What is flatline?

During reboot, there are times of strong urges when everything seems to be a trigger. Then there are times when we feel no interest in sex. Those times are flat line.
In flat line we are tempted to fap in a different way. We get discouraged and fear that it will be a permanent state, that we will never get it up again, that we will never again O. We are tempted to see if we still can. Of course we can, and when we try, suddenly we find ourselves in the middle of a serious PMO binge fapping a bloody stump.
If you have never experienced a flatline, don't worry, you will in time. Stay firm, resist, and when your brain realizes you won't give it a dopamine hit, it will back off and return to other urges.
Best of luck with staying the course.

 

I can't wait for a flatline.

 

I'm on day 2 and having a little flatline

 

The first comment puts it perfectly in my opinion. I will just add that sometimes some may experience some symptoms (withdrawals ) along the way. Usually these get worse before they get better. Some of these for myself include:

• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Fatigue
• Low motivation
• Low/no libido (flatline)
• Strong urges/cravings
• Poor focus
• Brain fog
• Inability to concentrate

ETC.

Im not too sure why these occur but eventually they too subside and are replaced with more appealing and pleasureable features e.g:confidence etc.

 

Wow! I think I've flatlined without realising it.

 

any tips on dealing with flatline?
how can you manage it, slow it down even?

 

Thank you for this reply/post. I was worried about this. Now I am OK.

 

Both of them are very good explanations. While I'm walking down the street without purpose, demotivated, feeling like s*** and I thought I never recover... I saw this thread and these comments. You are awesome guys thanks!

 

Flatline is just the "limbo" state wherein (1) you've done NoFap/no-pmo long enough to be weaned away from it, but (2) at the same time, for whatever reason not compelled to gratify your sex drive otherwise by having actual sex.

*Edit -- more background if necessary:
The purpose of nofap/no-pmo is to orient/reorient your sex drive to pursue actual sex instead of PMO.

To put it shorty, the problem with PMO is that it is technically "a" way of (somewhat) gratifying the sex drive. But, it is not "the" way ;-)

Or, to put it more detail -- sane people are generally aware of what is make-believe and what is not. Same with PMO -- consciously, you know it's not real. But, subconsciously (and sex drive is somewhat a subconscious thing anyway), pmo can have quite the "hallucinogenic" effect on your sex drive here -- really blurring what is perceived as real, triggering things that should really only be triggered from actual sex (and/or the pursuit of it, etc...), thus ultimately "disorienting" you from it.

*P.S.: Of course, if you don't intend to pursue actual sex, then nofap is virtually pointless. The reason I mention this is because it seems a surprisingly large amount of guys here who complain about various flatline symptoms are oddly enough *not* specifically also complaining about it interfering with their pursuit of actual sex. IMO, if you do intend to have actual sex, you'll generally have no flatline to worry about ;-) .

 

Thanks

 

i used to think a desensitized penis was just that, but also consider now one could be in a flatline state. they are diff things right?

 

Even if it's hard, the only thing that can help seems to be exercise. But you have to force yourself to do it..

 

thanks, i think its that and maybe meditation

 

I totally second that! I've been hitting the gym for a couple of months, usually pretty light exercise. Lots of stretching, some cardio, mostly no-weight exercises for neck and back to improve posture. I'm amazed how this kills the flatline and withdrawal symptoms. I go into the gym depressed and anxious, I come out refreshed and optimistic. Moving your body is a huge help on the reboot path.

 

Yes, exercise is great, but even walking will work as it will at least get you out of the house and moving.

 

why not the heavier workouts? i did have the thought that too heavy may make you too tired and more susceptible to lapse?

 

Yeah, sort of. I'm trying to work on some specific muscles that are giving me grief b/c of posture problems, like the rhomboids, lower traps, neck muslces, etc. I have imbalance in my muscles and heavy workouts tend to mask that and not help it much. Do you do any exercise?

 

i have dumbells at home, and do some basic lifting routines, and freeweight exercises. swim a bit and also walk a fair bit (circa 40 miles a week)

i think it helps re flatline, i was a bit down last week and i lapsed because i stopped exercises - it really helps the drive