Is NoFap worth doing?
Let’s pause and take a closer look at this question.
Porn is a negative habit. Why would removing it be in question? Shouldn’t you ask what porn is doing in your life? We think this is a better question:
“Is watching porn and masturbating worth it?”
We’ll help you answer this question by giving you the facts on these topics.
Your brain will make excuses. It’ll convince you that porn is the only way to have sex right now, or masturbation releases stress. And while it’s true, porn still damages you mentally and physically.
A US study in 2014 showed that 63% of men watched porn at work in the last 3 months. Getting caught watching porn at work could be a disaster.
This is where self-awareness comes into play. Knowing why you’re masturbating will help you decide if it’s worth quitting.
We’ll weigh the benefits against the cons, teach you the right mindset, and show you what a life free of porn and masturbation looks like.
By the end of this article, you will know if NoFap is worth trying.
What is NoFap?
NoFap is abstinence from PMO (porn, masturbation, orgasm). It’s one small part of recovery from porn addiction.
Not everyone practices NoFap the same way. There are different “modes” of NoFap.
Some guys will abstain from all forms of sex and orgasm. This is called “hard mode.”
There are also guys who choose to have sex and orgasm but refrain from porn and masturbation. This is known as “soft mode.”
So which one is right for you?
If you’ve been addicted for years and haven’t been in a relationship, we recommend being more strict until you get control of your life. This means no sex. If you have PIED (porn-induced erectile dysfunction) you fall into this category.
If your life is on track, you don’t need to be so hard on yourself. Take an honest look at how porn is affecting you and go from there.
Bonus tip: Feeling motivated? There’s another level called “monk mode.” Participants refrain from all instant gratification activities including TV, social media, and junk food. This practice is said to be a dopamine detox and works excellently with NoFap. |
The Right Mindset
We’ve seen a lot of guys pumped up because of NoFap. It’s something new to them, and they think it’s the solution to all their problems.
We hate to rain on your parade, but it won’t magically make you handsome, or rich, or get you in bed with attractive women. Too many guys get disappointed when it doesn’t work as they expect.
Instead, learn to see NoFap as a tool that makes you into a better man. For example, it’ll greatly boost your ability to delay gratification. You won’t need “the hit” of dopamine as often, or as intensely as before. This could mean skipping your nighttime Netflix binge and working on something productive during the evening.
It’s these positive habits that will transform you as a man. And that’s exactly the headspace we want you to embrace.
The Benefits of NoFap
- Better self-esteem: The shame and guilt you feel from fapping start to fade. When you feel better about yourself, you feel genuinely happy.
- Tackling challenges head-on: When you stop fapping, you stop escaping challenges. Instead, you will find that you want to take them head-on.
- Finding real women attractive: There’s another level to enjoying women. Deep conversations, holding hands, daydreaming about the future. Porn wires you to see women as sex objects.
- Increased energy: You have more energy and it will pour into other areas in your life. Make sure you transmute this energy productively.
- Confidence: This is one of the best benefits of NoFap. More confidence lets you go for opportunities outside of your comfort zone. It unlocks better jobs, more attractive partners, and a better life overall.
- Can help with depression: Nofap may not cure your depression, but it’ll at least alleviate some of the pain. Starving your brain of dopamine from porn allows your receptors to heal, and you can enjoy the simple things in life again.
Transmuting the Benefits
The benefits from NoFap should be used to build a new life. Use the extra energy to adopt healthy habits. The end goal is to wire your brain around these habits so they’re preferred over porn.
You have to be careful that the extra energy isn’t used in forming new bad habits.
The Risks of NoFap
NoFap isn’t just about the benefits. There are drawbacks to it, and they’re worth examining if you’re considering adding this practice to your life.
- Sperm health: Some studies suggest that masturbation may improve sperm health. This includes the sperm cells and semen volume.
- Sexual health: Masturbating is a good way to understand your sexual preferences.
- Sexual abstinence: Masturbating is a temporary way to keep sexual urges at bay. If you’re trying to abstain from sex, masturbating can help. It protects you from unsafe sex choices.
The Myths of Masturbation
There are a lot of claims about masturbation that aren’t scientifically backed. If you choose to masturbate and go blind, it isn’t because of fapping. It’s worth noting that these myths assume that porn isn’t being used.
Here are a few myths about masturbation:
- Erectile dysfunction: The culprit here is usually porn, or this could be related to other health issues.
- Mental Illness: Mental illnesses are complex conditions that can be caused by many factors.
- Infertility: In men, problems with semen and sperm are usually the cause of this.
NoFap or Semen Retention?
NoFap and semen retention are two closely related practices. They have their own benefits and drawbacks. Let’s take a look at both so you can decide which is best for you.
NoFap encourages people to stop masturbating and watching porn. However, you’re allowed to have an orgasm with a partner. The community focuses on quitting porn and using that to lead a healthier life.
Semen retention on the other hand focuses on retaining your semen. Semen is considered a vital, life-giving fluid that energizes you. People practicing semen retention swear off all forms of release. They believe that semen reabsorbed into the body provides vital energy that should be used to further your purpose.
Sex during semen retention also includes learning how to orgasm without ejaculation. This is known as a dry orgasm.
Since nocturnal emissions (wet dreams) are out of your control, both practices allow them. Additionally, semen retention makes an effort to minimize the loss of semen.
Bonus tip: In the NoFap community, the sudden urge to masturbate after a wet dream is known as the chaser effect. |
The Bottom Line
Let’s revisit our question, “is watching porn and masturbating worth it?”
If you’re ready to learn how to be the best version of yourself then NoFap is for you. You get to use its benefits to level up your personal life and conquer anything you take on.
In reality, not watching porn and not masturbating is our default setting. Porn is an unnatural stimulus that we’ve become accustomed to.
It isn’t a “magic fix” though. It’s a tool that develops you into a better man. As you grow into a better man, you’ll notice that your dream life will flourish with you.
If you’ve fallen for a while, and you’re having trouble quitting, know that this isn’t the end. You don’t have to fail here. Pick yourself up and dust yourself off. You’ve got this man.