NoFap is not a Silver Bullet and can only give you so much.

This may be a bit disorganized, but I'm just gonna spew my thoughts.

I have been doing NoFap for multiple years and have been through just about every up and down there is in the book. Everything from relapse, to having a strong streak and all of the benefits, to the flatline, you name it. There is no doubt that abstaining from PMO gives incredible benefits (or if we're being honest, makes you a normal human being that doesn't do something so unnatural). However, the entire cliche of NoFap not being the ultimate solution to all of your life's problems is cliche for a reason: because it is true.

You see, NoFap exists for a specific purpose, namely to stop looking at pornography while engaging in self-pleasure which, as we don't need to read a scientific paper to understand, has nothing but negative consequences. However, when you are successful by whatever metric you deem fit (as long as you're not looking at all that smut on the computer, you don't get Superpowers or become Superman. Rather, you revert your Sexual Energy and Sexuality back to its factory settings. Think of it like when your phone is acting all screwy and everything you try just makes it worse or doesn't do anything. Then, you decide to hit that "Reset to Factory Settings" button and now your phone is back to how it was when you first took it out of the box, only that all of the dents and scratches from when you dropped it are still there. This is exactly what NoFap does to your Sexual Energy, only that the dents and scratches in this sense is all of the wasted time and energy you spent on PMO and not doing something worthwhile.

If you were to look at me from the outside, you may say I'm doing well for myself: multiple degrees, traveled to different countries, recession and pandemic-proof career, physically active, live on my own in a big city, no trouble getting dates, etc.. But the reality is, in my mid-20s, I don't have a single close relationship in my life. Even with family, it is cluttered. The "friends" I've made are really nothing more than acquaintances and I keep pushing others away with my closed-off-ness. This is not a pain I wish upon ANYBODY. Ever since I started NoFap, I thought if I just abstained from PMO then this would solve itself, but man was I wrong. NoFap certainly did give me more opportunities and clarity, but there are some things that must be dealt with with other methods. With that being said, I have officially decided to go into therapy and address my troubles with forming relationships with others.

Just know what NoFap is for: hitting the Factory Reset button on your Sexual Health. It cannot solve all of your issues. Keep on keeping on with all of your self-improvement and know what tools to use when appropriate.