Did NoFap cure your depression?

It's all down to time mate, hang in there. When starting, it will get worse before it gets better.

 

Starting my senior year of High School in 2017 I had major depression, so bad I had memory loss, constant physical pain, and a toxic attitude towards family and my limited friends. I had been jacking off since I was 12 and now im 17. Getting garbage grades, not exercising, not going to church anymore, losing interest in my hobbies. In 2017 I spent 1/3 of the year gaming or watching porn. I didn't realize that I was ruining myself by doing these things. I started skipping school and really began to fail at grades. It wasn't until about a month ago I realized that PMO was a major problem. Im only 2 days in but for once I had all my work done, listening to music, biking, and I might go back to my old fav hobbies. Its a hard struggle right now fixing myself but I feel happy and clear for once in a long time. ☺

 

It is life basically with negative and positive moments of your existance. Coping with that is what makes you strong. As you start to rewire your brain for healthy methods of gaining that sweet dopamine rush (not that sudden dopamine kickdown when PMO), you will be infinite happy and even small things will look like giving you that happy feeling (aka dopamine). Thats is my theory.

 

No, but it set me on path that cure the real cause of depression. Now even when I PMO-ed I do not feel depressed anymore.

 

It did, 100%.
The only problem I'm dealing with right now is - social anxiety (when I'm in big groups)

 

what was your journey like??

 

Rewiring can take a lot of time for some. I have heard that it can take up to 2 years (in extreme cases) to be fully healed. I wish I had better news but it's better to be honest.

I'm still in a horrible flatline, hope to have fully restored dopamine receptors in about 9-12 months..

 

With a lot of ups and downs.
There were days when I was sitting in my room with memories floating over my head and crying,
there were days when I literally wanted to die and, there were days when I felt like I'm the king of the world.
It wasn't easy, and I still have a lot of work to do
but, does it worth it? hellyeah

 

I would say not replacing an addiction (PMO) with another addiction (exercise). You need to have a more balanced lifestyle. It seems by stopping exercise you are having withdrawals (depression). It is weird how your brain reacts.

 

thanks, i definitely think the journey is worth it

 

Hey Hoplesscase101, first of all congrats on your streak. I just started yesterday and I don't think I've gone a week without it since I started. As for your mood, sometimes that's just how your brain works, even if you're doing good things for yourself. Depression and sadness are part of the human condition and what I like to do is embrace sadness for a while. If you fight something and loath it, like sadness, it becomes stronger. Lay down, enjoy an entire album, do some writing, let it flow through you. It's not the end-all be-all fix, but it's a start. Just understand that this too, shall pass and all you can do is go with it. Get your daily routines over with, and in your free time just reminisce, relax, and think of better things man.

 

Hey, I am too struggling from depression. Some days it is hard, some days it is not so hard, but It is here. I think when I PMOed I did not notice this depression simply. But now it surfaced. What will I do, I'll just wait, do what I usually do. This should change, become better, because we have taken the right path and nature will reward us for it. I can not move towards the goal as bravely and actively as others do, but I do what I can.

 

For me, quitting porn did help me alot. I believe I was in a sort of vicious circle: P made me feel depressed; and feeling bad, I watched P to "overcome" sad moments. But in reality, it only made me feel worse, so I watched P again.
Quitting P is definitely one of the best decisions I have taken in my life.

 

I would say long term nofap can cure the depression because PMO with all it's consequences can be the real cause of depression or PMO can mask other hidden problems you have but don't even realize now. However during nofap process depression can worsen because your nervous system becomes much more sensitive and vulnerable. Personally I got hit by depression when I reached 'Day 200' mark 'hard mode'. It all come sudden. The last few weeks I got somehow better, but it's probably because I started to take meds and they are working already. Before I had days when I was feeling so bad mentally and physically that even getting out to buy some groceries was a real challenge. Depression is cyclical by it's nature and eventually you'll get better, but it takes some time (at least few weeks after you hit 'the bottom'). When you hit the bottom it always seems like you'll be stuck there forever, but it's not true, it will pass and you'll get out of this. It always works this way. I'm saying this from my own experience.

 

There is your problem.

You simply have to find something that you like to do.
You don't need another chore. You need enjoyment, letting yourself go with something you enjoy.
If I were you, I would stick to exercising, because it does make a difference. But find something that brings you pleasure and enjoyment.

You seem to very keen on focusing on the negative areas of your life. That is just a bad habit, and it can be changed with practice.
Practicing positivity can have a great impact on your life. It really works for me.

There are a few ways you can do it:
1) Morning and evening, write down 3 things that you are grateful for in your life. I mean really grateful for. Thankful for.
2) Join the thread "the gratitude attitude challenge"
3) Practice positive self-talk for at least 2 minutes every day. Look at yourself in the mirror, and speak out loud. Tell yourself that you are good enough as you are, recognize your problems and recognize that you have the power to accept and forgive. Tell yourself about your goals and dreams and what you like about yourself. Be realistic and not too out-there.
4) Make up your own techniques. It's pretty simple really, for example: for every negative thought, "find the grain of gold in the pile of shit".


Other than that, make sure you get enough sleep, eliminate sugar from your diet, take vitamin supplements to make sure your are not deficient in minerals, and drink enough water to stay hydrated. All these have an impact on depression, so when you correct all of these, you will see improvements.

 

Basically, I believe, it just needs some time. Stay strong- You are not alone!