So this helped me A LOT when attaining lucidity! Give it a try

I think I can add a bit of explanation to this, that is if anyone is at all familiar or open to the concept of qi (also spelled 'chi'), or energy. I've read a couple books on Qigong, the practice of cultivating this energy, and in multiple sources, it's said that orgasm expels a large fraction of your bodily energy, and it takes you a day to a week or so (depending on factors like age, health, lifestyle) to replace that lost energy. Do you ever feel 'drained' or somehow a littler weaker right after you orgasm?

I'm also reading "The Art of Dreaming" by Carlos Castaneda, which describes how dreaming requires a lot of energy, especially lucid dreaming. Don Juan says that normal people hardly dream because all their energy is spent throughout their waking lives, leaving nothing for the end of the day, but people who intend to dream can save energy in order to do so. I know I'm pulling non-scientific studies from different cultures here, but I thought I'd just share my own beliefs on the situation.

I've been a chronic masturbator since I was in my teens (22 now), also a pot smoker; obviously a terrible combination for someone trying to get into lucid dreaming. I've had a few, but they were during times where I layed off the weed and the porn, both of which are things I now see as quite consumptive of my energy. Today is the first day I haven't smoked at all since about a year ago, and it's also been almost a whole week since I had an orgasm. I'm very curious to see how my dreaming goes tonight. Well, I'm off to go watch the TC's vid! G'night yall.

Also, if anyone is interested in qigong, I highly recommend "The Root of Chinese Qigong" by Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming. It's a great wealth of information about the history, concepts, and practices of this ancient discipline.

Hmm, this is strange for me, I know a bit about energy and am very spiritual and am aware that having an orgasm literally just drains your energy out, but I never equated it to the positive responses people are describing in this thread. Well, +1 reason (significant one) I guess to ease off the masturbation. It's a very good explanation, but I'm not sure about dreaming (lucid or not) using up alot of energy, it seems logical though.

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Originally Posted by MrMarley

Yeah I've watched those videos, save the last ...3. And I've watched diaries and stuff of porn addicts and even stories of porn stars who were in the biz but quit (very impacting) AT THE TIME... Lol It got me motivated and I didn't play with myself for about 3 weeks, a new PB I think without counting going on holidays, etc. But after that I was just straight back where I was O.o. I think I'll have to build the inspiration again by rewatching that ish, and try to rationalise it out why it's better not to masturbate, at least this time theres the dimension of 'UPGRADES' lol if I stop, which are fun to look out for, even if I create them myself in a sort of placebo, it's fine. One way or another I guess...

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Well, I'm almost two weeks in and I haven't had any considerable problems, and while I don't know how it'll be when I'm e.g. three weeks in, I keep believing I'll make it. If you think you'll make it, you will.. But since perhaps the biggest advantage of not masturbating so far has been the improvement in my mood (no more turning hostile against my brother, etc. for no reason, generally more happy), I use that to rationalize why I should abstain from porn and masturbating. A short dopamine effect, or long lasting happiness?

Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss the experience. Maybe we can help each other out :)

Yeah sure, I'll go have my last wank and I'll keep you updated on how it goes for me.

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Originally Posted by RemoteVicinity

I keep believing I'll make it. If you think you'll make it, you will..

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Hmm, for some reason this was pretty significant. When people say 'believe in yourself' for some reason connotations of a long process and procedures come to mind and the word implies difficulty in some way. Then you simplified it with, 'if you think you'll make it, you will'. This impacts me alot more than 'believe in yourself'... I definitely think I can make it. Let's do this. LOL

hahah, that's a way better reaction than what I could hope to expect! nonetheless, the power of resolution is amazing! awesome man!

Can someone please link me that video you keep talking about?
I think I might need some motivation lol

So, to update my situation: I was able to record four dreams this morning in my journal; no lucidity, but a great step up from where I've been for a year! Usually I'd smoke myself to sleep and wake up with maybe a faint memory of a dream, not even bothering to write it down. Also, I haven't masturbated in a week now, and I'm feeling much more 'ready' to face the day; I just have more energy to do things, more motivation to get off my ass. It's not much, really, but small steps count a lot when I've been in this rut for a long time, repeating the same cycle of crap. Now I just have to reinstate my workout schedule that I've slacked on for the past three months.

And as for the video, it was quite informative! I think the guy was a little droning, but understanding the brain's processes and how this sort of behavior affect's ones mind is very helpful for understanding all kinds of addiction, not just porn. If anyone is still looking for it, here's all 6 parts on the web page:
Your Brain On Porn Series: Porn Addiction

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Originally Posted by RemoteVicinity

I didn't understand everything you wrote, but I think it's the roller-coaster effect that is the reason. You get often high on dopamine by masturbating a lot, but then the roller-coaster goes down some time after you've had your dopamine, and the withdrawal is really bad since you're masturbating so often (if the roller-coaster goes up a lot, it also needs to go down a lot to maintain balance. While masturbating, the roller-coaster goes up. While not masturbating, it goes down.) Since you're usually further down than you would if you hadn't been masturbating excessively, you get worse memory than if you didn't because then the roller-coaster would be at a more constant and stable level. That's what I'm thinking, anyway. It seems logical to me. Also, please note that when I say 'you', I'm not actually referring to you, I know of course nothing about your masturbation habits :P And please, just ask if there's something about what I said that's unclear or if there's something you didn't understand.

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You were pretty close. Having looked it up, it's the body reacting to the consistent increase in levels of multiple neurotransmitters (dopamine included, acetylcholine too) and hormones causing it to behave a bit wonky. I looked it up a few days ago so I forget if the increase led to down-regulation of the receptors of the neurotransmitters involved or not, but that would also explain things. To elaborate, when there is too much of a neurotransmitter, the body responds by reducing or down-regulating the amount of receptors in the brain for said transmitter. Similarly, when there is too little, the brain up-regulates and creates more receptors. Down-regulation causes loss of sensitivity to a given neurotransmitter so there must be more to experience the same effect. It's all just the body's ongoing efforts to maintain homeostasis.

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Originally Posted by mcwillis

So this explains my drop in lucid dream count :holyshit:

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Word!

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Originally Posted by Rothgar

You just cant "beat" lucid dreaming, can you?

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Hahahah!

But yeah, I've noticed that too. I thought it have just been a placebo I put on myself, but.. On another note, I wouldn't recommend completely quitting masturbation. *looks at Weakamon* Heheh :cheeky:

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Originally Posted by fOrceez

Word!

Hahahah!

But yeah, I've noticed that too. I thought it have just been a placebo I put on myself, but.. On another note, I wouldn't recommend completely quitting masturbation. *looks at Weakamon* Heheh :cheeky:

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Yeah, but it also has a lot of positive side-effects *also refers to weakamon's thread*. Look at Jakro's posts for example.

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Originally Posted by Spyguy

Yeah, but it also has a lot of positive side-effects *also refers to weakamon's thread*. Look at Jakro's posts for example.

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Yeah Jakro's posts are a real inspiration. As for weakamon... LOL