Quote: (09-04-2017 02:33 PM)John Michael Kane Wrote:
Day 2 again after a relapse. I'm finding that there are several instances of what causes a relapse in my particular case. I'm posting them below so that hopefully others can be aware of what might cause you to relapse as well.
1. Facebook. Too many attractive female friends who post pics of their skimpy outfits. Huge temptation to download and fap to those images, given that you know these girls in real life.
Solution: I deleted all images of them that are skimpy from my phone, and spend a lot less time on facebook these days. Most of the time it is just nonsense.
2. Not having a regular sleep/work schedule increases the chance of relapse.
I set my own hours, which is a bad thing at times when you go to bed late. The later I stay awake, the more likely I am tempted to watch porn. Sometimes you just want a release before you go to bed, but watching electronic screens with simulated sex isn't what our bodies were designed for.
Solution: I set alarms that repeat on my phone each evening to get off the computer by an earlier time, several hours before bedtime. I increase my reading time or other quiet activities to settle the mind down.
3. I workout regularly and feel less temptation to watch porn because exercise pumps you up, and fapping takes your mental and physical strength away.
Solution: Make exercise a priority, set a schedule and stick to it.
4. Keep a daily journal. Document your number of days of nofap, as it can be encouraging to see that number grow instead of just posting in this thread when you've relapsed.
If you have any other ideas for longevity of nofap, I'm all ears.
Good suggestions. I got rid of facebook 5 years ago, so that's not an issue for me. The rest are habits that I practice and endorse as well.
A few more:
- Try to avoid spending a lot of time online, particularly when you're alone and/or bored.
This is probably tough for most guys on here since most of us likely live alone and spend a lot of time online. Still, addictions thrive in secrecy and watching porn is a lot less convenient when you're surrounded by other people. In fact, it might be best to limit internet time in general outside of work/business. This is something I struggle with mightily, but I find it much easier to abstain from PMO when I'm away from the computer and engaged in the world around me.
- If the last one isn't possible, then at least consider installing a porn blocker.
I know opinions vary wildly on this. Some say that a porn blocker is a crutch and you need to develop enough willpower to get by without one. Others say that it's imperative to limit access to the drug. After all, you wouldn't keep a pack of cigarettes in front of you all day if you're trying to quit smoking. Both approaches have their merits, and I've tried both extensively. Currently I'm using K9 as a deterrent. It's not foolproof and it can be removed if you're a little tech savvy/motivated, but it does help prevent you from constantly seeing things that might trigger a relapse.
- Avoid other behaviors that often contribute to relapsing.
Drinking, drugs, eating shitty food, etc...a lack of willpower when it comes to stuff like this makes it very easy to indulge in porn as well. I don't do drugs and my diet is on point for the most part, but I do tend to struggle with porn urges a lot more when I drink. Dramatically reducing my alcohol intake helps me stay focused, and it's a lot harder for me to justify relapsing when I'm sober. Not to mention all the other benefits that come with limiting alcohol consumption.
- It's been beaten to death already, but actively chasing pussy is far more rewarding than jerking off to pixels.
Personally, it's much easier to abstain from porn when I'm pursuing girls IRL. Fuck pussies, not your hand. And if you must fuck your hand due to lack of access to pussy, then do so without the aid of porn.
- Meditate.
This is another habit I've struggled to cultivate, but whenever I've had my best no PMO streaks I was also meditating regularly. It's like weight training for your mind. It will be much easier to let PMO urges pass (and they will pass) when you're used to detaching from fleeting thoughts.
- Pray.
This one won't be for everyone and that's ok, so disregard if you're not into it. But if you believe in a higher power then there's no shame in asking for help and trying to deepen your spiritual strength to help you in this battle (and in life in general). Prayer is a very personal thing, so I won't expand on this now, but if anyone is interested in some good prayers that are applicable to this problem let me know and I'll post a few.