500+ days of PMO abstinence and its life-changing effects (4 parts in this thread).

PMO is that devil you really cannot pinpoint and grasp until it actually starts leaving your mind, body and soul. It is not until then you realize which immense power it has had over your entire mind and body. Nothing comes out unaffected from its presence, just like a light poison would be if ingested daily.
It's not going to kill right away but just poison you a little on a daily basis. After taking it daily for years, the poison starts to accumulate and you will feel its devastating and crippling effects more and more. At that point, the only rescue is a detox in order to get it out of your system, otherwise, the aches and pains affecting you on a daily basis will just continue. The same principle applies to PMO itself.

 

Unfortunately, part-III might take some time (maybe up to a week) since I will be gone for a few days in the Arctic region without (probably) any internet connection available.

 

By stepping onto a train, bus, ferry-boat, airplane or car. What did you think?
By foot?

 

People who say that and prefer going to safe and nearby places (not even on their own) are missing out on life. You have to push yourself out of that comfort-zone on a regular basis in order to live and experience life to the fullest. Most people in the developed world these days rarely do that and replace that feeling of dullness it brings to them with various escapism behaviors instead.
Seeing new places, peoples and cultures (especially on your own) widens your life perspective and gives you a dose of humility and gratitude as well.

 

Part 3/4:

I am sorry if this long life-story of mine became an entire post too long but it would simply have become too long to write (and read) in one single post, plus it contains many valuable details, advice and material that probably would be disregarded if writing too long of a post. Here it is:

I didn’t have the answer right away at that moment since I was quite busy thinking about the issues with my dad (and his new toxic woman) that had been escalating over the last few months. Because of that, I was going to see a therapist that weekend who maybe could guide me through some of the obstacles ahead so I could maybe get other perspectives and at least not fall back into my destructive thinking habits. The day of that meeting was also the last day I fapped (shortly after a workout as well so the recovery got messed up) and I remember the gloomy, dull, indifferent and negative mood I was in that entire afternoon, just like the gray and cold winter weather (-2°C and wind gusts) that’s so typical for February. Not to talk about the fatigue I felt after wasting that precious energy and all minerals right down the toilet bowl.
All I wanted to do after the therapy session was to go and sleep as I didn’t have energy, drive or motivation to do anything else. Anything else but pitying myself for my sucky and mundane life so to say. That next morning, the gloominess and depression felt even worse, despite having some beautiful winter-weather outside.
Two days later, I got a an idea of a challenge that I had attempted two years earlier and that could also save me some productive time in the evenings: Not to masturbate for an entire month. It could maybe make me think about other things than lust, sex, arousing things, etc so it would at least be worth a try.
Although I saw the challenge as really difficult, I definitely didn’t see it as impossible since my last attempt lasted for an entire two weeks (when being more hooked to porn as well). That period ended as I almost got panic-stricken after 13 days when I started to feel somewhat lightheaded and like everything around me started to slow down. I did of course not realize that the first few positive effects of the PMO-abstinence had arrived and that all minerals and energy maintained had been reabsorbed and recirculated into my system. I thought I was getting high, wacked or both so I fapped the next morning, almost feeling grateful for having been restored to (un)normal again afterwards. At the point, I had no clue about NoFap, its community, its concepts or potential benefits.

The first five days of NoFap went on fine but it wasn’t until my trip to the beautiful Belgian town of Brügge I started to experience the first real challenges on my streak. Being alone in that hotel-room upon arrival was quite hard as the urges and cravings hit me like a sledgehammer from nowhere without warning. At that point, I resisted the temptation and went outside for a walk in the historic and picturesque parts of town which felt much better when coming back. After all, fapping wasn’t a good alternative when the urges hit since I was going to run a 16 km road-race the next morning starting in Oostende (this is a beautiful song about the town which I am always thinking about when traveling to Belgium: ).

It was about a week after beginning the challenge when I started to sense the first few benefits in having more energy. Despite all traveling, I felt quite alert and fit.
It was on day 9 I started to experience my first withdrawal symptoms as I started to sweat randomly, got slightly shaky limbs and erratic body movements. I almost felt like a Jumping Jack who had no control of his own, especially at work when I actually needed to have stable hands. I relieved myself temporarily from the urges by pinching my arms and take a few deep breaths.
But, two days, later, some really strange, sudden and unexpected things started to happen:
I started to feel a slow surge of energy, feelings of joy, light-heartedness and things around me slowing down. I also gained control over my body parts so I could move all of them in a controlled and smooth way by just focusing. Something I always had been finding hard to do. I could finally start moving around in a more soft, smooth and controlled way without it feeling forced or phony as well. One of the biggest changes though, must have been my complete change of mood and attitude which was almost instantaneous (like someone had flicked a switch). It felt unlike anything I had ever felt before because previously, the joyous mood I would sometimes feel was only short-lived and almost left as sudden as it came over me, followed by depressive, negative and destructive thoughts right away.
This time though, the joyous and positive mood remained and didn’t seem to fade or perish which felt amazing to say the least. In the following days, I noticed also my eyes looked clearer, more alert, and healthier than before, plus my vision was almost switched to HD, without always needing my reading glasses. It was almost as if a smokescreen had dispersed in front of my eyes and I could see clearly all of a sudden.
All of this happened in the short span of 10-12 days as well so I was quite excited about what was going to happen next if I continued the streak for the entire month. I was eager to know so I researched the effects of abstinence from PMO online and eventually discovered the NoFap phenomenon. I then realized that what I had been experiencing recently wasn’t just pure delusion, it was actually something real occurring on a biological and mental level. During the workouts that followed, I felt stronger and more focused than I had in a very long time which had rarely been the case on that crappy indoor track.

After that moment on, there were several benefits following over the upcoming weeks and months but the most significant and valuable ones must have been (without a doubt):
The ability to appreciate the small things in life (no matter how small) and being in the present moment. This was something I was incapable of during my oldFapping days when my dopamine receptors where messed up and nothing could cheer me up or make me feel true joy. The regained joy of life and all its moments (good and bad) is probably the most valuable benefit you will earn because that doesn’t only bring you joy in life’s small things but it also brings you a feeling of security, comfort and ease in every given situation, no matter how hard it might seem. My previously biggest cause of concern, anxiety and tension used to be the situations that were out of your control but now, it was no longer too much of a concern for my part.
It wasn’t until regaining back my joy for life’s small things, miracles and wonders I realized that the trait itself is quite uncommon these days and that became more evident as time passed by. Nowadays, most people seem miserable, glued to their phones/electronics, impatient and frustrated as they want instant rewards for doing almost nothing, without realizing or being aware that life’s great rewards comes from persistence, practice, grinding, belief and desire over a longer period of time. Nothing in life that’s grand or fantastic is going to come easy and overnight. But, instead of working on themselves and facing themselves and their demons in the mirror, they resort to various forms of escapism-behaviors that mostly involves phone-use.

Keep in mind that all kinds of life-changing self-improvement, personal development (physically, mentally and spiritually) takes time, effort, practice, dedication and perseverance. It will be quite tough and overwhelming at first, especially when coming to terms with ownership and accountability for your own life, meaning that nothing or no one but yourself, your own attitude and beliefs are the main causes for where you are in life right now and where you might head. Tough as it may sound, the noble and great thing about it is that matters are entirely in your hands and no one else's.
Become the change you want to be and live the life you aspire to live. Do never live life according to others' expectations as it will bring you nothing but misery and discontentment in the long run.
If that means going against your parents' will or even discarding your (fake)-friends since childhood, so be it and go find yourself better, more genuine and inspiring friends instead. Your parents might become upset and even enraged over your decision but your life is after all more about living it to your fullest potential and not someone else's.
Life is too short to spend with negative and destructive people who you dislike and vice-versa. Negative people break you down (physically and spiritually) over time so don't spend more time around them than needed.
Although it might be tough in the beginning (as with all changes), having the strength and integrity of not needing others' approval is one of the most ultimate feelings of freedom and independence you can have. Because then, you are free to create and live the meaningful and fulfilling life you actually want to live.
It sometimes makes me sad thinking about how many people out there who never even question their current lives and continue to live according to other's mediocre and limiting expectations.

 

I am glad to hear it's having a positive impact on the people reading it.

 

Alstublieft mijn vriend!