Flatlining already?

Flatlining refers to loss of libido and sexual desires often accompanied by a lifeless, limp dick. It could be that you are just suffering from dopamine withdrawal which can cause restlessness, irritability, depression, etc.

 

Hey discipline, we are around the same number of days so I'll chime in. I have been mentally and physically exhausted, however it's like between a hard rock and a soft pillow. I definitely feel better when I'm around other people, however when I am alone I start really noticing the symptoms. My muscles are sore, I feel lethargic, there are brief moments of mental clarity, memory has improved, overall outlook on life is optimistic once again.

During the day I will feel great waking up in the morning, then a crash around mid-late afternoon which I will use to take a nap. (because I would feel that terrible) The bouts of lethargy seem to be diminishing in time as the day count gets higher, while the optimism also seems to increase.

I have cut out all sort of visual stimulation and I believe this is the best and fastest way to reboot. I also have not orgasmed for 2 weeks.

 

Hi Chaps - I am at day 9. After an initial great start, I am starting to wonder if I am feeling withdrawal symptoms.... I would list these as

1) very tired indeed, extreme tiredness in the afternoon
2) slightly irritable
3) slightly down
4) total loss of libido
5) slight feelings of resentment towards my gf (bizarre, I know!!!)

 

Not alone guys! I have been in and out of the flatline period it is a horrible feeling!!! Honestly, I hope to god that quitting PMO is worth it! I've never experienced anything like this it's horrible I haven't PMO since October 30th. I will never go back either but I am extremely anxious lately. Hope this passes.

 

Hi, me too, not had orgasm for 13 days now (my tracker is wrong) and have been feeling really tired and low. Also I quit sugar a while ago and have started on it again which might not sound serious but I'm really pissed off with myself for that!! Also been drinking a lot of tea (I know! Hard-core b*****d that I am!!) But honestly its getting me down as I really want to quit caffeine. So what's this flatlining I've heard mentioned? Is it 'normal' to dip like this and is this peculiar to quitting orgasm (which I guess I have for now as not having sex with anyone)??

 

Hi guys, enjoyed the posts. Reading posts and replying are part of my recovery, so thank you. I have a dumb question, but in reading the posts and the discussion on flatlining and withdrawals generally, I don't see much information on actually quitting porn. This site emphasizes abstinence from MOing, as in how many days can you go without, but when I began my journey last year I did not realize the problem was above the belt, in the brain, and I continued to watch P compulsively but radically reduced my MO. I am just curious as to your process because the emphasis seems to be on holding out from MOing, when I have learned that for me and a lot of guys the underlying problem was not MOing perse but PMOig, with the emphasis on P. Sure would love to hear your thoughts.

 

Hi William, all I can say for me is that I don't ever recall a time when I just watched P without M&Oing. I guess they kind of all went together etc. I wasn't sure what my objectives were when I arrived here (I was even considering quitting M&O-even with a partner for life) but I guess now I feel I've put things into perspective I have come here to quit porn and if i need to go any length of time to disasocciate M&O from P then I will go as long as it takes which is why I love the whole idea of a reboot etc. Also, and I don't know if this is of interest, my recently split from ex-wife (feels so weird calling her that :'() and I have just this past week both expressed an interest in being friends but much as I love her (there's NO reunion on the cards by the way) I have said I don't want to pursue that as i want to completely change the way I view her (reboot) not only as my 'wife's but as somebody i could potentially have sex with (or did have) I don't know really I guess I'm still a bit confused but basically i feel like I'm on the right track and even though been feeling down am sure it will pass

 

Thanks jiltedjohn, thanks for replying. Sorry to hear about the thing with your ex wife. The reason I asked was that it has occurred to me that a lot of guys are trying to quit MOing here, but fail to understand that P abuse is the reason they are having trouble, thus they continue to abuse P while quitting the MOing. In fact, after I started trying to quit and before I got educated, I quit PMOing almost entirely, but kept watching P during that time, and found that I could go long times between MOing, but that I visualized P when MOing. I did not understand that was perpetuating the problem, not fixing it. Like you I had to learn that P was the problem, not the MOing per se, and I have come to see PMOing as almost a symptom of the problem (porn addiction) rather than the problem itself. I have been PMO free for some time, and though I have triggers that can cause the urge, I am past counting the number of days between. Again, thanks for replying and good luck in your journey.

 

I cannot say for certain that whether holding out on Porn alone or just Masturbation/Orgasm is the best method for recovery, however I do notice that it is all intrinsically connected. Porn alone damages our sense of reality, while the ejaculation process weakens us both mentally and physically. Just imagine how much energy is needed to create sperm in order to create a human being.

Eastern spirituality suggests that when we do not waste our semen unnecessarily, it re-circulates in the body, encouraging youth, vitality, mental clarity, amongst other things. Taoist and Hindus believe in the preservation of semen, unless it's for pro-creation. This process is called Brahmacarya.

Why are we so severely weakened after we ejaculate? Why do we tend to fall asleep after? It may have been possible for me in my youth to go run after I ejaculate, however as time goes by, I start to notice the effects of releasing semen.

Yes some people will want to counter my argument through Webmd or some modern magazine stating that masturbation to orgasm is healthy, when in fact it is NOT. They will also say that chimps masturbate and compare us to monkeys or propose the Darwinian theory of evolution suggesting that it is inherent. I am here to state that we did not evolve from primates, and masturbation is not natural.

This past year has been an eye opener for me. I feel that we as a society are enslaving ourselves with useless pleasures. It is my humble opinion that the best method is to not use Porn and Masturbation, ever. Orgasm only when you find a suitable partner that you love and care deeply for.

 

Cheers, yep i definitely feel on the right track cutting out P altogether. Its like cause and effect. The cause of the problem is P and the effect is porn INFLUENCED M&O and so the cause, P needs removing entirely before returning to healthy M&O, or healthy O with a partner at least as i dont think i ever want to M again. Good luck to you too

 

Hi, you make a lot of very interesting points and I'm particularly interested in your comments about eastern spirituality as this has been an interest of mine for many years. Can you recommend any literature on Brahmacarya as this is something I have long been ccurious about.

Also your comments that we did not evolve from primates interest me as I have never been convinced by Darwin's ideas (and neither am I a Christian) I've always kind of thought that organised 'religion' and institutionalized 'science' are both flip sides of a fake coin and that the world we 'perceive' is nothing more than an elaborate manipulation/illusion that has been 'pulled over our eyes to blind us from the truth' but HEY that might be best discussed in another forum!! ;-)

I started a thread called 'don't get you nowhere don't make you a man' in the general NoFap section you might find interesting? (Put the kettle on before you read it though!!;-))

 

No I cannot, however I just briefly read some instances of it on various websites. Gandhi was known to be celibate for a number of years, please do not quote me on this, from what I remembered he could read an encyclopedia and master full volumes of knowledge in a short amount of time, retain that information, and understand it all. Appetite also decreased and fasting was much easier for him.

Taoists also believe in preserving this vital essence. Concepts such as yin and yang were adopted.

Here is a link http://thetaobums.com/topic/22912-semen-retention-100-days-and-my-experiences/ from a Taoist viewpoint about semen retention. Maybe if you found some literature on your quest, you could perhaps share them with me.

I have never been too fond with institutional religion because it seems like the spiritual practice seems to lessen with the whole organization and hierarchy of systems. When everything is systemic, the cultivation of the soul diminishes. Indeed it is my belief that the material plane is just a distraction, and our true purpose is to learn, cultivate our spirit, and love. I digress, however, and I wouldn't mind exchanging some thoughts of this with you as well, if you are up for it.

 

@S&M Style This part seems to me like an over-reaction. What do you mean we did not evolve from primates? We are primates. Is this a religious objection?

Also, perhaps there are some cognitive benefits to withholding ejaculation. That is likely why Buddhist monks forgo sexual pleasures altogether; I saw a video of a monk who was talking about porn and masturbation addiction. He kind of chided the person who asked the question for saying they wanted to meet real women because he says that sex is primal and is actually a lower good compared to the other goods (meditation, wonders of the universe etc.) In other words, sex is something we want because our biology has programmed us to want it, it is not inherently good or bad.



@Discipline, I know it sucks. Flatlining has to do specifically with erectile function, more specifically lack of. The emotional stuff sucks too, try using meditation to push through. Although, I remember experiencing morning wood for all of my second month, but I was completely uninterested in girls.

I think I was flatlining even though I didn't have the "limp dick", because when I was out at bars with friends I had 0 interest in asking any women out to the point it was disheartening. My desire to talk to girls is always strongest in the first month (coincidentally so are the urges).

 

Hi, all sounds good to me, PM me any time, cheers

 

Flatlining is one of the biggest dangers to recovery for me personally. I made it seventeen days and started experiencing a "flatline" that combined with loneliness and boredom made me relapse, just keep pushing and it will get better. Good luck bro

 

I'm sorry I'm still not 100% clear on what flatlining means exactly
Ive a rough idea but quick explanation anyone please? Ta