Participating in “NoFap” techniques can lead to devastating mental health issues, according to a study.
The “NoFap” movement, which grew out of groups on Reddit, encourages men to avoid masturbation to boost confidence, focus and even cure erectile dysfunction. Those who adhere to the practice even refer to themselves as “Faptronauts.”
Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) surveyed 587 men who participated in abstinence practices.
They found that men said they felt worthless, embarrassed, sad and in some cases suicidal when they “relapsed”. They also reported more frequent erectile dysfunction.
Not masturbating can lead to potentially devastating mental health problems, study finds (stock photo)
The UCLA scientists also found that many people on the online forums who sang the praises of NoFap did so with little scientific support.
There is no scientifically established number for how often a man or woman should masturbate.
But medical professionals urge people to pick up a habit every now and then because it can help reduce stress, improve self-esteem and even reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men.
When people masturbate, it causes the release of feel-good hormones – such as oxytocin and endorphins – which improve mood.
There is also no number for how often a person should have sex. But scientists have suggested to DailyMail.com that about once a week is best.
Part of the appeal of NoFap is that it claims to treat a “porn addiction.”
But the scientists behind the UCLA study say there is no medical basis for claims made in such forums.
However, experts have previously suggested that a porn addict can spend hours chasing porn online without neglecting other activities such as sleep and seeing how the time spent watching porn continues to increase.
It is also claimed to help increase testosterone levels to promote muscle growth.
However, this has not yet been supported by rigorous studies. The claim is based on a small study from 2003.
How often should you have sex?
DailyMail.com spoke to four medics who said couples should aim to have sex at least once or twice a week, but added that there is no harm in having sex more often.
In the latest paper, scientists surveyed men about their experiences of “relapse” while online on NoFap forums.
They all participated in recovery groups, large for-profit forums run primarily by men who describe themselves as “coaches in recovery” for “porn addiction,” according to a 2022 study in the journal Sexualities.
Participants reported that their relapses, masturbating for the first time after a long period of abstinence, were associated with feelings of shame, worthlessness and sadness.
About 29 percent also said they felt suicidal because of their recent failures.
Those who went through longer periods of abstinence were more likely to report erectile dysfunction, depression, anxiety and more negativity towards sex.
It was not clear why not masturbating caused erectile dysfunction, but it may be due to negative attitudes towards sexual activity among nofap devotees.
When asked about messages in the groups, 73 percent said they had seen misogynistic messages.
NoFap can be traced back to Reddit in 2011 after a conversation between people who had stopped masturbating.
The movement claims that quitting masturbation and a perceived porn addiction can have several benefits for people.
A quick look at a NoFap group on Facebook showed participants blaming masturbation for “brain damage” and saying they felt “Superman” when they quit.
In a post where one user “felt embarrassed” about masturbating, another user noted that he needed to “punish” himself and “break the habit one step at a time”.
There is no clear figure for how many Americans follow NoFap, but groups typically have thousands of members.
There were also reports of bullying (49 percent), anti-LGBT posts (42 percent) and posts encouraging others to kill or kill themselves (23 percent).
The authors also noted that nofap groups have been described as “productive targets for white supremacy recruitment.”
They also compared the forums to iatrogenic diseases or diseases caused by medical interventions.
Dr. Nicole Prause, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Los Angeles who led the research, said: “Reboot, particularly NoFap, promotes abstinence from masturbation and/or pornography to treat “pornography addiction,” an unrecognized diagnosis.
“Although the intent of ReBoot/NoFap is to reduce stress, qualitative studies have consistently suggested that ‘rebooting’ paradoxically causes more stress.”
She said the emergency was in response to abstinence goals and described shared sexual behavior as “personal failings”.
The hardship is also linked to problematic and inaccurate reports from groups of perceived “relapses”.
The article was published this month in the magazine Sexualities.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
