[Hartigan]

There are no real proof for this but my doctor told me this:

"What happens when you masturbate? You stimulate your brain. If you stimulate your brain too often, it can cause something called desensitization of the brain". She was sure that my DP was caused by masturbating 1-3 times per day for years.

She wasn't 100% sure know how to fix my DP but a good bet was to simply quit masturbating for atleast a year to give my brain some rest.

There are others with the same opinion:

https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/derealisation-and-depersonalisation-is-caused-by-masturbation.21236/

https://www.reddit.com/r/NoFap/comments/3gf3sd
https://www.reddit.com/r/NoFap/comments/1697nn

 

[M1k3y]

yeah when i do that i feel tired after and less active, ive heard it releases happy chemicals in ur brain and like causes u to feel less happy and more anxious, stuff like that

i read on here some dude gave it up for like 3 months and recovered

and also if i go 3 days without i feel really good

and if i do it i feel shitty for like a day and a half

i heard sex is okay, cus its a form of socializing i guess

so i think sex ok

ima try not to do that and see where it goes

god knows im a young guy so its gonna be hard as heck

good luck to all haha

 

[REB]

Goodness gracious...

 

[Mannyj715]

thats nuts! It usually helps me feel normal for a bit. Ive noticed that the feeling of sex/ masturbating and tv screens havnt been affected by my DP/DR. Anyone else find comfort in watching tv or computer screens ?

 

[Grindelwald]

A year seems excessive, try doing a month. Masturbating definitely aggravates DP if you already have it.

 

[Hartigan]

When you think about what happens when you orgasm it makes total sense that masturbating too much is bad for your brain.

 

[Hartigan]

BS!

Nope. Masturbating 2-3 times per week is okay. Masturbating 1-3 times EVERY day is definitely not okay.

This can not only desensitize your brain but also damage your dopamine receptors if you do it for years.

 

[Hartigan]

Where's the evidence for this? Prove it! Otherwise it's just BS.

The evidence is what's happening to the brain when you orgasm. It's a kick, an enjoyment. You damage your brain's reward system when you take drugs such as Amphetamine by temporarily increasing your dopamine by a lot.

It's the same thing with orgasms. The difference is that it takes many orgasms every day to eventually reach the same level of damage to the brain.

Which is 1-3 orgasms every day for a year or two.

 

[willbarwa]

BS!

...the rebuttal is quite terse.

 

[willbarwa]

There are countless of articles and countless of stories that coincide with the improved cognition and performance when abstaining from masturbation.

I'm sorry but at this day and age, it should almost be obvious that prolonged masturbation is no good.

Western medicine seems to heavily criticize that masturbation isnt bad and sure enough we live in a country that is obsessed with porn. masturbation and all types of phallic symbolisms.

All of these things zap your dopamine.

In eastern traditions, however, almost most of them speak of abstaining from masturbation as it holds life force.

I have abstained before for almost two weeks and I had tremndous enegry, strentgh, motivation, agility, power, confidence, relxataion, you name it!

 

[Hartigan]

It seems that you are mistaking your opinion & the opinions of others for evidence, they're not the same thing at all.

I cannot find proof for the stimulating part which my doctor mentioned. She is my only proof then but i assume that's not enough.

BUT:

It's atleast widely known that masturbating too much can damage the brain's reward system. By too much i mean like 1-3 times EVERY day. This means that your Dopamine receptors will be highly affected.

If your Dopamine receptors are not working properly, you will most likely not get enough Dopamine.

Here are some really scary stuff that can happen with Dopamine deficiency (DP is one of them):

http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2015/04/02/low-dopamine-levels-symptoms-adverse-reactions/

 

[Pondererer]

There are no real proof for this but my doctor told me this:

"What happens when you masturbate? You stimulate your brain. If you stimulate your brain too often, it can cause something called desensitization of the brain". She was sure that my DP was caused by masturbating 1-3 times per day for years.

What if you have sex 1-3 times a day, is that also bad? Just curious because the whole thing seems kinda silly to me.

 

[Hartigan]

What if you have sex 1-3 times a day, is that also bad? Just curious because the whole thing seems kinda silly to me.

It could be. It depends on the person since we are all different.

Some people can probably masturbate 5 times per day for 10 years without being affected.

 

[Ianar]

If you find cognitive improvements from not masturbating, it's due to placebo and/or living a more balanced lifestyle. You cannot damage your brain through orgasm; the refractory period evolved to ensure such things aren't possible.

 

[Hartigan]

If you find cognitive improvements from not masturbating, it's due to placebo and/or living a more balanced lifestyle. You cannot damage your brain through orgasm; the refractory period evolved to ensure such things aren't possible.

Well my doctor could be wrong about it.

But masturbating too much is definitely affecting the Dopamine receptors atleast. And if your Dopamine receptors ain't working as they should, it could lead to a lot of mental problems. Such as DP.

 

[forestx5]

having sex 3x a day stimulates my brain. Should I stop for a year? Or should I just stop smoking

cannabis when I'm wanking?

 

[Ianar]

Well my doctor could be wrong about it.

But masturbating too much is definitely affecting the Dopamine receptors atleast. And if your Dopamine receptors ain't working as they should, it could lead to a lot of mental problems. Such as DP.

But you don't know if it stops dopamine receptors working as they should, and it makes no sense that it would. This is one of the reasons we're on the planet for, not crack-cocaine.

 

[seven]

Its not bullshit. Orgasm in general is a super big thing for a brain. Relases dopamine, serotonin and many more. I think sex is great if you have wife.

But watching porn and wanking everyday is different from sex. And there are more and more people now (doctors too) who claim it can be bad for you.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2642712/Does-watching-porn-make-LAZY-X-rated-content-shrink-region-brain-linked-motivation-study-claims.html

Not to mention over 280 000 (!) people on reddit.com/r/nofap

 

[Ianar]

That study had a small sample size and was inconclusive: "However, an alternative explanation is that people who spend more time looking at pornography are born with a certain type of brain".

It's a given that if you spend hours daily with your pants round your ankles "edging" to porn it's not gonna be great for you. It's also no surprise when people who behave that way cut back and live in a more balanced fashion they'll feel better for it.

NoFap is pseudoscience at this point, whatever the numbers. IMO they're just people that have regained some balance in their life and don't understand, or won't accept the placebo effect.

It can be hard enough to find pleasure in DP as it is, without needlessly depriving yourself.

 

[Grindelwald]

Nofap was the single best thing that helped my DP. So I’m with the OP on this one. Too much masturbation is linked to social anxiety and dopamine deficiency. This is not BS. This is science. It is a thing.