I already overcame my addiction years ago; now, my goal is to gain more energy through semen retention (monk mode) beyond addiction. And it works; I get a tremendous amount of energy throughout the day. However, while I do have a high energy buildup on my longer streaks, I also experience severe hair loss at the same time. Not a receding hairline, but across my entire head. This has happened to me several times before. Whenever I resumed masturbating, my hair grew back immediately within 1 or 2 weeks. The problem is that I don't want to start masturbating again. Actually, I don't really have urges; the only thing holding me back is the hair loss. And yes, I am more than 95% sure that it is linked to SR; I've tried it multiple times with the exact hair loss and hair regrowth timeline every time. I don't know what to do. I don't want to lose my hair, but I also don't want to orgasm again. A thought I had was: Maybe it becomes worse before it gets better. That it is some part of a healing process that has physical side effects. Because there definitely is still some healing process going on. I am surprisingly productive, but honestly not happy at all (also not depressed, it's more like a very neutral and emotionless state). Still, if it doesn't grow back soon, chances are that the hair loss is permanent and it won't grow back. Based on my observations, here's what happens: I get weird sensations in different parts of my body. At some point, I have a pressure in my head which persists for several weeks (it never stops, until I would PMO again). At the same time, my face muscles and the muscles on my head are under extreme tension (which might be linked to the hair loss), and my head itches a lot, but I can't bring that energy and tension under full control. I've tried meditation before, but that only helped a bit and also only while meditating. Once I stop, the tension builds up again. Does anyone have an idea or even had a similar experience? I know that this is a very specific issue I never heard about before, still, I have hopes that someone can tell me what's going on.
The hair loss continues. Tried to get an appointment with a dermatologist, but waiting times here in Germany are up to a few months. By that time I would maybe loose most of my hair. It's weird how not even doctors help you. From what I see in the mirror I lost around 10-25% (hard to say from just looking at it) of my hair during the last 2 months. Definitely way too fast, even for a genetic disposition to hair loss, and especially considering my young age of 25 years. The SR creates a lot of stress. Not that work related type of stress, but more an intrinsic type of stress.
This is very interesting to me. I know you said it is happening all over your head, do you mean male pattern baldness or is it literally everywhere including the nape of your neck and sideburns?
Well, not on the sides and the back of my head. But still, the speed at which I lose my hair and the fact that the hair loss is diffuse is the concerning thing. It usually happens over many years, not weeks. Wouldn't be surprised if it is a hormonal thing. I mean I am going full monk mode, so I even suppress sexual thoughts to a high degree. At the same time, I have to be highly functional (going to university and doing roughly 1.5x the amount of credits I should normally do + gym). Creates a lot of stress/tension (mentally and physically). Some other things I observed: - bad breath & bad body odour in general (happens only on a long streak) - headaches and increased risk of getting migraines - my skin looks, to my own surprise, pretty good - definitely more muscle growth The bad breath, bad body odour and the headaches remind me of typical detox symptoms. If one trusts the internet, this could be quite common on SR. I will also see a doctor instead and have a blood test done. If someone is interested: My diet is more on the (raw) plant based side, but I am not fully vegan. My supplements: - Omega 3 - B12 - Ashwagandha - not daily: GlyNac, Magnesium, Kelp
I see, I see. Do you have any male relatives and do you know when they started balding? The obvious explanation would be that you are genetically disposed to start going bald earlier than average, but your pmo habit kept the male hormones in your body too low for that to happen. Now that you are on monk mode and working out regularly, the male hormone process is being expedited and your body is 'catching up'. I am only about a month into monk mode, but I have also noticed the bad smell. I think it has more to do with perception than an actual change in scent, like a heightened sense of smell and self awareness. SR, in theory, should make you smell better, shouldn't it? Or are male pheromones naturally bad-smelling to men, perhaps? Interestingly, I am also practically vegan/vegetarian, though solely for the purposes of managing libido and mood. I notice that red meat and dairy specifically seem to have disagreeable effects on my mind and body. For the headaches, I doubt a blood test is really necessary. Maybe, just maybe, it is the ashwagandha?
My grandpa and my uncle balded, as far as I know, somewhere between 30-40 years. My father is almost 60 and still has full hair. Your explanation, that my body is 'catching up' could be possible. On the other side if you look into hinduism and buddhism, they report that SR actually helps with slowing down the balding process. And many who are on semen retention also report that it helped with regrowing hair. So I don't know... To give you a better idea what I observed over the last years: excessive masturbation (with porn) -> balding some "healthy" masturbation -> no balding / regrowth long term semen retention, but with edging -> no balding / regrowth (but also way less energy) monk mode -> balding Very interesting. I don't want to do the blood test because of my headaches. I think this is just a common withdrawal symptom. I want to do it because of the balding. I also observe that uncontrolled movement of muscles which is quite typical with low levels of magnesium or electrolytes in general. Plus short breath, which is also common for electrolyte deficiency. I only have it on monk mode. In my >20 years before I never had that. But this is just a theory and placebo might be possible. I take ashwagandha to cope with the stress. But it is also known to increase testosterone, long term. Maybe it is not the best idea to take it when balding. At the same time when it is decreasing stress, it might help with balding on the other hand. But I am not taking it very often, so don't know if it really has a huge effect on my body. (sorry, didn't put it on the 'not daily' list of supplements)
Very interesting pattern of balding indeed. My guess is you had a great love that, for one reason or another, was separated from you? For what other reason could sexual stimulation decrease balding while abstinence increases it? Doves die if they lose their mate, don't they? Obviously, I am stumped.
Don't worry, me too. I will go and see a doctor as soon as I can and update this thread. My hope is still that it is some psychological detox (or/and physiological detox). But this is highly unscientific, even though the lack of stimulation can indeed have physiological side effects. And yes, I lost someone I really loved. Still suffering years later. But that's life. Becomes more bearable every year.
I have hair loss too. Unfortunately for the majority of the last ten years or so I have had a retaining pattern which has seen me having ejaculation interspaced between one to four weeks. Apparently the one week release cycle causes a huge dump of testosterone upon release when you have retained for seven days. I am working on retaining long term in a permanent fashion. Not sure if it will help but I do think it will make a difference in my mood and emotions for sure. I am also working on ways to decrease sex drive and perhaps testosterone both in lifestyle and diet
Thanks for your reply. At the moment I would still say that it maybe could help. But I made the experience that it at least increases hair loss as a withdrawal symptom. My current theory is: As I'm doing monk mode I face a combination of several stressors - no PMO of course; no fantasizing about sexual things; being, due to my university courses, highly functional in terms of thinking (maths, coding, etc). It goes well for quite some time. However, there are nights where I absolutely can't sleep (insomnia happens quite often, especially in monk mode). In combination with the increased stress, this might mess up with my hormones in the long term. High volatility in hormones is one of the biggest triggers of hair loss. It would explain why the hair loss stops and the hair even grows back when I stop retention. As soon as SR becomes less stressful the hair loss should (hopefully) go away. I still went to the doctor last Wednesday and had that blood test done. Was a bit expensive, but may be worth it. Did the classics like some key nutrients and thyroid markers. Also Biotin, Zinc, Ferritin and sex hormones which maybe show some volatility. Let's see. Will update on that.
