What does withdrawal from porn addiction look like?

Submitted by Gary Wilson and... on Sat, 12/04/2010 - 14:00
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Guy in withdrawal from pornography addictionIt can be comforting to see what others report about their withdrawal symptoms, just so you know that what you're experiencing is normal. Some porn users report few withdrawal symptoms, others report symptoms that are quite severe. Below are some user reports. For comparison, also see the link below this page, which collects the kinds of withdrawal symptoms alcohol, cocaine and heroin users experience.

The symptoms are similar because all addictions share certain neurochemical and cellular changes which affect specific regions of the brain. This is not to say that all addictions cause the exact same changes. Alcohol or adddictive drugs may cause damage or alter additional messenger systems (for example, opiate use decreasing our body's opioid receptors). Current science finds that withdrawal initiates a cascade of neurochemical alterations, which may include: 

  • further decline in dopamine levels
  • further decline in opioids and endorphins
  • drop-off in GABA, which is an anti-anxiety neurotransmitter
  • rise in brain stress hormones CRF and norepinephrine 
  • elevated dynorphin which inhibits dopamine and lowers your pleasure response
  • one week after quitting the reward center sprouts new nerve cell branches, which correlate with cravings to use

If you have withdrawal symptoms, it's likely you have an addiction. However, some guys have addictions without much in the way of withdrawal symptoms. This is why addiction specialists don't list withdrawal symptoms in their addiction tests. See, for example, Do You Have An Addiction?

Common withdrawal symptoms include

  • Anxiety
  • Restlessness
  • Irritability
  • Insomnia
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Poor concentration
  • Depression
  • Social isolation
  • Loss of libido (takes several days)

A few reports

Here's what I'm dealing with:  irritability, fatigue, inability to sleep (even sleep aids don't help much), trembling/shaking, lack of focus, shortness of breath, and depression.

Withdrawal is just nasty. I had very bad insomnia for a stretch, I even got violently sick. Maybe it was from withdrawals, maybe something else. I still don't know, but it was brutal from all angles regardless. Emotional things come up heavily: depression, strange anxieties, worthlessness. It was everything that I had been struggling with—all at once. It was like having a really bad day times 10! And, of course, the horniness. You really start to learn to control your fantasies because if you don't, well, you'll feel the discomfort. I guess everyone develops ways to deal with it that are unique to their mind and emotional needs. Support groups help a lot for this.

As requested, here are my withdrawal symptoms (experienced on day 2):
--Mood swings like a pregnant 13-year old girl.
--Severe, unbearable loneliness.
--Tension: headaches, mild muscle aches, stiffness all over, a feeling like pressure on my teeth.
--Social paralysis.
--Anxiety about nothing in particular.
--Panic attacks (rare, but it has happened).
--Always feeling cold, even in front of the fireplace.
--Intense fear of anything and everything.
--Crying about everything...I'll see a neat-looking tree and then cry about it.
--Intense, insatiable desire for human contact...yet a terrible fear of actually getting it!
--Fear of rejection.
--No desire for sex...until I catch a glimpse of porn again (or wait long enough of a time without looking).
--Insatiable food cravings...Almost ate an entire pan of brownies in 24 hours.
--I'm a composer...and I can't compose.
--I have a VERY SHORT FUSE, you idiot! LOL Treating people like crap when I feel like this! This is the worst symptom!

[Five weeks] I quit due to erectile dysfunction. Apart from mild headaches and restless sleep, I haven't had the withdrawal symptoms many people mention. Instead, I feel nothing. It's like I just don't have a libido. No morning wood. No wet dreams. No spontaneous erections. No cravings. Haven't been horny. I've had opportunities to have sex but my body is not responding. I'm taking tango classes, so I'm reasonably social but still no sign of my libido. I can dance with a beautiful girl and have no physical reaction whatsoever. I'm aware cerebrally that a girl is attractive, but I don't feel it physically. The thing that keeps me going is my faith that I'll be able to reboot my brain and get back to normal. But it's frustrating. [He did.]

I realize now that this process is actually most similar to quitting marijuana. Your mood really changes throughout the day a lot and you can start off with a great morning and have a bad day, or have an average day, or have a terrible day or start off terrible but then have a good night...  It's somewhat hilarious and strange because I'm having marijuana-type withdrawal symptoms yet I'm sill smoking.

Day 6 and symptoms so far - headaches (getting worse today)- really tense shoulders/neck- fatigue- brain fog- desire to over-eat (although I have this a lot anyway)- a bit irritable- hard time concentrating- sensitive to a lot of noise

I've been having the most fcked up dreams, the sort of shit I don't feel comfortable telling anyone about. I understand its just my mind working its way through withdrawal, but I hope it ends soon, I could really go for a good night's sleep again eventually.

I am experiencing, nausea, floaters in the eye, depression, lack of motivation. I've also been experiencing candida, which may not be related at all, so I'm really having trouble discerning what are truly withdrawal symptoms.

[After 6 weeks] I seem to be pretty much over the insomnia, although I'm not sleeping very deeply, and don't wake up feeling energetic and refreshed. It's better than lying awake for hours at a time though. I haven't had headaches in a week and I'm feeling a lot better than a couple of weeks ago.

Symptoms:

1. Extreme exhaustion 

2. Restless sleep 

3. Muscle aches, joint pains and fever (flu like) - day 154.

4. Mild disorientation 

5. Tension in the chest/tight breathing 

6. Anxiousness

Every time I stopped using, I felt like I was always on the verge of catching a cold during the days afterward. (Kept thinking I had mono.) I don't get that feeling anymore despite feeling pretty low at times. Throughout the first six months of recovery, whenever I would relapse, like clockwork 4 days later I would experience pure hell physically. These were the worst: headaches and depression. It was physically flooring.

My withdrawal experience so far: 

1. I get extremely lethargic. 

2. Unable to concentrate. 

3. I feel very thirsty and no amount of water quenches my thirst.

4. I have pain in body, which keeps moving from one place to another.

5. I feel mild sensations of vomiting.

6. My mouth has a bad taste.

7. I become extremely wise like a saint. I preach a lot. (As if I have never heard of a thing called porn addiction)

8. I have extraordinary ideas in my mind as to why sex and porn are wonderful. (But I keep them to myself)

9. I feel sleepy all the time.

Day 3 - Very hopeless. Irritability, headache, insomnia, loss of appetite, very thirsty, frequent but short peeing, increase in cigarettes.

Day 6 - As for raw, physical observations regarding my penis; since the start of my streak, I haven't had one full erection, no morning wood, and it looks smaller (like when it's cold out or when you get out of the shower).

I've battled a few addictions in my life - from nicotine to alcohol and other substances. I've overcome all of them, and this was by far the most difficult. Urges, crazy thoughts, sleeplessness, feelings of hopelessness, despair, worthlessness, and many more negative things were all part of what I went through with this P and M thing. It's a wicked awful thing that I will never have to deal with ever again in my life - ever.

Today is day 10 for me. The 'aching balls' has subsided, which is welcome because it was a bit bothersome.

About 2 weeks into abstinence I have noticed that I have been peeing a lot more than usual. I haven't been drinking more than usual and I'm not a heavy caffeine user. It is really starting to bother me since my need to go to the bathroom is waking me up at night and contributing to my insomnia.

(Day 22) About a week ago I noticed some jizz in my urine. I've seen others on here mention this so I wasn't concerned.

Well it has now been 4 weeks (28 days) since I have been PMO Free. I am glad the flu-like symptoms have gone away. My having to use the bathroom to pee all the time has stopped. The only thing that I am having trouble with right now is that I am just having problems falling asleep and fighting to urge to jerk off when I can't go to sleep.

(Day 12) It's like there's some tension that wants to get out of my body. My shoulders, neck and upper back hurt immensely. It's so painful that I took a painkiller, but it barely worked on it. I suspect that some part of this pain is in my brain. I feel stiff, and have felt like this for the last 3 days.

The first 50 days were pretty much the same as when I started, still felt like ass, looked like ass, wasnt taking care of myself, not eating properly, lazy, anxious, just a wreck. But on Day 50 it all changed. My current 'symptoms', which are still escalating are: High Energy, Only need 4 hours of sleep (I say this because I barely slept last night and am wide awake) -Emotions are coming back -Blood is pounding through body (Great Results in the gym) -At Peace (not even concerned about sex anymore) -Look 10 years younger (according to what others are saying) -Skin is smoother and more vibrant, hair is more perm and full -Hair Growing faster -Finger Nails/Toe Nails growing faster -Voice is more commanding -Even lames jokes make me laugh these days -Life's Good and Getting Better.

Not having had a major porn problem, I assumed the benefits would be marginal, but here is something I learnt; if you think you don't have an addiction, try stopping the activity and see what happens. In my case, a period of quite punishing withdrawal symptoms. How I imagine cold turkey from an addictive substance. This lasted for at least a month. Something was clearly profoundly affecting me neurochemically as within a 24hr period I might experience the extremes of a kind of shimmering, exultant euphoria followed by a moribund depressive blackness. It was around the month mark that I started feeling significantly better about myself and things started falling into place effortlessly; people seemed better disposed towards me, my body language improved, I started joking around at work more and generally seeing the lighter side of life.

Here's the "Withdrawals" PDF document from which we took these. We update it periodically.

Recovering porn users are often startled by the severity of their withdrawal symptoms when they stop using porn. This is probably due to a widespread blind spot about the honest-to-goodness physical addictiveness of Internet pornography. The brain releases more dopamine for a "novel" mate than a familiar one, so it's logical that the constant novelty Internet porn sets off neurochemical roller coaster ride in many brains. Not only are the highs higher, but the lows are also lower—leading to strong withdrawal symptoms for many users. Symptoms aren't just physical; they can take over your mind and your perception of the world (which looks dark). However, many of these same men reported big improvements after being without porn for a while.

Keep in mind that, as the brain's dopamine response grows more dysregulated, the withdrawal symptoms tend to be more pronounced. So if you have used extreme porn for a long time, you may notice more severe symptoms. The good news is that they pass. But if you keep "medicating" yourself with intense stimulation before your brain is back to its normal sensitivity, you can end up with a bit of a Groundhog Day scenario.

This guy believes there are two type of porn addicts with different trajectories

Finally, and this is something personal, I have discovered that there may be two kind of addicts. There is the normal chap who got into porn out of curiosity and then got hooked on. For them getting back to normal may take less time. When I began reading their stories it was very frustrating to me that in just two weeks they were making real progress. It has taken me an ordeal, a suicidal-feeling period and a full blown depression to slowly reach the other side. The other kind of addict (and I would label myself in this category) is the one who got issues in the first place and didn't have a normal emotional environment to begin with and began "self-medicating" their growing anxiety with porn. For us it is harder to get back to "normal" because we are not getting back, we are DISCOVERING IT for the first time in our lifes! So, in our journey it is not only porn and orgasms that we must quit, they are not the cause but the consequence of deeper conflicts that we must work on. But if we keep on masturbating and orgasming we never get rid of our anxiety and we never get the tools to start living our emotions in a new and healthy way.

So, my advice to the people out there is don't compare your progress to anybody else's and don't check your progress on a daily basis not even on a weekly basis. It may take months. Don't think that quitting porn is going to be the single magic bullet that is going to solve all your problems, there may be more in store than what you initially thought. Stay away from masturbation, even if it is only to sensation, it is one more trick of the brain to lower your defenses and get you back to porn. And, finally, the thing which has helped me the most has been meeting new nice people and the love of my students. Love is not only in a relationship so rely on your friends, family and the people who love you because love is everywhere, not just in one person.

Comments

Submitted by mmonahan on Sun, 06/19/2011 - 23:19.

I have read that one of the common symptoms of withdrawal from porn is genital discomfort. The discomfort is usually described as fullness, or pressure or downright pain. For me this discomfort manifest itself in a frequent need to urinate - sometimes every thirty minutes. Every 90-minutes was common. Three hours was a long stretch for me. It was so bad I went to see a doctor a couple of times. I thought I was dealing with low grade bladder infections, so I drank lots of fluid and lots of cranberry juice. As a result there was always something in my bladder for me to void when I felt the urge.

Like so many others I could not sleep normally when I was in withdrawal from porn. Fortunately the urge to urinate was not as frequent when I was lying down or I would have been even more of a zombie than I was.

For five years I have wanted to quit viewing porn. I am a religious person and I considered it a sin to lust over images of women. I was not a frequent consumer, which may explain why my withdrawal symptoms were a little different from others (?). I could stay away from porn for weeks, sometimes a month or more. After a long stretch off I would think that I had control, allow myself to check out some soft core porn and end up on a two hour binge surfing porn.

When I would binge, although it was infrequent, I was unconsciously re-medicating my brain and renewing the cycle of withdrawal. It was the Ground Hog Day syndrome, however like many others, I was not able to “connect the dots” between the addictive behavior, the withdrawal and the physical side effects. My cycle of abstain-withdrawal- binge has been going on for about five years. I’m pushing 50. I thought the frequent urination and poor sleep were effects of aging that I would have to live with while they grew worse in years to come.

Once I admitted that my behavior was addiction it still took a few months before I found this website. The information here helped me to realize that I was dealing with a real chemical imbalance – not just a moral weakness – and that my brain and body could heal if I could just tough out the symptoms of withdrawal. Within a month of learning this information from YBOP, I finished my last cycle of withdrawal. It has been three months and I have been sober from porn and free of withdrawal symptoms. For the first time in years I am sleeping well and feeling like a normal human being.

Submitted by Gary Wilson on Mon, 06/20/2011 - 10:35.

We appreciate any accounts we can get, as they help others. I'm glad your are on the other side. Your symptom made me think of a swollen prostate, but who knows. It may be related to the genital reflexes adjusting when one goes through withdrawal.

It's an important point for all to remember that porn addiction is not a moral weakness. We often see that religoius people have a rougher time quitting porn addiction. For some, shame keeps the addiction perpetuates the addiction cycle.

Congratulations.

Submitted by mmonahan on Wed, 06/22/2011 - 05:38.

I had this thought: When I would binge I would not “finish it off” with masturbation and orgasm. Again, coming from a religious perspective, I restrained (willed) myself not to cross that line to the “bigger” sin of a physical act. Perhaps this difference in behavior made for a difference in body chemistry, and for a difference in the symptom of withdrawal (?).

Submitted by Gary Wilson on Wed, 06/22/2011 - 08:54.

I think you nailed it. "Edging" without ejaculation is a huge strain on the prostate, and the brain. besides increasing pressure in the prostate, edging also increases dopamine, keeping it high for an extended period. It's a really bad practice, and quite common. Many young guys believe that ejaculation is the problem, and thus think edging is just fine. The problem is porn, as it is what desensitizes the brain. Edging allows one too spend more time consuming porn, while keeping dopamine as high as it can naturally go. The worst possible combination for the reward circuitry.

Submitted by phdkiki on Sat, 12/31/2011 - 03:58.

The strongest withdrawal symptons I have is anxious feeling in my stomache...about nothing. Its just there all the time. And I cant concentrate.

Submitted by Creton25 on Sat, 03/31/2012 - 08:01.

Hi everybody!

I have read pretty much of all articles on this site and I think it's a good thing for all of us to help each other with comments.

I have always looked at porn since the age of approximately 14. I'm now 26 and I have noticed signs of ED at 21. At this time I was with a girlfriend since 4 years. I always continued looking at porn (sometimes a lot, sometimes less) and I noticed problems occured while I was studying in a foreign city. I was not with my girlfriend, so I looked porn a lot more and masturbated a lot. The ED problems occured at this moment of my life. Before that, I had no problems, I rather had the opposite problem. I had, I think, a litlle PE problem, I was very excited while doing sex with my girlfriend.

So, after 4 years and a lot of ED-Anxiety problems with one night sex( Anxiety due to ED I'm pretty sure) I decided to abstain from PMO.

I would like to mention that since maybe 6 months, I don't look at hardcore porn but rather softcore material. I edge when looking for nude hot girls. But sometimes I could masturbate for hours. Anyway.

I tired the no PMO and at day 5 I relapsed. I looked at nude girls pictures and I notices ( just after 5 days) that I was very excited ( just knowing that I'm going to see nude pics in few seconds excited me a lot and I was shaking). My brain feeled weird during this excitation. Is it an addiction sign (shaking)?

And I noticed I could ejaculate on the very moment I saw those pictures. I developped a kind of PE. I'm affraid of developping a new problem linked to the abstaining of PMO. Is it a withdrawal symptom?

I have the impression that if I succeed with my porn problem, I'm going to be excited with a minimal visual arousal and develop PE.

Sorry for my english syntax, english is not my main language.

Submitted by admin on Sat, 03/31/2012 - 11:12.

Everything you describe sounds like porn addiction. Some men have also developed PE from excessive porn use, which is odd. But we know this, because it resolves once they reboot. The only way to know what is normal for you is to reboot your brain.

Very few people comment on this site. I suggest visiting a forum where you can discuss your journey and concerns. Look under the  support tab. The two websites that are most familiar with porn-induced ED are -

Good luck

Submitted by Creton25 on Sun, 04/01/2012 - 15:43.

I really appreciate your dedication to the cause and you seem to care about every comment on the site. I will take advantage of the sources you gave me.

Thank you again!

Submitted by admin on Mon, 04/09/2012 - 07:54.

Hello Fapstronauts.

I am 26 years old, and a former heroin addict. (Link to post)

I began using heroin when I was 15, and when I was 19 hit that rock bottom point and went to rehab. After a 4 month stint, I was considered clean and although I've occasionally craved, I've never gone back.

Contrast: I saw my first bit of internet porn when I was 11, began fapping at the same age, and still to this day have the addiction -- even though I'm now married to the woman of my dreams! Porn and Fap have put a lot of strain on my marriage... I've never actually been able to finish when Wife and I have sex.

So here's the meat of the post. I've been trying to NoFap for about 6 months now, and have never made it past Day 6. Something terrifying happened 2 days ago though. I came out of a "blackout" to find myself covered with jizz and porn playing on my computer. I have no memory of seeking out the porn, nor of the fap session and orgasm.

This type of thing used to happen right before I hit rock bottom with heroin. I had wanted to stop using, but my brain would effectively shut off and then "wake up" again after I'd used.

I'm very scared right now. I hate to make sweeping statements, but I've never experienced this sort of thing outside of heroin, and now NoFap. Is it possible that this addiction to brain chemistry is on the same level as heroin?!

Submitted by D_Ball on Sun, 08/26/2012 - 21:28.

I'm just starting Day 5 myself, and just posted about it because, Dammit I had to do SOMETHING!

But I think because you're so close to this that you aren't seeing the amazing thing happening - you're right where you were with heroin - right before you stopped, right before you turned it around, right before you went to rehab. Dude, you're there! - this IS the turning point. Let a neighbor hold on to your computer and get a chastity device if you need to, but I don't think you do, you're right there! Go a little longer, and you'll be over the crest of that hill! You can make it!!!

Submitted by D_Ball on Sun, 08/26/2012 - 21:14.

I'm starting Day 5 of the 90 (minimum) No Porn & NoFap challenge... and it's worse because I just got a new girlfriend, and she KNOWS about the NoFap.

When I wake up, I have a sequence: Jerk off, go to the bathroom, eat breakfast, go to the gym, shower - If I'm missing something from that sequence, I can't do the next one. Even when I do, I keep pacing around the room because... well just because I guess.

I'm lucky in a way because I had emergency surgery down there when I was about 12 and I believe this is why I've never had blue-balls in my life. (No, there was one time when sex was interrupted five times in a single day, but even then it wasn't too bad).

Porn was never a big part of my life, it NEVER excited me much so I said, Hey, no problem, it sucks anyway. (99.9% Porn is so bad I decided to make my own, first literature then videos).

Then I started thinking about FetLife.com, CollarMe.com, Literotica.com - they count, don't they? Alright, I can leave those too.

But the NoFap part... Sometimes I go four times a day or more, especially on the weekends where I don't have anything to do. I've rarely gone without for more than a week - usually when on camping trips when I was busy having fun all day long. I tried to stop when I was a teenager just to see if I could - my whole body felt hot and I felt like I had an itchy rash on this INSIDE of my arms - that was after about 20 days.

But I haven't had a really good orgasm in a long time. I mean, as a kid, my eyes would clamp shut, my mouth would open, I wouldn't moan very much, but cold waves would wash over me - where's that gone? Now it's like here it comes, here it comes, here it comes... And... nothing, ejaculation but no big bang.

I got a Fleshlight a while back and that did the trick for a while, at least I got a minor orgasm. (And I got a cup holder in the shower that it fits right into when I'm drying it out).

But 90 days, maybe much more?! I just don't know. But I HAVEN'T been able to think clearly, I HAVEN'T been able to orgasm at all for about a year, I HAVEN'T been able to get an erection (for more than a few seconds or a little semi) when my new girlfriend came over and spent the weekend - and I gotta tell ya guys, she's got skills - and we weren't even going all the way. And I have a lot of all those other symptoms - I don't go out much, I don't socialize much, I don't do much except work - and I'm an English teacher in a small town in South Korea - I NEED to go out because there's not a whole Hell of a lot of English speaking people here!

But 90 f***ing days? WTF am I gonna do? What's going to happen if I continue NoFap but my girlfriend wants to have sex? Will that F it all up? And you know she will because I'm good - I do online consultations about sexual technique among other things - I know what the F I'm doing, ok? And this is the beginning of day 5?!

...I wouldn't have listened to this at all, but there was a Ted Talks video on the site, and I give them a lot of credence. No porn is one thing, but NoFap, no release at all, I can't go to sleep unless I tease myself a little (but don't cum) because it kinda tightens up the prostate - otherwise I feel like I have to pee.

And the fantasies - I have porn playing in my own mind. I am not gonna make it to 90 days, let alone 180. One guy said he started having wet dreams - one night he had one twice! - his own body was like, "enough's enough."

This sounds like a joke, like someone said "Hey, let's F with all these guys." But, there's the Ted Talks. Did they mention NoFap? I'm going to watch it again.

Sorry if this is a bit much, but I need to vent.

This reminds me of this Muslim ex-girlfriend I had. (God, I can't even TYPE straight right now!) She believed many things in the Koran were man-made, not from Allah. But one thing she absolutely positively DID believe were: No intercourse, no masturbation. So when she did that little thing women do: I'm angry with you so I'm not putting out for [insert amount of time until I'm in the phase of my cycle when I'm horniest - that's right guys, you should mark these things on your calendar] - I'd double it, then jerk off right in front of her - she'd panic, get instantly horny and end up taking care of me right there. Once I made her beg for an hour before I gave in... she was very...persistent.

Now it seems, my girlfriend can do the same thing. After one make out and groping session yesterday, where I ended up naked just to compare scars, she went to the bathroom, and came out silently and walked right up next to me as I was stroking my nipples...with no fucking erection.

See you on Day 6.

Submitted by admin on Mon, 08/27/2012 - 09:07.

But I haven't had a really good orgasm in a long time. nothing, ejaculation but no big bang.

I got a Fleshlight a while back and that did the trick for a while, at least I got a minor orgasm.

 I HAVEN'T been able to orgasm at all for about a year, I HAVEN'T been able to get an erection (for more than a few seconds or a little semi) when my new girlfriend came over and spent the weekend - and I gotta tell ya guys, she's got skills

Clearly something is wrong - really wrong  -when you can't get an erection or an orgasm. Yet you need something more, some authority to confirm your reality.

I wouldn't have listened to this at all, but there was a Ted Talks video on the site, and I give them a lot of credence.

Why would you need a TED talk or anyone else to confirm your reality? I say that because I am always surprised that men cannot believe that porn use could do this - even though it has done it to them.

We have been writing about porn-induced ED for 4 years. It is real. See the Porn & ED tab above for a whole lot more. See our Psychology Today article which has links to other professionals who are starting to see this phenomenon. http://www.yourbrainonporn.com/porn-induced-sexual-dysfunction-growing-p...

That said, you may want to see a urologist to rule out any other cause.

Good luck, and follow those links

 

 

Submitted by D_Ball on Sun, 08/26/2012 - 22:09.

I don't want to undermine anyone, but the video is right on this site, and at the end of it they mention us, the NoFaps.

The video says it's only Porn we're supposed to give up, not the fapping. I mean, it's weakened MY resolve, hearing that. But has anyone given up porn only? Has anyone who doesn't watch porn, if there is such a person, given up the Fap and still gotten results?

We need some data here - please comment.

Submitted by admin on Mon, 08/27/2012 - 08:46.

The video suggested that porn use was the cause of these many symptoms. However, it was carefully worded to leave that question open-ended. The video could not tell the whole story as it was only 16 mins long and for an audience that knew nothing about Internet porn addiction.

Have you read rebooting above? That's where I discuss masturbation/orgasm. It's rare for someone to recover from porn-induced ED, and still continue on a regular masturbation/orgasm schedule. In other words, eliminating the primary cause (porn), may not be enough to heal ED.

If you read the many rebooting accounts, you will find that nearly all eliminated or drastically reduced masturbation.

Have your watched the yourbrainonporn video?

Have you read Porn & ED faq

Know that it's unlikely that you will get a response. I suggest visiting active forums such as - http://www.yourbrainrebalanced.com/ or  http://www.reddit.com/r/NoFap/

Submitted by ace8 on Mon, 11/19/2012 - 12:41.

Relapsed 3 days ago. My fourth in about 6 weeks. Withdrawal is a room in hell. I have all of the above symptoms. Up all night last night fighting the urge to give and look at porn. I'm incredibly horny. I understand that it's in my unbalanced porn-fried brain, but it sure feels like it's down below. I feel light-headed, detached, sad, weird. I'm an artist but my usually creative thoughts are buried somewhere beneath my withdrawal. My mind isn't the introspective, curious, fascinated, mystical, creative one I've known and taken pleasure in for so long. It's as if somebody else's weird and desperate thoughts and urges have moved in and taken the place of my thoughts, and I'm adrift in an alien inner world. But I know the real changes have taken place in my brain. Somewhere behind or above my brain, my mind can see and understand what's going on, the price of my addiction. There's a war going on my head. My porn-fried brain is battling my mind, my executive control, for command of my thoughts. I have to go with my mind. I have let my mind win. I'm afraid after two years of porn addiction that if I keep giving in, I'll never get my mind, my genuine identity, back. By afraid I mean scared silly--really, really bleeping afraid. When I get completely absorbed in something--which is hard to do now but not impossible--I'm still myself, so I don't think I've done permanent damage to my brain. But if I let this addiction go on, I'm afraid I will. I'm an emotional wreck--angry, scared, tired, cranky, disgusted, sad. I'm ridiculously horny and desperate for a porn fix, I'm in need of a good night's sleep, I'm struggling with the war in head. I feel like a stranger to myself. I'm praying for strength. I'm paying the price for my stupid decision to indulge in porn. If you're just getting into porn, visiting this site because you think maybe it's getting a hold on you, it is, and you'd be wise to stop before it really takes hold and drags you into hell.

ace8

Submitted by 2PC2 on Sun, 01/06/2013 - 09:20.

I started on the new year, not a resolution, just sorta lined up that way. I've viewed porn 3 times in the first 4 days, but stopped before around 2 minutes each time.

Mentally, I've been thinking about porn while at work, & the drive home.
I've already noticed that when watching thing having nothing to do with porn, I'm staring at that girls ass in the background.

Physically...I thought I was sick from New Years. I don't feel sick at all, but my throat has been kinda swollen.
I've had a screamer of a headache from around day 3 & I have it right now.
I've also had the thing where drinking tons of water doesn't seem to quench my thirst.
I have knee pain, which I kinda have already, but it's constant & a bit worse, same with my arch pain on my foot, already had it once in a while, but now it's constant.

I'm having trouble figuring out what to do with myself. I have tons of time available now, but I really don't wanna go out with these headaches, & I don't feel like working on my album. I have been going to the gym & doing cardio though. I'd like to speed this process up as much as possible.

Submitted by Marnia Robinson on Sun, 01/06/2013 - 09:51.

collect a lot of the withdrawal symptoms you guys report. I update it periodically, but here's the current collection in case you want to compare notes with previous rebooters: WITHDRAWAL

If you look under Tools For Change (top menu)-->Solo Tools, you'll find a collection of things guys have said helped. The real cure seems to be time, but you may find something there that helps ease your misery a bit. Good luck. Withdrawal can be nasty, but sometimes I think it's a good sign to get it over with at the beginning. Be gentle with yourself.

Submitted by admin on Sun, 01/06/2013 - 11:12.

I just saw this in another post on the front page:

I remember the mood swings, the cravings, the feelings of being physically ill. I decided to start eating healthy to quicken my recovery. I didn’t eat unhealthy to begin with, but I started eating more nuts, fruits, greens and pure meats. It worked wonders, and I still do it today.

http://www.yourbrainonporn.com/age-21-depression-small-change-can-change...

Submitted by CBeet310 on Sat, 03/23/2013 - 12:11.

Hey guys, I am five days in and am experiencing frequent urge to urinate and it is constant and can't be satisfied. Another thing I am wondering about is my testicles/ballsack as well seem cold and tight all the time now. Will they hang and get fuller like they used to be? Anyone with this experience who found relief or otherwise please let me know. Thank you.