolation, and work. And exercising your brain and body.

But the question to "when i can start having sex with my partner?" I think it is better to wait for some extra time ahead. I am single and still in the recovery process so I can't say anything about it.


But here is a point, never relapse again after recovery, as you relapse, the symptoms will come back. And when having sex, it is best to keep it in moderation.

It is also important for everyone to check their vitamines levels, this is crucial. Vitamin D, Vitamin B1, B3 and Omega 3, Iron and HB levels. Vitamin D is very important to stay in the normal levels, else it will make the PAWS much worse.

 

I don't know about this. According to some members here mentioned their PAWS returned after having sex.

So it is better to wait couple of months extra. But in my opinion it is same as Wet dreams. If you reach a point where you feel great and when having wet dreams you do not feel weakness, fogness, and still fresh and relaxed then I think you are ready to have a healthy sex with your partner.

Also while dating, avoid dating/triggering contact virtually even with your real spouse. You don't want to mess up with your brain that has been wired to digital pixels for years.

 

I have 39 months behind me without relapse and I still have PAWS. I had a addiction of 10 years from age 13-22. I am 26.

 

Faith is not enough.. We are rational people and want to base ourselves on evidence and facts..

You didn't understand my intention.. I'm talking about real sex, the “o” in the term pmo means orgasm..

 

Finally there is someone here who shares! My situation is relatively close to yours in the years of addiction, but I'm only four months into the process.. I'm trying to think if we'll ever go back to being normal and healthy or if the damage we've done is irreversible.. Can you tell me a little more about your journey? Is there anything you have improved?

 

This is the question post-acute withdrawal sufferers grip with the most. I know for a fact that all of the people who've asked this question in their deepest despair have eventually recovered, even though that recovery sometimes was many months away at the time that question was asked.

What you need to be sure of is that the brain is very plastic, and can bounce back from this. Our brains don't really reassure us that healing is going on; they don't speak in a language that we can understand, like English, which is the reason why it's so hard to remain abstinent. We think it's going to go on forever. But you have to realize that the withdrawals themselves ARE the sign that you are healing. They wouldn't be happening if there wasn't something happening in your body. Your body is constantly in the process of self-healing, and this is no exception.

I have mostly anecdotes to go on, and I realize that anecdotal accounts and faith are the only things I can really rely on given the dearth of information on the matter of PAWS after pornography. There are sites like YBOP (https://www.yourbrainonporn.com/research/), though, which have a wealth of studies on the effects of pornography, and there are plenty more if you look on the web. I don't know if they address this question exactly, but studies combined with success stories should give a fairly good idea. Ultimately, it's about trusting the process, and that becomes easier to do when you realize porn has no place in your life anyway, so there's no point in going back.