Hello to you all. Last night I registered to this forum and wrote about my reasons for stopping and about my life situation in the "New to Nofap" section. I woke up late this afternoon (yeah - my sleeping pattern is really screwed up) and decided to go through with it. Like many of you probably recognize: I'm sick of telling myself "I'll stop with it tomorrow" and lighting up a smoke or PMO-ing first thing after you wake up. I'm having a really hard time. My body feels like it's getting ripped apart. A lot of anxiety, pain in the chest. I'm isolating myself in my attic room. Ashamed to say, I'm still in a student's residence, although I graduated for 5 years now. PMO, other addictions and other life events kept me stuck in this place... I'm hearing my roommates downstairs having fun, drinking, eating together. I'm a 30 year old piano teacher, teaching 50 students every week, afraid to go downstairs in my own home (I just had 3 days off, tomorrow I start again). Afraid of judgement, afraid I have to talk - and although I'm aware that this is all my own thinking, nothing more; nothing real - it keeps me here. Contained in this room. Although I feel like I'm losing my mind, I ain't giving up. Thanks for reading this. Take care.
Keep going and you'll find what you're looking for. It can take a good week to even feel any benefits. Maybe longer. I had crippling depression for a solid week when I started my last streak. Keep going and you will get better. It will change your life.
Yeah. I went 20 days, which was my best streak yet, only to relapse Sunday and I've relapsed another two times since then. I just chose to do it. One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to take responsibility for everything, even things not related to PMO. The reason we relapse is because we want to. It's not because of our problems or stress. It's simply because we enjoy it.
Thanks very much. Good advice! I've had exactly the same, earlier in my life. Trying to remember that it has no positive value for you whatsoever - and it's just your brain tricking you - might help. Good luck man.
Hey gentlemen, I'm 30 years, still living at home. I understand where you guys are coming from. The longest streak I went on was for about 2 and a half weeks before I relapsed. The high followed by the low is crushing and debilitating to say the least. I've struggled with PMO and Mary Jane for over 20 years now and particularly this year I practically gave up on trying to stop, it really had a hold on me. I've dealt with the shame, guilt, anxiety and isolation, just like you fellows, it's not a fulfilling life, nor was it what expected from myself.. @daymare I'm a musician too (singer and guitarist) I've wanted to perform for years. but with PMO, it stifled my creativity, and contributed to my social anxiety, and in the end, I stopped making music (which filled me with more regret) Here's the good news! Im on Day 29 of my reboot, it's been truly one of the most difficult experiences of my life, and it's ABSOLUTELY worth every second. I feel more confident in myself, my creativity is coming back (wrote a song last night), I'm physically stronger as I'm going back to the gym now, my interactions with people and situations are getting better all the time (still awkward sometimes but that's human). Overall my outlook on life isn't so bleak anymore. My journey is still underway but it has lead me here to tell you guys "you can do it too!" I 100% believe in you guys, we all have the capacity to change if we want to bad enough. If you read all of this, good luck! Sending love and positivity my friends -protestThePMO
@ProtestPMO Thanks so much for this! Really keeps me going. Wonderful that you're feeling better. I'm proud of you - almost a month, man! Well done. I'm on day 2 now. The counter isn't working yet. Preparing for work now. First workday without PMO, cigs & marijana. I'll report back later.
