Ok before I start, I'm new to NoFap, Male, and this is the first thread I've ever posted here. With that out of the way, From these past 2 years before I even known NoFap, I've learned alot on how to treat the side effects, I've kept a diary and wrote notes on side effects and how to counter them, although I've kept It on my phone and my phone broke about half a year ago. I still remember how to counter them though. I've been struggling solo, figuring things out by myself, theorizing patterns, I call It the "Pattern Theory": Is when I reset, my personality changes randomly and I have to reset until I find the right personality. I've noticed signs of being in the wrong pattern like: You could easily reject P, You don't feel like you're recovering even after days. Although when I'm in the right pattern, It becomes FRUSTRATINGLY HARD to reject porn, but I really feel the difference in recovering. Another theory of mine is the "Friday-Sunday Theory": Is when at Friday, I feel awful for the day and when i reach 12 PM, I get a headache, can't think straight, and after about 10 minutes, suddenly I feel fresh and more recovered, same goes to Sunday but this time 12 AM. Strangely this happens all the time. In Monday, I feel "myself" the most, but it just goes downhill the day after, and after, and after until Friday. Still, I can't confirm those theories are true, or even the meaning of it, Please tell me if you know what this is, or feel like that too, or is it just me? Thanks, good luck everybody.
Your Pattern Theory is wrong in my opinion. It's just your brain trying to rationalize the urge to watch P and to PMO. It's your addiction trying to get its fix. If you keep waiting to be in the right mood (personality as you say) you will never break your pattern. At some point or another you will feel like shit. You need to learn to live with negative emotions if you want to recover. Your Friday-Sunday theory is pretty understandable. On Friday, you know you'll have all Friday evening/night to PMO like crazy, because you have 0 obligations the next day. Your body/brain is already in super craving mode and can't wait to be back home to start feeding the monster. On Sunday, you feel like shit because the week is about to start, so in order to stop feeling those negative emotions, you PMO to numb the negative feelings. On Monday you feel good because it's the start of the weekly cycle. You have plans, you have goals, you have a purpose. But as the week goes on and you get closer to the weekend, you feel more and more like shit. If you want to break free from this insanity cycle, you have to get serious about quitting porn and masturbation man. You have to take responsability for your situation and stop coming up with excuses and theories to explain why you can't break free and whatnot. There is only one way up: no porn (and no masturbation for a set number of days). Yes, it will feel very unpleasant. Yes you will have to face negative emotions that you've numbed with porn and masturbation all this time. But it's what it takes to regain control of your life. Good luck!
Joining this community was no mistake... All this time I was figuring things out by myself, mostly ending up just frustrating my brain, but it's good to finally have someone helping me out.. Everything falls into place now.. Thanks, man. Now I feel less confused about myself, I really mean it! And Good Luck to you too! )
Welcome to the community. Seeking help is the first major step to fixing your shit! We're here to share our knowledge and experience to maximize everybody's gains and recovery. This is an addiction that we're fighting: your own brain is your greatest enemy. That's why it's important to not stay alone. Your addiction will trick you into relapsing ALL THE TIME.
