[RexImperator]

Surprised we haven't really discussed this topic. Do you think abstaining from sex is healthy or unhealthy for a man?

If you think it is unhealthy, why do so many religions promote or require it?

[kaotic]

Unhealthy.

It's our biological function, why do you think we get urges and want to mate with the opposite sex ?

It's programmed into our very basic functions to sow our seed.


I think a better question is, why do you ask ?

Are you thinking of abstaining from sex and possibly doing MGTOW ?

[Vaun]

+1 unhealthy. Keep swinging when lifes got you down. Sooner or later you will come around, if you dont feel like it. Try no fapp too, if you're feeling like you're not into it. You will snap out of it quick.

[Truth Teller]

I think it varies. It's certainly beneficial in certain times. The ability to redirect sexual energy towards other goals is a tremendously useful one. See Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich chapter: Sex Transmutation.

However, for the average man, it's a form of avoidance... and I know that from experience.

[General Stalin]

Now I don't have the evidence on hand to back this up, and I'm not in the business of merely Googling just to find some confirmation bias, but I'm certain there have been countless studies over the past several decades of "progressive science" that support positive health benefits of sexual activity. Hormone and neurochemical production being the big ones.

Speaking from personal experience, not having sex can make me irritable, easily frustrated, have trouble focusing, and can also contribute to lethargy, laziness, and even depression/loneliness. Sex puts me in a good mood, feel more vitalized, sleep better, and generally feel more "masculine" if you will.

[Thoroughbred]

Abstaining from something indefinitely will causes systems to atrophy, over stimulation will cause depletion.

Without any additional parameters, it's kind of a useless question.

Several ancient schools taught vitality increasing practices that revolved around "re routing" ejaculation, like Taoism, Gnosticism. Those endeavors aren't really compatible with modern living though.

[GlobalMan]

Rex -this is not said in any negative way- I believe you have said/implied in the past posts that you've gone years without female affection and also expressed in another thread fairly recently that you're not having much success with game/girls.

I say this because I hope that this thread is not an indicator that you're getting further down on yourself and trying to find ways to rationalize what you perceive as your shortcomings, rather than work on them or work on finding happiness in other aspects of life.

If I've misread the motivations behind this please say so, I just wouldn't want you to go down the road of mgtow when I'm sure you can still find ways to achieve success and satisfaction, either with girls or in life in general. There is all the help and advice you could wish for right here at your fingertips.

[choichoi]

Healthy up to a point. I feel like frequent orgasmic release drain my vitality, decreases my motivation, and clouds mind, especially if sleep with multiple women in a short period of time. Just like fasting, I feel that abstinence helps one detoxify the negative spiritual energy accumulated through sex with a woman that I have little emotional bond with.

[storm]

Sounds to me like someone is trying to rationalize their incel lifestyle.

[HectorLavoe]

The ancients of many religious traditions abstained from ejaculation not sex to conserve power and vitality. Sexual energy is extremely powerful.

[Hannibal]

Unless you're a world class athlete and you (for whatever weird, weird reason) decide that going without sex is going to improve your athleticism, you have no reason not to get laid while also attempting to get better in the gym.


I know that not spending any money on toothpaste, deodorant, or shampoo is going to get me closer to an early retirement, but it's not worth looking like I'm homeless in the meantime.

[Gorgiass]

Unhealthy for a man, debatably healthy for a society as long as it's voluntary and its members have hope for pairing off someday. Hell hath no wrath like an incel scorned.

[AntiMediocrity]

I'm gonna address the mental aspect here. Physiologically you could get prostatitis if you are aroused on a consistent basis and you don't have any nocturnal emissions, so I'm that respect it's unhealthy.

I used to believe that we should take sex when it's available, that to masturbate and not have any sex at all was unhealthy. However I concede I may have been biased, as I had been masturbating for a long time with no sex whatsoever (not by choice). I eventually went against this approach when I found myself rejecting my then gf, albeit with good reason.

The less I had sex, the more I imagined myself quitting sex altogether, even if I found a new girl. Perhaps date an ultra conversative girl who has no sex drive or refuses to engage in pre-marital sex. There's something about me and regular sex that just doesn't bode well. So you could say, I'm pro-abstinence at this time.

However, my experience is very different from the norm so I'm not even sure how credible my opinion is.

Will abstinence lead to a more successful/mentally healthier life? Everything is relative, personally I've pursued goals with far more fervour when I'm single vs not. However when single I still have days where I want to feel some normalcy, take a load off and get intimate with someone for a night. As I get older, meet more people similar to me etc, it's more and more difficult to be the stoic robot chasing success day in day out.

On the other hand there are people who tend to only have drive in life whilst they're chasing a specific woman or in a relationship, because they draw motivation from the hunt or being an amazing boyfriend. So when they're single and abstinent they just wallow and rot until they happen to find an potential admirer or stumble into the next relationship.

You gotta find which category you fit in, and until you've been in the possible circumstances available you won't know. So every incel has no leg to stand on.

Edit: Cleared up a load of Anecdotal BS.

[Ingocnito]

Once I hit 40, I've noticed that abstinence isn't good. Keep the goods working or they start turning off on you.

[papaiela]

(07-22-2016 06:07 PM)RexImperator Wrote:  

Surprised we haven't really discussed this topic. Do you think abstaining from sex is healthy or unhealthy for a man?

If you think it is unhealthy, why do so many religions promote or require it?

I think it's unhealthy for a man.

To answer your question about religions;

The religions I am familiar with (the big 3) generally recommend abstaining from sex until marriage. This was a relatively easy thing to do in ancient time since people used to get married as soon as they hit puberty. Abstaining from sex before hitting puberty is a relatively easy task to do since you don't have a lot of sexual desires.

In a world where people usually marry until their 30's abstention becomes rather difficult. Thus, many religion figures recommend to their followers to marry younger in order to avoid having sex before marriage.

[RexImperator]

Only a small sample size but it seems clear most think it's unhealthy. Mentally or physically?

I would think physically, at least on the positive side you are avoiding lots of STIs, but it may be bad for your hormones.

[Filbert]

A couple of interesting quotes:
*
The sexual apparatus has two functions: Internal Secretion, which is primary, and Reproduction, which is secondary. Any other use of these endocrine organs is a perversion, which will reap its penalty in the form of nervous disorder and premature old age and death.
*
The semen contains substances of high physiological value, especially in relation to the nutrition of the brain and nervous system. If resorption of semen through the wall of the female genital tract has a vitalizing effect on the female organism, the same should be the case in the body of the male in which it is formed and conserved. And conversely, loss of semen must deprive the organism of vitality and valuable substances necessary for the nutrition of nervous tissue, such as lecithin, which has been used therapeutically with great success for the cure of neurasthenia resulting from sexual excess.
*
Source:
http://selfdefinition.org/celibacy/berna...part-1.htm

[Vaun]

(07-25-2016 11:47 AM)RexImperator Wrote:  

Only a small sample size but it seems clear most think it's unhealthy. Mentally or physically?

I would think physically, at least on the positive side you are avoiding lots of STIs, but it may be bad for your hormones.

Obvious, but restated for anyone that hasnt seen this;

Best Evidence Yet!: Ejaculation Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk

[wi30]

RexImperator-Highest repped game denialist in forum history.

[RexImperator]

That's not a fair accusation-I've never denied game.

Note: I'm hoping to avoid derailing this thread with game aspects when there are other subforums to discuss that.

[wi30]

I'm just giving you shit man; I wasn't being serious. I enjoy reading your posts.

But you have to admit, this topic goes against everything the forum stands for. I agree that chasing pussy as your life's mission isn't healthy to your development as a man. But neither becoming celibate.

Girls and sex are great and improve your mood and well-being if used correctly. Nothing beats the honeymoon phase with a cute girl who is dying to please you. My best developments have come in times where I was getting great and consistent sex from attractive girls. Dry spells or bad relationships impede my lifting, work, and ability to enjoy life. Awesome fuck buddies or girlfriends keep me pleased and allow me to focus on more important aspects of my life.

[Hades]

I do not think this is a stupid idea as long as you have options. Sometimes isolation is the smartest choice if you are trying to figure out your own headspace. Hermitage has been a wise choice for thousands of years and I have no doubt it still applies today, as people have not really changed, biologically speaking.

Frankly, not terribly many people are higher-consciousness individuals, so I would put this under "bad idea" unless you are really trying to Find Jesus through LSD, vision quests, mushrooms, or however you wish to do it. I did it with reckless behavior, walking miles through foreign cities while completely shitfaced and challenging groups of people to fights, getting arrested, and copious quantities of alcohol. Sometimes having a woman around will just complicate things and introduce lawsuits or domestic violence incidents.

[BackFromTheBrink]

Everything in moderation. I would also say it depends on your psyche/outlook on life.

[GlobalMan]

(07-22-2016 06:07 PM)RexImperator Wrote:  

If you think it is unhealthy, why do so many religions promote or require it?

Rex, the way you formed the question implies that you're already leaning towards believing abstinence is a good choice or at least more beneficial than detrimental, and are simply seeking validation for that stance, as this question asks the reader to disprove the notion. I say again- I hope this is not connected to whatever disappointments you feel with women in general that you've expressed here recently.

As far as the question itself- That the practice exists within religions has nothing at all to do with health.

[the-dream]

Life is good and I'm a better person when I'm having lots of sex. Generally happier, more outgoing and can concentrate on other things.

When I'm having a medium amount of sex, sex clouds my brain and and I'm distracted from everything else because I'm more interested in girls.

When I'm having no sex then it's just depressing.

So lots of sex is good

I can't really see the upside of "nofap" and things like that.