Thread: 365 days w/o Jerking Off: A self control challenge

@Wolfwood
If you're interested in this stuff, there are some good articles on this website, e.g. this: The Right Masturbation Advice | Your Brain On Porn

This one is mostly about masturbation, but probably most of the articles are about porn and porn addiction.

"Orgasm can produce not just a drug-like high, but also a neurochemical recovery period as the brain returns to homeostasis. The more powerful the blast of neurochemical excitement during orgasm, the lower the lows as the brain recovers. In some of us recovery may take the form of more intense cravings due to a numbed pleasure response in the brain, (mild or severe) lethargy, depression, anxiety or, in the sexually repressed, remorse (due to projection of distress onto a harsh deity)."

That's what convinced to abstain. And of course this:

"Think about it. How many of your ancestors had easy access to tasty munchies that were ready-to-eat, available cheaply in endless variety, and carefully laced with fat, sugar and salt to keep them coming back for more? How many had computers on which they could click to an unending stream of hyper-stimulating erotic videos, featuring real, novel mates, writhing with desire (perceived by a primitive part of the brain as genetic opportunities)—and, when appetite flagged, a cornucopia of ever kinkier videos?" (Intoxicating Behaviors: 300 Vaginas = A Lot of Dopamine | Your Brain On Porn)

And everything that entails. Well, these are the most basic points. I don't think we were supposed to have access to such heavily stimulating material.

Originally Posted by RemoteVicinity

And everything that entails. Well, these are the most basic points. I don't think we were supposed to have access to such heavily stimulating material.

Indeed - imagine if we all had the 'Replicator' in our room. The fictional machine that could rearrange subatomic particles into any food of our choice, endlessly. I think a lot more people would be obese. This is essentially what having a computer provides, but with different material.



Edit: Man, wish I was back at uni... all of these academic articles on most subjects were freely available. Now it costs. >.<

Originally Posted by Wolfwood

Indeed - imagine if we all had the 'Replicator' in our room. The fictional machine that could rearrange subatomic particles into any food of our choice, endlessly. I think a lot more people would be obese. This is essentially what having a computer provides, but with different material.

Yeah, I think that's a great comparison - you can find basically any type of porn on the internet, no matter how kinky. Also, the results of excessive porn use isn't nearly as easily recognisable as excessive (unhealthy) eating is; it's obvious that the reason you've gained a couple of pounds is that you've been eating a box of ice cream every day, but you wouldn't directly link e.g. social anxiety with excessive porn use without being aware of what effect porn has on your brain. Food has been around for quite some time I would say whereas porn hasn't, and that's why it's so obvious what unhealthy eating can do to one and unknown to most what porn does.

I think I'm getting back into this. I started exercising again, and I just REALLY feel like doing this. Excercise gives a high similiar to not fapping, so combining them would probably make me feel awesome I'm not sure about how long I'm going to continue, but I am now around day 5 I think.

Originally Posted by Spyguy

I think I'm getting back into this. I started exercising again, and I just REALLY feel like doing this. Excercise gives a high similiar to not fapping, so combining them would probably make me feel awesome I'm not sure about how long I'm going to continue, but I am now around day 5 I think.

If that peak of 145% testosterone is consistent, then it'd be great combining it with working out.

Well.. after that post from Wolfwood i decided to try this again. This is the third day actually... i'll try to get to one month at least.

I'm gonna go outside for some rollerblading each day, that might be close to exercise ^^

I leave for like 3 months and this thread is still active?

Wolfwood made me want to try again after my try of 1 month (which was a failure after 2 weeks) haha, starting again today!
Starting: May 16th
Goal: 1 month not jerking off.
Bismilah.

Well, since I have no idea when I exactly stopped, let's do it this way:
- Today is day 1
- I'm going for 3 weeks this time, so this challenge will end on June 8th.

Since everyone is posting their starting date and all that.. i'll do it as well

Starting day: May 14th
Goal: 1 month

4 Days went by, doing well so far xD

Go Aly!

Still succesful I'm really glad I got back into this for some reason haha. Once you get the good feeling from this, it is even more addicting than fapping itself IMO

Two weeks is an accomplishment for me.

I fasted for a day the other day. Did not like.

Originally Posted by Phion

I fasted for a day the other day. Did not like.

I am Muslim. Muslims fast for a month during the ramadan!
No water and no food while the sun is up. It is hard but you get used to it

Originally Posted by MtSaEt

I am Muslim. Muslims fast for a month during the ramadan!
No water and no food while the sun is up. It is hard but you get used to it

Shit, I'll join you just for the hell of it.

Originally Posted by Phion

Shit, I'll join you just for the hell of it.

Sure man! I'll tell you when it will begin!

Originally Posted by MtSaEt

I am Muslim. Muslims fast for a month during the ramadan!
No water and no food while the sun is up. It is hard but you get used to it

Damn, you beat me to it. Now how will I act smugly superior by showing off my knowledge?

For purely educational purposes I will add that it lasts 40 days.

I remember reading a short article in Wired in which the author discussed performing "stunts" (i.e., some of his examples were watching the opposition news (fox or msnbc) for a week or two, living by all the rules in the old testament (which he did for a year for a book he was writing), or writing with a quill on parchment (which is how he wrote the article), not just for a writer but for anyone, as a means of expanding one's horizons. I feel like observing ramadan would be an interesting one to try (hell, why not pick a year in which to observe one tradition from each of the world's major religions? I'd better get a blog first ).

Originally Posted by Supernova

I feel like observing ramadan would be an interesting one to try (hell, why not pick a year in which to observe one tradition from each of the world's major religions? I'd better get a blog first ).

Really nice idea though!

i water fasted a few times in the past where i would just drink water. i did it to cleanse my body. the longest i did it for was 5 days. i found it very difficult but i liked the way my body felt afterwards.

I'm ready Aly! Wanna start an experiment with a juicing fast? You lead, I'll follow.... C'MON!

So we have become a fasting thread now? Wonders what if someone attempted fasting and no fap challenge for a month together.

Don't think I'm going for fasting. Eating is like the major enjoyment in my life. I would rather fast without electricity, not including lights and fans and air-con.

Originally Posted by Carrot

So we have become a fasting thread now? Wonders what if someone attempted fasting and no fap challenge for a month together.

Don't think I'm going for fasting. Eating is like the major enjoyment in my life. I would rather fast without electricity, not including lights and fans and air-con.

Actually, during the time where I spent about two weeks (approximately) on a juicing fast, I noticed I didn't need to masturbate. Sex was a different story.... I didn't NEED it but the tantric variety held higher appeal than normal.

Originally Posted by Carrot

So we have become a fasting thread now?

Oh, well, now that I've rambled off topic: today was day 3. I check back when I hit a week and see how things are going, I'm shooting for at least a month, and I'm actually serious this time.