Is porn making my social anxiety/confidence/depression/anxiety/OCD/bipolar worse? Scroll down for a sample of the many stories we have heard.

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Said a recovering porn user:

I knew I was more than I appeared to be. More knowledgeable, funnier, more socially intelligent. I had all of these skills, but I couldn’t use them. It was like driving a Ferrari and being stuck in 1st gear.

Is too much porn the cause? It may well be. Since we wrote our first article raising the possibility of a link between social anxiety and heavy Internet porn use, recovering porn users continue to report a reduction in social anxiety as one of the most common improvements when they stop using Internet porn. See for example: I’m still myself but I’m free of the shackles we call social phobia.

We are not saying that Internet porn is the primary cause of social anxiety or depression in young men. No one knows what percentage of those with SAD have porn use as a contributing factor because no researchers have studied what happens to social anxiety when guys quit porn for a few months. Streaming Internet porn is a fairly new phenomenon, no porn-virgin control groups are possible, and few studies have even asked about social anxiety and porn use. Here are a couple that address shyness and social development in connection with porn use:

In his 5 minute TED Talk, “The Demise of Guys” famous psychologist Phillip Zimbardo noted that “arousal addiction” (porn, video games) is a major factor in social anxiety. Also see Zimbardo’s book: Man, Interrupted: Why Young Men are Struggling …

Listen to podcast on the connection between social anxiety and porn

Here are the comments of some guys:

First guy: About a month ago I decided to give up PMO. I ended up going 14 days total without masturbation. During this time my mood was never better. I’ve been going to a therapist to resolve my emotional issues but I was at the point where I cancelled appointments because I felt great and just wanted to continue feeling great. The next day I got a huge craving/thought about a porn actress that I liked and ended up binging. I never realised how addicted I was to porn until that day. It was a rush of “oh my god I need this right now” but the release I felt was incredibly empty. I binged the next day and the emotional hell that I’ve experienced for years came back. I was incredibly surprised to realize that a lot of my emotional issues were related to stopping PMO so I tried another week. I gave a weak excuse and binged. This time old feelings of suicidal and despair came back. It was a nightmarish 3 days but I started my recovery again. It’s been 9 days since PMO and I’m back to my balanced self. I don’t have the social anxiety, or fear that something bad will happen to me, that I used to. My depression is gone and I’m not worried about anything. Things that would make me angry are now a thing of the past. I was at a local music show recently and someone shoved me while passing through. I ended up shoving them back and not worrying at all about the consequences. This confidence that I have feels great and can only get better with time. My goal is a full 8 weeks. Second guy: I look at the girls and wow they are marvelous creatures. Their long hair, their magnificent laughter and their awesome curves. I`m not flatlining anymore so to speak. It’s like girls have a device for picking up on excess sexual energy, and yeah I`m on their radar! It’s funny how isolating this addiction can be. A few weeks of abstaining can show you have easy it is to make contact with everyone. Just smile and say, “hi.” Third guy: That’s a familiar feeling. You just suddenly realize that you’re not suffering of social anxiety anymore. Fourth guy: I quit at the beginning of 2012. Before that I was constantly trying to cure my anxiety. I spent 2 years in therapy and was constantly trying to restructure my thoughts, but there were times, especially around girls i didn’t know, where I would get these panic attacks. It wasn’t even my thought process; it was just an automatic. Since quitting, that has completely gone away. I have no more social anxiety. I’m not depressed anymore because of that, and many people, including my family, have commented on how I am not so shut in and irritable all the time. This lack of panic attacks could not be a placebo. There are times when I think I’m gonna have one and I just don’t. It’s not a confidence thing, it’s a change in brain chemistry. It took time. I was still getting some panic attacks around day 64. There were also times during my reboot where i felt like I got worse socially. I felt a lot more confident, but was all of a sudden was socially clueless.What happened with me was I felt things would all come to me way to naturally, when instead, i now realize I still have to try and put forth an effort. I was sitting there and just thought that I would magically start being fun and social. I realize now this was wrong. I can also say for sure that it was when i started watching a lot of porn around age 15 that things really started to take a turn for the worse. I was a promising athlete who could have been a really great player, but i basically lost my drive to improve and stopped practicing everyday. After quitting, I regained that drive and passion to play. I hate the fact that its too late to make a college career out of it. Fifth guy: Change ‘porn’ or ‘fapping’ to some other addiction, and it might be easier to see why there is so much fervor for some people. If you’re not addicted, you are like a casual drinker who sees if he can go a month without drinking. At the end of the month, you say ‘hmmm, that wasn’t so bad, but I think I’ll go out with my buddies and have a drink’. You can do so, because you’re probably not an alcoholic. But many of the people on here have addictions to masturbation and/or porn. For them, they see some of the same type of life/health benefits that an alcoholic would see after a few months of being sober. The first few weeks are hard … VERY hard. And the benefits are pretty obvious. But for many of us, that’s because we weren’t fully functioning in society. People’s descriptions of superpowers are really just normal powers. Imagine if someone came up to you and said “dude, I’ve developed the superpower of being able to make it through the day without pissing myself”. You’d probably think they were crazy until they said “oh yeah, I am an alcoholic”. Many of the superpowers described by nofappers would sound equally laughable to someone who is not stricken by some of the social anxieties and other issues brought on by Internet/porn addiction (for example, many nofappers are incredulous that without porn they’ll actually talk to women, and that women will talk back … to them, the lack of social anxiety, the ability to get an erection at 20-something, and willingness of women to recognize them are considered super powers). The thing about porn is that it has crept up on society as a major problem. It is easy to hide, the side effects are less obvious than drinking/drugs, and it is typically done outside of the view of others. It’s often easy to spot a hardcore alcoholic, but can you spot a hardcore porn addict? The internet has made instant gratification so incredibly easy, and the rush so strong, that it is no wonder that 20,000+ people are trying to rid themselves of it. Sixth guy: I asked my therapist about this and he asked another therapist expert in addictions. He told me that it is true porn causes a reaction in the brain that causes you to not be social. I’m very socially awkward and I have social anxiety. I can’t hold a conversation if my life depended on it. I think I can reclaim my life by stopping porn. I’ve been watching this vile shit since i was 8, now 21. So thank you 4 making this presentation and giving this info. Seventh guy: NoFap cured my social anxiety. Hands down. 125 days in, I went from a pussy at work, afraid of my boss, just taking orders. Now, I’m more of a leader, I am confident in myself and more focused, no social anxiety at all. Now it seems like my boss is afraid of me.. haha, no, but seriously i think NoFap could help your anxiety immensely. I would give it a try. http://www.reddit.com/r/NoFap/comments/28xiqx/i_have_anxiety_maybe_nofap_will_help/

If you were very social before you began using Internet porn, the chances are good that your social anxiety will reverse itself fairly quickly. You should see improvements within two weeks of stopping intense stimulation via porn/masturbation/fantasy/climax.

If you were socially anxious before you stumbled upon the nakedness of the Internet, you are still likely to notice improvements when you give your brain a rest from extreme stimulation. However, you’ll have to make a concerted effort to get connected with others. There are many ideas here. and in this article: 44 Experts Reveal How to Overcome Social Anxiety (hint: you don’t have to face your fears).

Many people suffer from social anxiety, so there’s lots of support available. Browse the Web for good forums. And start connecting with real people in small ways. Walk through a public area and try making eye contact with a few people. Then try smiling at a few. Then try nodding or speaking a greeting. Be patient and give yourself credit for your progress, however slow.

Reversing addiction-related brain changes likely play a role in reported benefits. Addictions cause a decline in dopamine (D2) receptors, which is a major aspect of desensitization. Recent Internet addiction brain studies all show the same brain changes as found in substance addicts, including reduced dopamine D2 receptors and dopamine transporters. Dopamine balance is critical for peak social functioning. Indeed, research shows that social anxiety correlates with low dopamine (D2) receptors. The drug-like withdrawal symptoms that recovering users often suffer when they stop are more evidence of an addiction process at work.

Incidentally, porn use has to alter more than just the fundamental addiction pathways (in some brains). It’s striking how frequently porn addicts report chronic sexual dysfunction, which reverses itself as they recover. This doesn’t happen with other addictions. These broader effects may help explain loss of mojo. Could porn addiction, because it hijacks sexuality, have the power to interfere with the brain circuits that govern normal male mating/courting behavior?

Primates, D2 receptors and dominant males:

First question: What’s one primary biological difference between dominant and submissive primates? Dominant primates have higher levels of dopamine D2 receptors. They were not born with higher levels of D2 receptors, rather “becoming” a dominant male caused the increase.

Inducing addiction in these same primates resulted in the same low levels of D2 receptors in all the males.

Second question: During rebooting, are reported increases in confidence, sociability, and motivation related to regaining dopamine D2 receptor or dopamine levels?

Finally, low dopamine signalling has long suspected to be involved in depression. Recently, research confirmed that low dopamine is the main player in depression and low motivation. From the researchers;

“the VTA dopamine circuitry we studied is very similar in both rodents and humans. And we have shown that the neurons in this circuit specifically cause, correct and encode diverse symptoms of depression. This is a significant advance in our understanding of the biological underpinnings of depression and related behaviors,”

The good news is that many former users bloom socially when they allow their dopamine signalling to return to baseline (by skipping intense stimulation for a time). Fears and awkwardness decrease, mood improves, sexual responsiveness increases, colors seem brighter, and life’s subtler pleasures are more fulfilling. Social skills often bubble up naturally—much to the surprise of the recovering users. On the other hand, when they relapse, the familiar symptoms arise again. Eventually, they find a balance that works for them, often without Internet porn (because it’s just too stimulating at a brain-chemical level).

Here are comments from recovering users:

Day 60: My experiences so far- Totally worth it! I am 26 and have been addicted to PMO since the age of 14. I started with “normal” porn but eventually escalated to extreme genres and fetishes. For years I wondered why I was so anxious and awkward around people. Why had I never had a girlfriend? Other people seemed to naturally connect and have affection for each other, but I always felt like I had to fake it, as if I wasn’t human. I also lacked motivation. I was content wasting hours mindlessly browsing the internet while many of my friends moved forward with their lives. I never knew what “normal” felt like. I assumed there was something wrong with me compared to other people. Anyway, 60 days in and I already feel like a new person. I have experienced so many benefits that I cannot even list them all here, but below is an overview of experiences from my first 7 weeks. The first benefits showed up 3-4 weeks in: More confidence and emotional stability. A newfound sense of virility.

Less desire to waste excessive time browsing the internet and playing video games

Stronger and healthier attraction to women (not just looking at body parts)

Stronger, richer voice. Became more articulate.

Less social awkwardness. More desire to be around people.

Fog seemed to lift off of my life. Day-to-day life began seeming more interesting.

Stronger desire to exercise. Better able to maintain an exercise routine. Feeling stronger, increased endurance.

Less attraction and addiction to sugary junk food.

More energy in general for day-to-day life. Stronger desire to make the most of free time and spend time outdoors.

Huge increase in motivation. Procrastinating day-to-day chores far less. Becoming more neat and organized.

Mind feels sharper and clearer. Better able to stay focused on tasks.

I am so mad at psychologists and psychiatrists these people have so much college education apparently yet they couldn’t tell me that my anxiety was caused by porn addiction? i cant tell you how many different doctors i went to and they all tried to make me go to counseling, give me pills, but guess what? I have finally been able to connect with people and realized that when i went 40 days of no pmo, no mo, i have less anxiety then i could ever remember. wtf is wrong with doctors today?

Being PornFree helps with SHYNESS AND SOCIAL ANXIETY – HERE’S WHY Hey Fellas, I haven’t touched porn in years and my longest streak with no masturbation is 440 days. I talk about my experience with porn and masturbation, and how it affects social anxiety in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYY3gM8AIW8 Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions.

Since [I quit fapping], I have met a girl, been going out more, and have made new friends. This is huge for me considering that all my life I have had social anxiety and have always been introverted. For the first time in my life, I am becoming much more social and it feels incredible. Words cannot explain how happy I am. Age 18 – For the first time in my life, I am becoming much more social and it feels incredible. Words cannot explain how happy I am.

Unexpected personal achievement: communal showers. Something I didn’t expect happened today and I’m pretty sure that its thanks to NoFap. It’s probably gonna sound silly to you, but for me it’s huge ! Since I finished high school, I never had the courage to use communal showers at the gym/pool/etc. It had nothing to do with my weight or the size of my junk, I have a somewhat normal body (at least for now) and slightly above average dick. Its just that whenever I would get close to them, it felt like every cell in my body was screaming at me that I didn’t belong in there with all the other real men. So I would always use stalls or skip showering if there wasn’t any. But earlier today after I finished my workout, I walked next to the stalls and continued to the open area. It wasn’t really a conscious thing, I sure wasn’t planning on doing it when I got to the gym, it simply felt natural. Even tho I knew there were guys already showering there, I wasn’t afraid or uncomfortable in any way. It was quite packed and I had to use a shower head right between 2 dudes much more buffed than me, but I didn’t care. I just showered like everyone else without any anxiety. I even made small talk with the other guys which is also remarkable, I’m usually really bad at it when fully dressed so doing it naked surrounded by people is incredible. I’m only on day 5, but I already feel much more confident and socially comfortable than a week ago, or any point in the last 6 years for that matter. My cock also seems to enjoy this break, as I noticed that the skin looks more hydrated and the head has a healthier color. I’m usually a grower, but today it was more of a shower, and while visually my balls are the same, they somehow feel fuller. I must admit that I had some doubts when I started this thing, but they’re all gone now ! I can’t believe this is all happening for real, and I have this amazing and supportive community to thank for !!!

Today I withdrew from 20 mg of Adderall (I have ADHD and take it as prescribed). Typically, on days I miss my meds, I experience intense withdrawal symptoms – lethargy, depression, etc. Today however, I haven’t experienced any withdrawals. I’m assuming it’s due to the whole “increased dopamine receptor sensitivity” thing, but I’m still amazed by this. Interesting observation

I think it’s because of PMO. When I was a little kid I didn’t have any social problems, now I have social anxiety/awkwardness and fear of eye contact. Since I’m doing NoFap I can make eye contact more easily and my anxiety/awkwardness got better, It’s still there, but it’s better now. Link

The difference is night and day for me, even when just in “moderation”. I have much more energy. I’m starting to get the sense of drive back for things. I feel much more comfortable with who I am, as I have nothing to feel shameful for. Even though I feel all of this, the occasional urge comes to me. It’s scary how powerful porn is on the brain. Seriously, screw porn.

15 days in and the most noticeable/beneficial effect is definitely my ability to maintain eye contact. Getting better at creating and maintaining eye contact was a huge issue for me for a long time, and I was actively working on it. When I would make eye contact, sometimes the urge to break it was so powerful, it seemed impossible to maintain it through an entire conversation. Now I’m two weeks into NoFap, and eye contact is SIGNIFICANTLY easier. I feel no shame staring at someone in the eyes throughout a whole conversation, and I feel that I am having better conversations and making better connections because of it. I used to have to really actively make myself look people in the eye, but over the last week or so, I have noticed myself automatically making and holding eye contact without much effort. Has anybody else noticed/enjoyed this effect? I’m pretty sure it’s a real benefit of NoFap and not a placebo but who knows.

Nofap is gold I now see decrease in my social anxiety. I suffered from anxiety for more than 4 years and now at last it’s going extinct. For all of you think nofap is fake, you are a total idiot. I tried all method to stop social anxiety. Medication, meditation, improving social skills etc but none of them worked. I tried personal coaching for 2 years and yet didn’t see much improvement. I don’t know how it gets better with nofap but I can assure you it certainly does get extremely better. Just give nofap a go and see how your results skyrocket. This is it guys. Just do nofap and you will see life again.

I’ve become sarcastic and i have a newfound ego From day 1-30 i didn’t really notice a drastic change. i had all the normal things like facial hair growth, muscle mass, deeper voice. yada yada. Which is amazing. Now I’ve just reached day 40 and something has changed, like i honestly DON’T GIVE A SHIT about what anyone thinks or what i do. My mind is not overthinking anything which is very scary for me since i’m a quiet person and don’t really have much to say. but i love it so far. My Sarcasm is far unmatched in with my friends and people i know. Not in a bad way, but the wit i have and how fast without hesitation i’m actually funny Ex: Went to a Halloween party this weekend, not usually the mingling type kinda just sit back and watch everyone. BUT i ended up at a table with 3 women and a few guys, talking and keeping up conversations like i actually fit in. Amazing. Also at the party this question came up from a card game and i grabbed it, Said, does porn turn you on and when was the last time you watched it? so naturally laughed and looked at everyone said with a straight face and said 40 days and nights. The look on their faces were priceless and they didn’t believe me lol.

Nofap eliminated my social anxiety

I’m only on day 22 and I don’t feel shy anymore, I can talk to random people and actually have fun without feeling nervous, I smile at them and they smile back. even though it was one of the hardest things I ever done starting nofap was probably the best decision I’ve ever made. “On the other side of suffering there is greatness” – David Goggins Stay strong guys we will make it!

the_Shub

I also thought i had social anxiety, but after a year of nofap and relapsing at times, i realized that i never had social anxiety.

Massive life success 7 weeks in WOW. Experienced shared OCD symptoms: A major life shift i noticed is I have got rid of my perfectionist illusion, I don’t make plans anymore, I’m not too bothered of my house being super clean to the dot, I am a lot more organized and mature that I feel my anxiety has reduced from getting things right. The concept of perfection is impossible has hit me at last.

I have BPD, and on nofap I am less sensitive to rejection. Like it says, I have BPD, and because of that I am very sensitive to even imagined rejection. I get this real bad feeling when I feel rejected, and It’s significantly easier to deal with on 33 day’s of nofap. My depression isn’t as bad as usual ether. I’m always looking for a chance to get hard, or have sex now throw. It’s just a constant buz of gett laid now.

I love nofap!!! I can actually talk to people!!! It’s only been 21 days, and I already notice a difference. I couldn’t talk to my parents without getting super defensive and hostile. Now I am much more chill

NoFap conpletely obliterates my anxiety. It’s gone. Completely gone. It’s such a big contrast I sometimes worry about me being so relaxed all the time like wtf am I suddenly a stone cold psychopath or something? I literally don’t care what anybody thinks of me anymore. Fucking amazing.

I work out at the gym for 40 min + 10 min of sauna every day; super close to a six-pack. My testosterone has probably gone through the roof. I go to sleep at 9 pm and wake up at 5-6 am. I stick to a clean diet and take care of my health. I have an abundance of energy. I read a book every week. I excel at work. I socialize a lot. My shyness and social anxiety are gone. I am doing my best to control my finances and stay frugal. I am planning to launch a startup.

Nofap helped me me talk to people now.. I’m on day 37 of not jerking off and I used to be scared talking to people because, i got a bad lisp and people would make fun of me online. Well, I started to talk to random people online and I don’t care if people make fun of me and I met a new friend!! If I was still jerking off, I would be still depressed and scared to talk to people! Thank God for NoFap! I recommend people to join us!!

Porn and mental health So what I noticed about my relapse yestersay is that all of my mental problems (which were absolutely minimal on nofap/ no-porn) are back full force after a heavy relapse yesterday. Interesting observation. Will go on another streak starting today! I may fall down, but I’ll never stop getting up

long term nofap hard mode effects Social anxiety is gone completely and my introversion is gone. I am now very social and women seem to love me. They seem drawn to me and stay around finding it hard to stop talking with me even when they may be late to things. My voice is deeper and i get random erections constantly. I also get these at awkward times. Porn disgusts me now and i prefer real women to porn. It disgusts me because of what it does to the people involved in the industry. Thanks nofap for the support

Noticing major decrease in social anxiety It’s really amazing to actually be aware of the difference after such a short amount of time..I don’t feel the need to look away from people and can look them in the eyes and have conversations…I am just in awe that constant fapping can cause these issues. This realization is a testament to keep going. Note: I am on a day between 12-18 if you don’t count edging, but I started to be strict with it so I reset my counter 6 days ago to go full nofap. edit: also am beginning the interview process for a new job I am after, something I just haven’t done but should have been doing…it seems like my energy and confidence are slowly coming back.

Benefits you feel 4 weeks in….! Benefits I’ve Experienced: 1. Lots of Energy 2. Urges are way less than the first two-three weeks 3. Discipline to a whole new level 4. Low Social Anxiety 5. Overall you just feel great and feel mentally clearer and more focused

I’ve noticed I’ve became far more charismatic as well during my recovery. Last time when I went to school, one of the girls were looking at me and was commenting on how intelligent I was based on my test scores and how I looked like one of those college professors that looked way too young to be in college. When I heard that, I pulled out a funny impersonation of a college professor and it went something like this: Me: Alright class. Today we’re going to be learning about the basics of Neurons, Dopamine, and Stimulus. Random Girl: I don’t even know what any of this stuff means nervous laugh Me: If you hush up, I can tell you. Random Guy: Hey teacher. Why do we got to learn all this stuff? Me: Because this is college and in college, we always teach you useless things that you will never use in day to day life. Everyone started laughing when I said that and I felt so happy and at ease with everyone. This is by far one of my favorite benefits of NoFap. permalink

That’s something I’ve noticed as well, I’m much more calm and confident in my conversations and I don’t think like “oh man I must find something to talk about” like now conversations just come out so naturally and I’m loving it, whenever I’m almost relapsing I just remember the benefits and I think how priceless they are and how it’s way better than PMO. permalink

Porn turns me into a social retard and I hate it.

I’ve noticed that if I abstain for even a couple days I’m far more outgoing and conversational. But if I start my day PMOing, I totally shutdown. Can’t read social cues. Hate talking to people. Makes my day 100% worse. Still struggling, though. I wish I could just throw my phone in the trash, but I’m too reliant on it. FunkeyMonkey405 I’m the same way. I feel like this is a side effect of porn that isn’t talked about enough Levelizard Pretty much, and PIED throwawayzibil Same here wheresmydopamine Always happen to me as well. Porn can be debilitating in many ways RatedPGTV This happens to me as well exactly as you described. its hateful 🙁 SamFam4life Absolutely agree with you. I feel like every aspect of my life suffers from pmo but especially socially. I think the shame of being addicted to porn makes me feel lesser than others and i tend to exclude myself from the social atmosphere. holdowigg So true On-Psych I feel the same bro, not this extreme but I can relate. I think this comes from the “secret” and guilt from watching porn and thats a big reason I want to quit Mr_Self_Healer I know exactly what you mean and I have no idea why this is. Is there anyone who could explain why this happens?

Day 160 now i have a courage to approach girls So today i was in the mall i saw a very beautiful girl and i decided to approached her i introduced myself and ask for her name (Diana) and her number unfortunately she told me she had a boyfriend but it didn’t hurt this is the first time I’m able to approach girls without getting nervous

Nofap has worked amazingly for me day160 i have more friends I’m more social more focused i have noticed people respect me more specifically female colleagues

Only negative thing about nofap for me is the wet dreams some time I’m having 2-3 in a week which is crazy

Nofap killed my depression, IN A WEEK! I suffer from depression for many years, i was using weed cigarettes and alcohol, and i quit them all in order to improve my mood. And i was still depressed a f . I stopped fapping a week ago and my life has INSTANTLY improved. Just like that, without staying home all day watching tv and beating my meat. I went to school, got social again, and had a blast of a week! Totally willing to keep on going! Happy i found nofap!

Social Anxiety Cured?

Anyone here got cured or at least have their social anxiety reduced from doing NoFap?

Seeking_Discipline

Big yes on this.

aNewlifeReborn

After 60 days I feel like all my anxiety is practically gone. I have always had anxiety, even tried psychologists and medication and nothing seemed to help until I started nofap. Quite astounding that college educated doctors couldn’t figure out it was the porn binging. It will get rid of your anxiety. Keep going and be patient

oliveeercx

Yes and its one of the big reasons I do nofap

Revin3

After 70days for me

The WORST thing you can do to your anxiety is fapping! So in the last 2 Years I had a severe social anxiety disorder, when I talk to someone my face goes red, I lose my words and I get really nervous. 25 days ago, I gave NoFap a try and I stayed roughly for 3 weeks without Fapping or Edging, and during these 3 weeks I noticed that my social anxiety was fading out, but I wasn’t sure why. Yesterday at 5:50PM.. I relapsed, but I didn’t notice anything different until today, when I went to my maths class that I used to be super confident and chill during it (at least in the past 2 weeks), instead of being chill, all my anxiety returned, I was super anxious!! I immediately knew it was my relapse, fapping is the reason why all my anxiety got back and I’m 100% sure about it!! So if you want to get rid of SAD (Social Anxiety Disorder), DON’T EVER NEVER think of about fapping.

I was told i’m the most social-able person in our class… When I was at uni and going at it multiple times a day, i couldn’t even hold together a conversation. I had two close mates and i just couldn’t function in social gatherings at all. I’ve recently graduated and started my ‘graduate scheme’ which is essentially my first career in my entire life and i’m loving it. Today someone told me that they saw me as the “most social-able person in our class”. It was the first time they had spoken to e unfortunately, but for him to say that made my day, and he didn’t even know it. I went from the social outcast, from the person who couldn’t together a conversation, to the person that someone perceived me as the most social individual in our graduate scheme. I honestly think that’s truly astonishing…

Nofap 35 days report – did i gain super powers? I’m in nofap for more than 35 days (No sex, \, no porn) more than 35 days and Today I had sex with some hooker in Colombia (I’m a tourist here). I don’t consider it to relapse because I had a normal sex. Anyway, the benefits are: Confidence – Increased confidence in social settings and in outdoor settings (like sitting on a place and eat without worries). I used to have OCD and worry all the time what people think on me. this is almost gone. Energy- It comes and goes in some days but some days I have too much energy and even get euphoria a bit. also I become coky. OCD – Almost gone. I used to think too much on this and now this gone.

Pornography seems to be a clear cause of some form of anxiety that I have I started 2 years ago and ever since I’ve had issues speaking with people (especially females). I’ve always been careless and ratchet but ever since I started I experienced an overwhelming change. I’m also unable to get any of my work done and half of my free time goes toward fapping.

Any social anxiety success stories?

stark_intern

I have. I used to be the kind of guy who stares at his shoes and speaks in muttered breaths, unable to hold eye contact, etc. These days I can spark up a conversation and take small talk in stride, even draw out a smile and a chuckle every once in a while with a pretty girl. Only caveat is that this is after many months of practice, going through a series of deliberate choices every day until it became mostly second nature. Even then, if I don’t consciously gear up for it—I’ll slip and fall apart, particularly when I’m already stressed out. Here’s what I did: – Practice objectivity. Sometimes the social anxiety comes from attaching a lot of expectations that once you take a step back are absurdly unrealistic. Saying hi to that pretty girl won’t get you laid on the spot; even if you were Henry Cavill. – Practice confidence. Make deliberate steps to have a more commanding posture, gait, voice, sense of dress, surroundings, shit you own, and mindset. Picture who you wanna be, then stand walk talk and think, etc like that future you. Eventually your brain struggles to tell the difference. For me it’s just becoming second nature, but soon it’ll be my default. ColonCaretCapitalP I’m not cured but I’m continuing to improve. It helps to get out of your comfort zone and talk to supportive people. soad1799 Absolutely, yes. It was one of the many contributing factors to my severe social anxiety (which still lingers to a much smaller extent), and although nofap/pornfree isn’t some fix-all prescription, I absolutely notice positive benefits from nofap/noporn specifically in terms of social anxiety. My brain must be strangely wired (and probably damaged from years of frequent porn use) as I still feel a bit “off” even fapping frequently without porn. I know this sub is very binary and preaches absolutism in terms of being pornfree, but I find that being very disciplined and getting in 1 wank (to my thoughts, or very vanilla porn/erotic nudes) every 7-10 days has little if any effect on my social anxiety and overall mental well-being. Once I get back to fapping daily my brain numbs out and the anxiety creeps back in quickly. I totally understand this addiction being either “on” the wagon or “off”, but that’s just my experience and it’s probably not the most ideal for anyone with a really deep seated addiction. I’d also add that it especially alleviates social anxiety around women (as a guy here obviously). I really believe there’s some bro science in that when you aren’t tricking your brain into some sort of artificial pair bonding (amongst the many other psychological effects of porn), it ends up subconsciously allowing, or even forcing you into being more positive, calm, warm, assertive, and social around women. YMMV on all of this and my case might just be an anomaly, though I would probably disagree having read other people’s stories on here. beastfromeast95 I’m on day 55 on my journey and im heading to complete 90 days hardmode to give my brain the chance to fully rewire , by far i can tell it really helps alot , i would say my anxiety around people decreased by 60% and i feel way more comfortable around people i don’t know , moreover my brain fog gone away and my mind is more clear than when i used to pmo , so for sure no fap is very useful to your mental health onhereimJim I have significantly decreased my porn use. Im truly trying to stop, it proves difficult but possible. I have general anxiety with other forms of mental health problems. I live an absolutely normal wonderful life. When i was watching porn 1-2-3-4 times a day i was an absolute walking thought monster. I watched some weird shit and it bothered the fuck out of me! Sexuality issues, just overall incredible difficult facade to keep up. I have a good job i save my money i pursue goals and work on my positivity and mental health every day. At least i think so right now. The pit feels dark but you just start doing things differently and things absolutely change. eire77 Yep. I am a lot more socially skilled, but also I see now I’ve let people get close to me that lots of people I admire get socially anxious for certain events too, this has helped me to relax and accept the anxiety at times as natural so I am less hard on myself. I have been seeing a counsellor though to help this and go to 12 step recovery group too. The group is great as we’re encouraged to make calls and talk about what is going on for us which helps me cope. If you are a hard porn user aka look it a lot, I’d be very surprised if this didn’t change for the better if you could let porn go.

My Social Anxiety Has Been Exorcised! Today I went to the same barbershop that I’ve been going to for more than a year while I PMO’d. Every time it would be an awkward mumble of how I want my hair and then he’ll cut my hair in complete silence because I just kept giving awkward answers that doesn’t lead the conversation anywhere, so it would just die and become quite until we were done. Not today! Today I walked in there and immediately started joking with the guy, discussing the different lengths that he should cut my hair to, the style, showing him photos etc. As we were chatting away it hit me like a brick wall – wtf was this?! I wasn’t stressing, wasn’t feeling awkward and the conversation just kept flowing effortlessly. I am so damn happy right now, I feel like a ton of healing has already happened and I didn’t even know it! I love this sub, thanks for all the support gents!

Video – NoFap Benefits: The Benefits of Quitting Porn and Masturbation for 1 Year! (reduced depression and anxiety among other benefits)

Age 24 – Anxiety so bad I was sent to a school counsellor. Pretty much gone. Nofap helped me shrug off much of the anxiety I experienced, so bad was it that a lecturer referred me to the school counsellor. But now the only indication I get [that] I’m staring at girls is that I find them staring back; previously I would never look at girls, or anyone, I would just wait to get home then fap it out (would you believe I’ve never had a girlfriend or had sex?). Now, I see a cute/hot girl/woman walking in the opposite direction to me and without even thinking about it maintain eye-contact all the way until she’s right next to me, It startled me the first few times this occurred and I would have to stop where I’m standing for a minute and think about what just happened. I feels pretty good now but I know pre-nofap me would dwell and obsess over something like this for days, not at all healthy. … Then, I unconsciously began to have what seemed like staring contests with every girl in sight, not checking out their bits and objectifying them but eye-to-eye. … You know when you accidentally look at a really tough guy, I don’t mean a gym fool but guys who seem like they’ve gone through tough experiences, and you immediately falter and look away and pretend like it didn’t happen? Not that I intentionally seek out such people and try to stare at them, but after cold showers combined with nofap I will not falter and even get respect like a slight nod.

I’ve been fapping since I was about 13, I’m 20 now. But I was diagnosed with OCD when I was 16, and now it’s gone. Completely gone. The biggest thing now is I’m no longer “inside my head” worrying all day and night. It’s almost like I’m seeing the world for the first time. I was never good with girls, now all of a sudden I am. I was never confident, now I am. But the little things are even crazier. Now I get pleasure from looking at a sunset, or seeing beautiful piece of art. I have emotions now while before I was always numb. I would compare it to when I first got contacts for my eyes. When I put the contacts in for the first time I was blown away at the difference, because everything was so clear compared to what I had lived my whole life doing. It’s the same concept, but it’s like contacts for my emotions permalink

I’ve just discovered this.. Hey there, 17 year-old guy from Germany here. So I’ve basically been clinically depressed for about 2 years now. It was treated with different types of therapies and later medication. None of which seemed to help or just helped for a short amount of time. I decided to go to another therapist since my first one didn’t help me at all. Yesterday I had my first session with him and I told him my story and how I feel. I was suprised when he asked me if I masturbate frequently. I did in fact never tell anyone that I do that shit at least 2 times a day since I was 12. He was well aware about porn-addiction and the depression it can cause. I’m “clean” for about 24 hours now and it’s not easy… I’ll definitely stick around just to stay motivated. 2 Months until school starts again. My first goal is to not masturbate until that and see how I feel. From what I’ve read so far I’m pretty positive.

Closing in on 90 days! It works guys! Man these last 83 days have been a journey that I’m glad I started. In under 3 months my self-confidence self-esteem have grown exponentially. I’m way way more extraverted and did things I’d never do before I did nofap. I got my first ever girlfriend and honestly life could not be going smoother. For the last year and a half I struggled getting streaks over 20 days, but something finally clicked. The way I see it, you’ll never quit unless you are fully 100% committed. Even 99.99% isn’t good enough. Don’t give in to the urges, you’ll come out stronger and happier on the other side.

I have been suffering with moderate to serious depression since 7th grade. I would actually hear a voice in my head that told me I was dog shit, and I would get really down on myself for making mistakes. My depression has gotten really bad at times and mild thoughts of suicide crossed my mind once or twice. I have been trying to remember back to the summer between 6th and 7th grade, to try and remember an event that led to my depression (my depression started around this time). It got to the point where I had no energy, even when I got a full night’s rest. I would often get teased; being called names like “emo kid” or “that sad kid.” I think I can finally say that porn has been the poison. I remember the first device that I heavily watched porn on was my psp; which I just found out released March, 2005. This was exactly 7 years ago and about the time that I was entering 7th grade. I have fapped quite heavily since then, and recently have discovered that my taste in porn was beginning to change for the worse (I won’t go into detail). I haven’t fapped for all of 5 days now (I know it’s not a lot), and I already feel happier, more energetic, and just all around better. This also explains why all my family vacations(not being able to fap), have been my happiest memories over the years. I really see myself making it to day 90, because I haven’t felt this naturally pure in a while. I feel like my old goofy self again, and that is the most priceless blessing I could ever wish for. I finally feel as though I can progress with my life instead of being the kid ridiculed for being such a debby downer all the time. I feel so excited/relieved to finally have realized my problem, and to set out on the quest to be the best me possible. I’m still young (19), and have a lot to live for. I can’t wait to have sex with a real girl for the first time, which I can sense will be soon.

90 days without P, M or O. So one of the biggest things that changed for me was my confidence. I’m far more confident with how I carry myself around not just women, but all people. I feel like, since I’ve broken my fapping addiction, I have the willpower to do just about anything I put my mind to.

20+ days without porn. Social anxiety GONE! I’m a fairly sociable good looking guy, but I always get really anxious before social events and meetings at work. I used to PMO and fap at least twice daily to “evacuate stress”. At work, at home hiding from my GF, anywhere I got the chance… I believed I was being kinky, but now I realize I was just a creepy loner. After being pr0n free for almost a month now, I realize that most of my social anxiety was coming from the stress of having to hide my dark secrets. For me, less dark secrets = no shame = less stress = social anxiety gone! I’m feeling like a new and improved version of me. More confident, better at speaking in public, easier to connect with. Thanks noFap!