[This is from a new website called “Advanced Habits.” We have reproduced the article here because it features a trigger image at the site.]
The internet is no doubt the most popular medium for porn. It’s everywhere and it’s almost impossible to resist the temptation to rub one out. Especially when you have high speed internet access to full high definition content.
Many can agree that it feels GREAT, exactly the reason why it leads to developing the addiction. I myself am no exception. Being an avid internet user, my brain had deteriorated over the years until I finally decided to do my research and fix it once and for all. Here is what I’ve learnt.
Brain chemistry is essentially a series of neurotransmitters. In the context of porn addiction, the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitters responsible are endorphins – predominantly dopamine. Dopamine is good, it plays a key role in the brain’s reward system. On a fundamental level, it is released in order to motivate you to perform certain actions that keep you striving towards a greater possibility of survival, which includes reproduction. Allow me to illustrate:
See food –> Dopamine released –> Motivation to eat
See attractive woman –> Dopamine released –> Motivation to reproduce
Dopamine is released in two main ways:
- Through your senses (smell of the food, vision of hot girl, etc.)
- Through thought associations (thinking about the pleasure of food, sex, etc.)
It should be obvious that by looking at porn (sense) and associating the pleasure of ejaculation (thought), dopamine will be released. This motivates you to open up your favorite porn site and wack off until climax. Congratulations, you have successfully reproduced (as far as the brain’s concerned).
Unfortunately, the male brain hasn’t evolved to safely respond to the dopamine release when viewing 30 super hot babes within an hour of masturbating. Even though it doesn’t seem like it, it’s an overkill, leading to damage of dopamine receptors. This also happens with excessive drug and alcohol use which also releases excessive amounts of dopamine.
Basically, dopamine needs to be transported to ‘receptors’ in the brain to be effective. Damaging the receptors means only a fraction of the dopamine released is received for that feel-good motivation. So, normal stimuli no longer produces enough dopamine to get you going, you need more and more. This is essentially the basis of addictions.
If you have been watching porn and masturbating excessively, chances are ‘regular porn’ doesn’t give you the same satisfaction. You may find yourself searching for ‘fetishes’ to give you that extra kick of pleasure. This is by far the best evidence of dopamine receptor damage. Having your minimum pleasure threshold increased not only leads to a desensitization of sexual pleasure, but all other forms of pleasure as well. It is no coincidence that the increasing numbers of internet users (who watch porn excessively) correlates to increasing cases of depression, social anxiety, confidence issues, and sexual dysfunctions – all of which can be attributed to a lack of healthy dopamine receptors in the brain.
The solution
Yes, there is a solution. But you probably won’t like it, because your ability to feel pleasure and motivation has been compromised. Quite the paradox eh? It’s like going to the gym, not seeing immediate results (no dopamine release), and thus generating no motivation. Except this time it’s worse since much of the dopamine that is released won’t even be registered by the brain.
So then how do you go about repairing your dopamine receptors?
Simple. Stop watching porn and masturbating.
Oh wait, we forgot about the addiction part. This is where it gets challenging. Stopping your “regular” dose of dopamine isn’t something your brain will be favorable of. It’s quite essential for everyday function. In order to repair your dopamine receptors, you’re going to have to persist through the mental struggle of ‘needing your fix’. Your mind will rationalize many reasons as to why you should stroke it, but you must persist against the urges if you want any chance of repair.
Improving your diet can speed up the process of repair. Throw out all the junk food and replace it with vitamin rich foods, preferably vegetables and clean detoxifying foods that will restore a natural balance to your body. Compliment this with regular cardiovascular exercise and you’re on your way to a healthy recovery.
If your porn habits are extreme and you cannot refrain yourself no matter how hard you try, consider Porn Terminator, a software designed to scan, detect and delete all forms of pornographic content that you may come across during your internet use.
You only have one brain. It is your most vital asset, so take good care of it. The longer you expose your brain to unhealthy habits of dopamine abuse, the more difficult it will be to repair. Think twice about what you are really doing next time you feel the urge to beat off.
Original article (TRIGGER WARNING)
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