I discovered Nofap on my own, but got more serious with it after got PIED (yes, developed PIED during knowledge of nofap benefits!). But after series of failures reached 90 days now for the first time ever.
No real benefits other than strong passion for self improvement. Recommend foolproof logic for staying off and shutting down all triggers for the first month (real life + internet). Will go back to MO now, no PMO. [What finally did it was cutting out fantasy.]
Beginning of the new
Started nofap in 2010 (age 16) without knowing about it, but because of major life event that caused depression and withdrawal from PMO. Was a 3-4 times per week PMO-er and got to a full 2 free weeks. Noticed extreme benefits (aka superpowers) when first started. Decided for moderation which equaled 1 fap per week for a year.
Then things started intensifying, forgot the initial benefits, PMO increased and I started watching hardcore videos (mostly pictures or occasionally streamed clips before that). Got PIED in 2012 summer (was 19).
Enter nofap (reddit stuff)
So I started with nofap because of PIED. My goal – get to 90 days and cure PIED, then continue with the PMO lifestyle. <- sounds familiar?
Couldn’t go more than 2 weeks at first, wasn’t really motivated either. But suddenly this urge to prove his willpower instinct comes. Considers himself strong.
Comes summer holiday, doing nofap, getting to 30 – feeling great, but also getting headaches and extreme mood shifts, like bipolar or something. Doing only 3 PMO-s in the period between June and August 2013, feels proud for progress.
Happy, going to year 2 in university, reaching 60 days. Relapsing not because of urge, but because of curiosity (“is it as good as I remember?”). Not beating himself up…but not being able to build a good streak anymore…life getting more and more depressing
Winter stress, extreme low period in life again, but PMO constantly dulls feelings, average of 3-4 PMO per week. Taking a resolution for year 2014 – reach 90 days! Gets to 53 days, but struggles so hard for the last 3 days, writes a “I’m sorry I relapsed” letter to tomorrow’s future self.
Maintains 2 week to 30 day streaks throughout the spring and summer and autumn when things again start falling out of hand in 2014. In November gets sick of it again, decides that enough is enough. Reaches 59 days by the end of the year, fails resolution for 2014, but continues„ If I fall now, it will take another 1.5 years to come as far!“. Gets to 90 days today.
Feels as if achieved something grand!
Benefits and stuffs.
I can’t say much. I’m a self improver since that event in 2010 so I can’t say that I did something because of NoFap or so. I can say, that I indeed felt more energized (like waking up from a dream) when I first quit, but in consecutive streaks after a binge session, no such benefits have really come, or if then only for the first or second week, after which everything goes to kind of ordinary. I’ve mastered 2 extra languages, decent level in piano, accepted to university, healthy lifestyle and all that, but not because of nofap. Nofap was one of the projects I was struggling with so far and now I’ve even got that covered.
Recommendations for success
I tried many things over the past 5 years…from binge till you feel dead till get right back at it after you relapse and everything in between (mark days in the calendar, treat yourself after ever 3 days, go at least 1 day longer than previous streak, etc). What got it for me was however this mindset:
First month I did the „No arousal“ thing recommended here – not only don’t look at arousing stuff in internet, but revert your eyes from women in real life as well, no matter how much you wanna look or how „normal“ it seems – remember, not for forever, but only for a month, to make healing more rapid!
And then later, 30+ days
If at ANY point you get the thought, that you’re cured of the addiction now, that it’s all ok and you’re fine, THEN PROVE IT!!! Because if you are not addicted, you CAN STAY OFF for at least 1 more day, only addicts cannot. You see? I could never argue that point. Also…a promise after a relapse to stay off, is an empty promise. The real time to prove yourself is not when you feel disgusted by it, but when you feel it’s the best thing in the world (aka during urge).
Also, web-blockers not for porn sites only, but to triggering stuff (I had to quit my fav wallpaper site 🙁 ). And if you know that the movie is going to have triggers, then just don’t f***in watch it before you get nofap in control, the movie’s not gonna run anywhere, but you get older every day.
Reboot.
Now I don’t think I have PIED anymore. At least I can get it hard by thinking „rise!“ (no need to fantasize about anything). Which is why I’m now going to try to go back to MO. I strongly advocate /r/pornfree, because my issue was porn all along (tomorrow = 100 days pornfree 🙂 ).
Hope you guys will do great!
EDIT: minor typos
LINK – A 90 day report! (finally!)
by NudaeVetatu
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