Was anyone else's POIS started after starting nofap or abstaining for a while?

[brainfogfun]

About 7 years ago I realized I had a problem with porn. I decided to try nofap. It was like a rollercoaster for my brain. Good days, bad days, and everything in between. After getting longer stretches of time under my belt I realized I would feel like utter shit after 'relapsing'. I'd go 1-3 weeks, have a relapse and wake up the next day feeling like I was hit by a bus. Widespread muscle and nerve pain, cognitive issues, but worst of all, depression and anxiety. This led to me developing fibromyalgia/CFS. I had none of this prior to nofap.

So now I can't abstain but I also can't masturbate. A year ago I decided to go as long as I could and ended up going like 32 days. What's odd is my depression and fatigue goes way up during long stretches and it seems to get worse the longer I go. But when I did relapse the pain/depression was 5x what it normally is. I could barley move.

So like I saiid, I'm stuck in this no mans land where I can't abstain longer than two weeks but I also can't not masturbate.  Somewhere in all this has to be the key to what's going on but I have no idea how to go about it.

Anyone else have a similar experience?

[BoneBroth]

I experience the same, but since I have a gf so fapping is not a question. If restraining for longer then 30 days I easy get nocturnal emissions. Those are the worst since I cannot control them. However I seems to be able to extend the periods between O by working on my mental strength - my intention. The trick is to learn how to quicky duck for any thought that will drive you down the familiar road and minimize contact with any stimulating sources. Eventuelly your mental strength will conquer your drift. If the monks can do it, anyone can. Our enemy is one of the strongest dopamine adictions. Whether the addiction comes from alcohol, drugs, sex, computer games or social media its the same process in the brain and possible to wean of by applying a strong mental intention. I would guess that this is probably easier if your living on your own, then if you have a relation.

[uhtred sonof]

Yeah. Pretty much the same story here. I'm not sure, but sometimes I wonder if the anxiety about fapping and relapsing somehow made the porn more arousing and stimulating, causing a vicious cycle of addiction and shame. Just screwing up the brain chemistry. I really have no idea.

[Journey]

I experience the same, but since I have a gf so fapping is not a question. If restraining for longer then 30 days I easy get nocturnal emissions. Those are the worst since I cannot control them. However I seems to be able to extend the periods between O by working on my mental strength - my intention. The trick is to learn how to quicky duck for any thought that will drive you down the familiar road and minimize contact with any stimulating sources. Eventuelly your mental strength will conquer your drift. If the monks can do it, anyone can. Our enemy is one of the strongest dopamine adictions. Whether the addiction comes from alcohol, drugs, sex, computer games or social media its the same process in the brain and possible to wean of by applying a strong mental intention. I would guess that this is probably easier if your living on your own, then if you have a relation.

POIS isn't due to sex/dopamine addiction, do not be influenced by sr/nofap pseudoscience

[BoneBroth]

If you read my post again you will see that I'm neither saying nor saying that that POIS is "due" to or caused by addiction. But sex addiction is due to addiction and dopamine, thats quite scientifically proved. Many people experience it hard to abstain from sex and that might very well be cauesed by the same biochemistry like any other addiction.

Those who has a hard time to abstain from O (which gives them POIS) might see a value in working with anti-addiction strategies, the same strategies that are professional used on any addiction. There's no reason to neglect or counteract this - it might help many POISers.

I have since a long time on this forum understood that merely insinuating any connection between fapping and POIS is strictly taboo (since it might invoke feelings of gult and shame). I agree that the issue should be totally morally and ethically de-dramatized. It has nothing to do with guilt or shame, which is only negative in any way it is insinuated.