In recent years many people have been promoting abstinence for men challenges like NoFap and NoNut November that started off as a joke have enormous communities behind them. Also as self-improvement is becoming more and more popular many people are suggesting abstinence. The problem is many of these people claim benefits that sound absurd while retaining from sex with no scientific proof. In this article I will be focusing on the benefits people claim and what science says about them.
There are lots of different kinds practices refraining from different things in this topic including: Porn, Sex, Ejaculation & Masturbation. While some benefits may be true for some kinds of abstinence some are not true for others and I will try and make that clear.
A widely used argument in favour of sexual retention is that many famous and influential people claim to have done it what we have to keep in mind is many of those people lived in times and communities where sex before marriage and masturbation were looked down upon.
Before I go in to the proclaimed benefits I need to clarify two things:
- Porn addiction is real. Many studies have been made and have proven that people who proclaim being addicted to porn’s brains are very similar to those addicted to substances like Nicotine alcohol and Heroin
The second thing I need to clarify is testosterone levels during retention from sex masturbation and ejaculation, many people who believe in the benefits of these forms of abstinence use higher levels of testosterone as proof. The problem is that the study that measured testosterone levels during abstinence is misunderstood all people talk about is the big increase in testosterone on day 7 of abstinence no one talks about how levels go down again right after it is even theorised that after long periods of abstinence testosterone goes slowly down as we could kind of guess from this chart.
Claimed Benefits
- more confidence
If you are addicted to porn your dopamine will drop due to withdrawal symptoms after watching it; it takes time for your dopamine levels to go back to normal and it is proved that dopamine makes you seek social interaction so if you are addicted to porn you will tend to be less social and being more social will probably make you more confident. Also If you succeed an abstinence challenge it could help with your confidence because you achieved something.
- better self control
While retaining from most kinds of sexual activity you will probably learn to control yourself better otherwise you would just fail every urge you get.
- less anxiety and depression
If you live in a society / community where you are not allowed to masturbate it may make you feel guilty and stressed when you do it. Also if you live in that kind of community you may feel like you are different and which in some cases could indirectly lead to depression. Likewise if you are addicted to porn it may have something to do with depression as addiction and depression go hand in hand.
- increased motivation, better memory, concentration, and overall cognitive function
More dopamine means more energy and better focus so if you are addicted to porn or masturbate way too much you get too little dopamine so less energy and focus. The only reason known that would make you get better overall cognitive function is if you are addicted to porn as addiction makes cognitive function decline .
- longer life
Masturbation has no found link confirmed by any study to living longer quite a few studies were made that proved the opposite saying that people who orgasm more live longer on average but maybe thats because healthier people orgasm more so we don’t really know that much on that one.
- increased muscle growth
When you ejaculate you let out a lot of nutrients that your body could have used to build your muscles so yeah if you ejaculate a ton your muscle growth could be slowed.
- thicker hair, deeper voice
this is a myth or in any case we have no proof of it lots of people think this because it is an ongoing myth that testosterone levels are increased during abstinence which is not the case.
- better overall happiness
No studies done on this one but from what we know if you are addicted or masturbate very often and stop your dopamine levels will go back to normal and yes you will probably be happier.
- Motivation to approach women
Not much scientific proof on this one either but if you cant relieve your sexual desires by porn or masturbation you will probably be more motivated to approach women, A study has also found that abstinence from pornography was linked to more commitment in relationships.Also regular viewing of pornography has been linked to unrealistic attitudes towards sex and misleading attitudes towards relationships.
- Better Skin
Not much scientific proof so not much we can say but skin has a lot to do with stress so if masturbation or porn somehow stresses you then maybe you could get better skin. but Masturbation is also known as a stress reliever.
Other Things To Consider
It is believed that long term abstinence causes erectile disfunction and a weaker immune system. To add to that masturbation is a good stress reliever and helps people go to sleep.
To Conclude
If you think you are addicted to porn stop it. And even if you’re not addicted you should probably stop or not do it often also if masturbate way too much you should maybe calm down a little.
Notes: While researching this subject I based all my facts around studies though I only realised later that I wanted to post this as an article I therefore don’t have most of my sources if you really want the source to something I said feel free to ask me.
The studies I still have:
Porn Addiction & Cognitive Function
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4600144/
Porn Addiction & Depression
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S007477421630068X
Porn & Commitment In Relationships
Testosterone Levels during abstinence
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12659241
Also for further reading about porn I highly recommend https://www.yourbrainonporn.com/
