We all have that one soul-sucking addiction that we just can’t seem to shake, no matter how hard we try.
It could be consuming life-destroying substances, booze binging, or mindlessly scrolling through social media for hours on end.
You’ve tried every trick in the book to break free from its grasp – from motivational speeches to guilt trips – but nothing seems to work.
Even though you are cognizant that your victory over this enslaving habit can be life-changing, it is like gum on your shoe, refusing to let go even after you’ve tried scraping them off with every tool in the box.
I too was suffering from the agonizing torment of my weakness until I defeated my demons.
Here is my story –
Just like any other habit, it started with me repetitively engaging in it thinking, I could stop “if” I wanted to, but little did I know I was sliding down the slippery slope of a cesspool of disgust with nothing to pull me back.
There was no “if” in this scenario.
Within no time, I was trapped in a cycle of self-indulgence, wasting my time and semen staring at pixels, filling me up with guilt and shame every time I relapsed.
I had become a Porn-addict.
Believed to be as addictive as cocaine, I still couldn’t come to terms with the fact that something like this was even possible.
With unlimited access to uncensored material, a few clicks away free of cost makes the whole system rigged towards making you fall into this pit.
A 5-year old today can see more naked women with click of few buttons than the richest of kings ever could combined in entire history
It is only after I started reading up on it and found the NoFap community, I realized that men across the world are a slave to this compulsion.
PS: I will be using PMO henceforth in the blog instead of Porn, Masturbation and Orgasm.
As much as the Western media goes on to propagate PMO as a ‘healthy and safe sexual activity’, I have not once come across any individual (online or IRL) who would thank PMO for their well-being.
After having experienced myself, and read through countless testimonies of its victims, PMO destroys lives by showing the following symptoms:
- Waves of Lethargy
- Confidence Crisis
- Lacking Motivation
- Erectile Dysfunction & Premature Ejaculation
Don’t believe me? Read this one of many stories you can find on r/NoFap of a 42 yr old repenting his actions.
What was I missing on?
It is not just the downsides, but also all the potential benefits that get unlocked once you embrace NoFap by going on a voluntary semen retention (SR) streak.
While porn is messing with all the neurological connections in your brain to make you a beta cuck, by flushing the seed of life down the drain you are robbing yourself of your greatest gift as a man.
Forty meals make a drop of blood, 40 drops of blood make a drop of bone marrow, 40 drops of bone marrow make a drop of semen, the elixir of life.
Veda, 1500 BC
Virya is the essence of essences and the last dhatu formed out of the blood, making it the most precious fluid generated by the male body.
If channelized correctly through appropriate asanas one can ejaculate the semen up the spine to nourish the physical body, the heart and the intellect.
Even science-backed claims for SR suggest the following bodily changes:
- Increased testosterone level
- Increased stamina
- Sudden decrease in anxiety, depression, anger, stress, greed, fear and shyness
- Fast muscle gain
- Increase in concentration, memory power and problem-solving capability
- High body immunity (no disease)
- Calmer, clear and more focused mind
- Glowing healthy skin and hair
- Deeper manly voice
- Improved eye-vision and eye colour
- Strong bones, muscles and senses
- Increase in sperm quality & quantity
- Less but quality sleep
How did I take a U-Turn?
Despite having this informational jackpot at my fingertips, my habit seemed to have a mind of its own, stubbornly refusing to budge.
I threw everything but the kitchen sink at my habit, from porn blockers that were supposed to be Fort Knox-level secure, to sitting in painful meditation sessions that left me feeling more like a contortionist than a Zen master.
But it seemed like even the gentlest breeze of provocation would knock me off my throne of willpower, sending me tumbling into the abyss of relapse.
I had done everything but one – talk about it to people around me.
Locked in the prison of shame and guilt, I had kept my struggles hidden from even my closest friends and family, feeling like a lone ranger battling my addiction.
But all of this changed on 18th March, 2023 when I met one of my unexpected well-wishers – Neera [1][2]. He was just another one of my internet friends who I looked up to, whom I didn’t think I would confide in the first place.
As we started talking, I found myself opening up to Neera, a person I never thought would be my confidante. It was like a dam had burst, and I poured out my struggles with a raw honesty I didn’t know I had in me.
I felt a surge of insane courage coursing through my veins. The once formidable beast of addiction now seemed conquerable.
By both of us sharing our journeys and vulnerabilities and how our audience looks up to us, I couldn’t help but feel empowered at the moment I was in.
The truth is that we cannot heal in isolation. It is through the act of sharing our struggles that we invite the possibility of transformation and growth into our lives.
He also motivated me to come back on track with all the side hustles I had given up lately under the garbe of an excuse called “job”.
I haven’t looked back since that fateful day and have completed 31 days of SR as I write this.
While the mindset shift after opening up helped, something actionable that I would want my audience to take away would be – keep yourself busy at all times.
I realized that my relapses were often triggered by having too much free time on my hands.
So, I took a page out of Neera’s book and packed my schedule with every productive activity known to humanity. I became a productivity powerhouse, tackling physical, financial, and mental health goals with gusto.
Here is what I managed to achieve in last 30 days
Financially
> Revamped my personal website using Chat GPT
> Resumed writing consistently on Linkedin
> Started hosting long-form blogs on my website
> Rebooted my side hustle of helping young adults make financial plans
Mentally
> Completed the 4-day Happiness Program by Art of Living
> Restarted my habit of reading
> Resumed mindful meditations
> Did more cold approaches
> Completed a trip outside Bangalore with friends
Physically
> Spent 6 days a week doing MMA along with Rock Climbing every other Sunday
> Sparred with my coach in wrestling and took him down
> Improved stamina and cardiovascular strength
Not succumbing to the seductive clutches of PMO was like a jab-cross combo to all the negativity in my life. It was a game-changer that not only helped me break free from a harmful habit but also filled my days with a frenzy of productive pursuits.
Best 30 days of my life.
Final Words
As much as I thank my friend and am grateful for igniting the spark to take things into my own hand, I don’t want to take away credit from my own willpower which helped me reach the stage where I am.
The first fortnight was a breeze, like cruising on autopilot, but then the temptations came knocking at the end of the second week, testing my resolve. But my willpower stood firm, a mighty shield against the onslaught, and saved me from succumbing to old habits.
I write this with the sole intention to make myself more accountable for my actions and use this medium to open up about my habits to the public.
Magnifying the effects of what started this snowball effect in the first place – opening up.
Now there is no shame, only progress.
There is no going back.
And if any of my young brothers find themselves stuck at a place I was, my LinkedIn DMs and Email is always open to lend a non-judgemental ear to your experiences.
If I came back from where I was, the least I owe to others is help them do the same with their life.
Stay Strong Kings!
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