So I've been on and off NoFap for almost 3 months and the clearest and weirdest thing is how fapping clearly affects social confidence. I have been diagnosed with moderate social anxiety and I've had it for over ten years. Whenever I am not on a streak, I fap 2-5 times a day. So it's pretty compulsive. Whenever I go out, I feel terribly uncomfortable in social situations, getting a high rush of adrenaline all the time. My neck tenses up when simply walking across the campus. I have a stutter and my voice is low and unclear and I would always speak too fast. The magic happens when I abstain from fapping for 4 days. It's always the four day mark when I suddenly see a dramatic increase in social confidence. All of my social anxiety symptons disappear: shaking low voice, adrenaline rushes, stuttering, tense neck etc... It's really a night and day difference and it's probably more effective than alcohol or benzos. I know it's 'chemical' and not psychological. I don't feel shameful after fapping and even when I feel happy and good about myself, I would still have a bad social anxiety. Also I didn't ever expect that benefit when going on my first nofap streak, still it beats ssri medication by a ten-fold margin. I wonder if this is about dopamine-related or excessive ejaculation -related brain changes. As it only takes 4 or so days to cure, I don't think it's about being 'rebooted' or getting dopamine receptors back. Can it be the prolactin from excessive ejaculation instead?
It's definitely about rebooting and repairing your brain / central nervous system. You use something 2-5 times a day you're going to pay the price. Stick with the process and you'll see the benefits of staying away from pmo.
Yes it definitely feels like my nervos system gets repaired after a few days fap free. The constant fight or flight mode just lifts but I don't know if there is any science behind this.
It becomes actually way better over time, I've recently felt another sort of checkpoint where I've become noticably more confident.
I've read somewhere that it takes 3 days for dopamine and prolactin levels to balance out. Sorry I don't have a reference. It would certainly explain your circumstances. However, you still need to reboot to rewire the brain and upregulate the dopamine receptors which will take 6-12weeks. This, I would expect, would prevent you getting social anxiety in the first place. I experience the same problem/resolve and this is not normal, but reversible, I believe.
Anxiety doesnt dissapear in days. Mine is the same before starting nofap and after 4 months (wich is my current streak) of abstention. I dont feel like social cuz get nervous and cant enjoy meetings, jokes, Im no conected with enviroment, being nervous all the time, even when I play soccer. i dont know when its gonna end
It also depends on how long you've been fapping. I've read that it takes 1-2 years to heal a long time addict. Have you been anxious/nervous before starting PMO in your life?
All people are different. Some people including me notice a large change in socializing and confidence after the 4 day mark. That means PMO is a big factor on how you see yourself. It also has to do with the subconscious feeling that you are hiding something and your integrity pays the price. If someone still has problems with confidence and anxiety after stopping for a prolonged period of time then the root is not PMO and is most likely something else like being skinning or overweight or being poor and insecure. It all boils down to how you see yourself and your presence around other people. If your mood shifts and you become a likeable person after not PMO for a little while then you will become more socially acceptable. All people are different but all people need to have balance in their life. Take care of your body, your mind, spirit and the confidence will come. People are attracted to those that don't need anything and are self sufficient. Be self sufficient and don't need anything from anybody.
Good and informative post. But you are wrong about the prolonged cases as there are people who flatline for a year or two (me being part of the latter). The anxiety induced by withdrawal and subsequent relapses does not go away any time soon.
I did say everyone is different and not everyone is in my example. I tend not to focus on the worst case scenario and will not include in on my responses. With that said I am interested in your condition as I don't believe that a 2+ year flatline is normal. Would you say that all aspects of your life are in balance? I am only asking to understand where you are coming from because it is nearly impossible to understand without knowing more about you. How many of these would you say are in check: You have a career that is challenging and fulfilling? You exercise regularly, eat healthy/whole foods and drink lots of water? You have a good social circle and socialize frequently where you feel accepted? You spend time on your spirituality and are present with yourself and are self-aware? There can also be other factors. You abstain from alcohol, marijuana, other drugs and cigarettes? Do you feel a sense of purpose in life? Do you have direction on where you are headed in life? If all of these or most of these are met, then I am more open to this idea of a 2+ hardline. It is also important to know how you felt 4-7 days into no PMO. Were you more energized? Or did you feel the same as your hardline? thank you for your perspective and shedding light on this for me.
I have almost 2 months of nofap, but my biggest problem is not pmo, but wet dreams. Im having a wet dream / week since 14 years old, the wet dreams pushed me to the world of pmo, the urges that a wet dream can create the following days. Now im 19, still having them, the effects got much worse , having a hard time the next day, feeling sad, depressed, tired, tried a bunch of things but no luck, what do you guys think I should do to stop encountering them?
I would start another forum for this question so you can get the response of more people. It is interesting though and I think many people will find it helpful.
I dont remember, Ive been on and off since the internet appeared. Im 33 and I think never been a big addict, but i should say that its always been in my life since teenage. Moreoever I work as cashier at walmart and im obligated to expose to people and have an unwanted social relations, but not cuz i dont like, its cuz my anxiety and feeling unconfortable under my skin and this weird stressed-anxious-nervous-foggy state.