4 ms·

As far as I know there is no known benefit, but for males at least there is the possible downside of very slightly increased risk of prostate cancer/dysfunction

As far as I know there is no known benefit, but for males at least there is the possible downside of very slightly increased risk of prostate cancer/dysfunction. Frankly it isn't that well studied, but it's worth saying that quacks, mystics, ascetics and charismatic leaders have claimed "nofap" is profoundly beneficial. It's also worth saying that they've never managed to demonstrate that alleged benefit in a satisfactory way. The current movement bears all of the hallmarks of cults.

BriggyDwiggs42 3y ago
I mean it’s far larger than a normal cult and not centralized around a figure, but i get where you’re coming from.
- piva00 3y ago
  I keep wondering if the internet age + social media is helping to create another kind of cult, a decentralised new type of cultish beliefs without necessarily a single charismatic leader but a network of them feeding each other. It's happening with conspiracy theories, there's no single central figure commanding them but a stochastic machine reeling people in, which then feedbacks into itself. Nofap has definitely traces of cultish behaviour, I'd like a new word to describe such movements because it seems they will only increase over time.
  - fmobus 3y ago
    > It's happening with conspiracy theories, there's no single central figure commanding them but a stochastic machine reeling people in, which then feedbacks into itself. Interesting view. Kinda reminds me of stuff in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.
orwin 3y ago
My aunt is an addictologist (my spellchecker disagree with this word, "addictologue" in French?), and 15 years ago, we talked about sex addiction replacing other addictions, and how some people could have characteristics/behavioral patterns that will push them towards comportemental addictions that will hurt them. I'm definitely in that case, and i try to keep masturbation as at most an escape when i'm bored, and try to keep the material light (mostly erotica literature), to avoid addiction. I do think that a masturbating addiction can be damaging, and if people really cannot control themselves, maybe abstinence can be a way. I would temper that a bit more: by far, the most damaging comportmental addiction to me is food addiction, except you cannot be a food abstinent. Masturbation is quite tame, and easy to replace with something more enjoyable in the long run. And also, masturbating is a great way of knowing your body, how it work and respond, and how to control it better.

BriggyDwiggs42 3y ago

I mean it’s far larger than a normal cult and not centralized around a figure, but i get where you’re coming from.

piva00 3y ago
I keep wondering if the internet age + social media is helping to create another kind of cult, a decentralised new type of cultish beliefs without necessarily a single charismatic leader but a network of them feeding each other. It's happening with conspiracy theories, there's no single central figure commanding them but a stochastic machine reeling people in, which then feedbacks into itself. Nofap has definitely traces of cultish behaviour, I'd like a new word to describe such movements because it seems they will only increase over time.
- fmobus 3y ago
  > It's happening with conspiracy theories, there's no single central figure commanding them but a stochastic machine reeling people in, which then feedbacks into itself. Interesting view. Kinda reminds me of stuff in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.

orwin 3y ago

My aunt is an addictologist (my spellchecker disagree with this word, "addictologue" in French?), and 15 years ago, we talked about sex addiction replacing other addictions, and how some people could have characteristics/behavioral patterns that will push them towards comportemental addictions that will hurt them. I'm definitely in that case, and i try to keep masturbation as at most an escape when i'm bored, and try to keep the material light (mostly erotica literature), to avoid addiction. I do think that a masturbating addiction can be damaging, and if people really cannot control themselves, maybe abstinence can be a way. I would temper that a bit more: by far, the most damaging comportmental addiction to me is food addiction, except you cannot be a food abstinent. Masturbation is quite tame, and easy to replace with something more enjoyable in the long run. And also, masturbating is a great way of knowing your body, how it work and respond, and how to control it better.