Compulsive masturbation

[davidtpt]

I am currently being treated by a therapist/counselor for a problem with compulsive masturbation.
I have been addicted to porn/masturbation for 25 years.

About 5 years ago, I began experiencing significant muscle loss throughout my body, as well as burning/tingling in my muscles.  I've also developed severe insomnia.

I have read an article, stating that excessive sexual activity can cause a depletion of the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine (Ach) in the brain, which can result in damage to the neurons and neuromuscular junctions.  

I've had countless number of medical tests over the last few years and all have come up negative.  Has anyone ever come across, a case like mine?  Is there anyone else that experiences these symptoms?  If my muscle loss is due to the depletion of Ach, then is there a way to increase Ach production?  Will the muscles ever become strong again or will they always be atrophied and painful?

Need help!
David

[nobot]

That's a very big problem if it goes out of hand. I think that some external causes such as having a partner who's not as sexual and looking at Internet porn are two of the biggest issues. Let me first clarify the latter.

I'm 31 and I've been Ming since I was 12. I believe that if you don't have any kind of readily available pornograhic material at home that will never fail to stimulate you, you will masturbate less. People must get away from all kinds of porn material because I think that watching/viewing porn is just like ordering/eating junk food. You simply don't make any effort to feel the way you want to which is feeling satisfied. Compared to establishing a healthy relationship with a member of the opposite sex, it requires much less effort and there's always loads of material in which you will accidentally discover or actively seek out people who look like the persons you have actually met and felt attracted to but didn't make a move because, well, it was "too time consuming," "worth the effort," "too risky to be good to people," "too risky to open up," etc. As a result of all this there will always be an emptiness that can not be filled up as long as you feed your compulsion. You should get away from all kinds of porn. That is to say external, artificial stimulus which is not your own doing. Your imagination is O.K. I guess because your fantasies are a part of you - not some people that you don't know adding to your feeling of isolation.

The second issue is the first one. Sometimes your partners can be a problem, but don't let it make you descend to your previous life. Let's say you finally quited looking at porn and are abstaining from doing it. You somehow get a partner but your partner doesn't feel as sexual as you do. You can't get back to your old self. If you want to be satisfied sexually you must earn it. Besides the emptiness will also be filled up with emotions that you craved for. You should talk it out with her, or wait for things to get better (this is the most difficult because restraining yourself is harder than abstaining altogether), or you can be with someone new as you did before now.

These are all from my story. Hope it helps.  

[lightattheend]

Although I this message is for 'all' I would like to say that in now way I am putting anyone down because of being non-believers. I am a believer in Jesus Christ. I was a compulsive masturbator most of my life, I was also a promiscuous guy (very promiscuous!!!). Needless to say, I turned to the Lord for help because NOTHING else was helping. However, it is true that when I first turned to God for help, I felt quite guilty, not that I was not feeling guilty before for the emptiness and guilt that comes after masturbating so frequently is not "property" of the Christian only. Non-believers feel guilty as well. Anyway, the change started to happen when I TRULY AND HONESTLY AND COURAGEOUSLY AND WITH TRUE INTEGRITY I committed to the LORD for help. When I asked Him for help, I did my part as well. I stopped watching porno, stop watching as much as possible movies with sexual content of any kind, and even stop looking at semi-naked pictures from 'regular' magazines or the Internet.  Now, I also REPENTED. Of course the word "repent" may trigger to many of us feelings of more guilt and depression; that's true and it was for me too. HOWEVER, when I found out that the Greek word for REPENT means also CHANGE OF MIND, things came into a better perspective. So when I repented, I changed my mind. I changed my mind by acknowledging to myself that what I was doing to myself and did to others WAS NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO for it was destroying me and them. I was very anxious to the point of just masturbating without stopping even in the classroom; I would get arouse at the 'fall of of hat', my mind just couldn't stop thinking about having sex. As soon I got home I went to the computer and plugged myself into the obscurity of porn.  I did so many things to arouse myself and keep my mind into the 'mood' that it occupied my free time. My concentration at work was dismal, my moodiness unbearable. As you can tell from this short true story of my life, I was a mess!!! But it took COURAGE, oh boy, lots of it, to put myself in the hands of the Creator of all, for I thought I have no control now of my life...but to my surprise, the LORD put the strength back into my feeble mind, opened new vistas for my future and strengthened my self-control. Yes, I have masturbated since: Four times in ONE YEAR!!!, two of which were out of desperation because I had a horrible neuralgia that couldn't be stop with pain meds, so I needed sleep to get to work. HOWEVER, when I was going to masturbate the THIRD time out of desperation, I ASKED the LORD please help me go sleep. I don't want to masturbate just because of this unbearable neuralgic feeling...and HE responded. I fell asleep a few minutes later. So I hope this help many of you, Christians and non-believers. This is my honest and true story. Do I still want to do masturbate? Sure, mostly in the mornings when my testosterone is highest (I'm 51 years old and still have enormous sexual drive),  however, I clean my mind by CHANGING MY mind and thoughts and SUBMITTING to the LORD's help.  And HE DOES!!! A note for any Christian here in this forum: REPENT (CHANGE YOUR MIND) of every sexual or dirty or negative or hateful, or angry thought you had during the day every nite before you go to bed. Every time I do that I feel enormous relief. I am much, much stronger today and my concentration, work ethic, mood are well above of what they used to be. Praise goes not to me...BUT TO MY GOD, MY LORD.  

[andrew53]

The modern medical profession is very good to have around if one needs an arm or a leg sown back on, or has been in a car accident, etc. But they really are deeply ignorant about many health issues, one of which is the harmful effect of excessive loss of seminal fluids. No you do NOT have to masturbate to remain healthy. The more of your semen you can retain, the healthier you will be. Google 'what is in semen', it takes a lot of the body's energy to manufacture.

[andrew53]

sorry it's the first time I've used this forum; the duplicate post was accidental.

[binteres22]

That's ignorant on so many levels. But hey, if we can't expect a majority of neurologists to understand the disease of addiction (and only a few general physicians), how can we expect the general public to comprehend what has been proven by the world's top neurologist in addictionology.  It is an addiction, no different than alcohol, heroin, cocaine, etc.  Indeed, in the case of masturbation, the addiction works on the very same cyclical neurotransmitter and glandular release/uptake/void as heroin.  

Again, I don't blame you or anyone else for failing to understand addiction, the science is up to speed but the medical community is far behind in educating the public.  You admitted to not understanding the problem by your statement, "I have masturbated ever since I was like 10 years old and between age 10 to say 19 I use to masturbate 2-3 times a DAY every single day."  You're not getting it.  That's like somebody telling an alcoholic they "used to drink a lot of beers at keg parties in college" -- that has nothing to do with the alcoholic's problem in downing 750 ML vodka jugs daily which rips apart his liver, kidneys and intestines worse than direct poison. You will not understand this reply comment more than a family member that lectures an alcoholic about drinking and driving, and then at his funeral the next week, just can't understand "why he didn't listen."  Well, "he" did listen, but the disease could care less.  Like alcohol and other drugs, there are indeed harmful physical and neurological consequences to chronic/obsessive masturbation. And actually, the ones complained about are some of those harmful consequences.

    This issue is not about morality, or "freedom of sexuality dude" or whatever the hell else -- it's about The Disease of Addiction -- and the sad state of reality that this poor guy is probably screwed because medicine, the public, and 99% of these bloggers are clueless. And- so will be the people to whom he turns for medical help. My advice=- a good rehab facility that is highly ranked to treat porn/sex addiction.

[Anotherdayinhell]

Your brain has rewired himself on porn , you need to stop this if you don't want to lose your mind .You have problems with your neurotransmitters , and neuro-hormones Acetylcholine , GABA , serotonine and espiecialy dopamine . You need to go on a diet with lots of vitamins , i suggest you : Bananas , apples , rice , dark chocolate , lots of dark green leaves . You need to change your thinking , to want this change , it is a very big problem your mental state . You need to understand that porn and masturbation is a bad thing , just find something else to do , to focus on .I am speaking for everybody , life is worth living you need to find yourself again , to be a new you . Pray if this helps to whatever it takes to become the old you , change your habbits . This are the main problems in M. :Loss of memory , anxiety , sometimes lower abdominal pain , problem focusing , unusual behaviour .The loss of memory and focus can be repaird by time , eating the right stuff , sleeping 8-9 h /day + supplements ( Vitamin C , B , Zinc , citric fruits , apples avoiding junk food , spicy food) avoid mental exercise when you feel tired .Make a new scheldue , and respect it , less computer and TV helps .Just think like this , you have 2 problems here 1 physical and 1 mental . The Physical problem is that you are tired , you lack of sleep , you need to sleep more eat right and give your body what he needs to recover . The mental one , get the M. out of your life and the obssesive behaviour .I have this problem too , it is harder and harder . But , i have done some research and i think this may be the cure , i used to have a great mind an iq of 145-170 but now i am somewhere arrownd 110-120 with focus and memory problems , i am tired all the time , sometimes i am dizzy , blurred vision and speach. I hope this helped you all , if you still want to find the answer search it by others , keep searching other recovery stories whom succeded .I wish you the best , thank you .