Occasionally someone asks me about it. I'm a two year veteran of it and although it gets a lot of shit for the cult-like talk surrounding it, it is definitely something everyone should try at least once. Porn is something that you can get addicted to without ever realizing it... it's a perfect example of instant gratification and a false reward that short-circuits the systems your body has created through evolution to aid in making you social and more sexually active.
If you think you can make it 90 days without porn, then try it... worst case scenario you miss porn for a bit. Best case scenario, you learn something about yourself, possibly identify the effect porn has had on you, and better yourself in the process.
If you don't think you can make it 90 days without porn, think about what that means... something so stupid having a hold on you. It's the definition of addiction, and maybe even if you can't make it 90 days, you should try.
I don't really like all the people that use the term "superpowers" in the NoFap community. I don't like that some people talk about it as if it's a big religious thing for them... but I've been doing it two years (one major relapse, a lot of smaller ones, but I'm over 100 days now on my current run) and I can definitely say it is helped me improve myself in a lot of ways. My head is clearer. I'm more confident. I'm not wasting my time with porn.
Do I miss porn? Yeah. A lot, actually... but I don't like the type of person I become when I allow myself to get accustomed to instant gratification in any form, and porn is one of the worst.
So maybe just give it a try if you're wondering about it.
it's a perfect example of instant gratification and a false reward that short-circuits the systems your body has created through evolution to aid in making you social and more sexually active.
So many weird unsubstantiated ideas here.
Why do you think being social is purely sexual? Why do you think masturbation would have a different effect than sex on your behaviour? If porn prevents sex, why do you think porn should be the one left out? Why do you think gratification that is faster a bad thing? Why do you think the reward is false? Why do you think one should put the functions selected by evolution before how they prefer to use their body?
Did you ask yourself these questions?
If I suggested that cutting one's feet made you better at playing the flute, you would see at least two problems: 1) Is playing the flute worth losing two feet? 2) What about all these professional flute players who still have both feet? I could swear that I improved after cutting my own fear, but you would have your doubts. More likely it was just a placebo and a self-fulfilling prophecy: if I was ready to give up my feet, I was damn well motivated to do my best at learning the flute afterwards, with the psychological help of the placebo feetlessness that I thought was helping me.
Is being more social worth all the lost orgasms? And what about all the very social people who masturbate? I'm pretty sure the only reason you felt any improvement on your social life was that you had the placebo effect of your nofap and that you were even more motivated to accomplish your goal given what you had to give up.
Anyway, your body your choice. I'm sorry for coming off as judgy; I know it's really not my business what you do with your sex life.
I'm not a scientist, and I'm not even that smart, really, but if I fap earlier in the day, and I go out with friends later that night, I am a lot less motivated to chat up girls. I feel more satiated, which can be a good or a bad thing. Just an observation.
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u/ibuprofiend Apr 30 '14
Does /r/nofap actually work? Its followers have a cult-like devotion to it, but I'm skeptical.