The First 30 Days of Nofap, a List of Milestone Days

The first thirty days could be considered the most important part of semen retention, nofap, or quitting porn addiction journey. Some would no doubt think of it as a great length to be celibate (there has even been a movie made about this: 40 Days and 40 Nights), but in reality it’s not. It’s just the start. Not to say you shouldn’t feel proud and happy to have made it to thirty days, but know that it’s only the beginning. I used to fail a lot during my years of trying before it all finally clicked for me, so I have been through the first 30 days many times.

Here I have listed which days for me have always stood as milestones, and some notes on them.

Day 3

The worst is over

The first couple of days are the worst; the urges are raging, energy is low, and emotions run rampant. There may seem to be something wrong with your eyes. You might feel like crying. You have very low energy and don’t feel like doing much.    Day two is often worse than day one, perhaps because during day one you still have some residual dopamine in your system; I can't say for sure. In any case, day 2 is a slump, but day 3 is usually markedly better. The worst of the urges may subside and you might feel a slight jolt of energy and, perhaps more importantly, hope.

Day 5

Back from the dead

Day five is often marked by a feeling of some relief and new-found power. The power at this stage can still be quite ethereal and not fully settled, but it is markedly there. Sociality increases. Feelings of shame start to fade. One begins to feel alive again—back from the dead.

Day 7

The day of anger

You’ve perhaps heard about that one famous study where they showed that abstinence will quite markedly spike testosterone levels at around 7 days. I’m not sure if it’s because of this hormonal spike or why, but during my many streaks I’ve come to expect an emotional spike at around 7 days. There’s always a day around the one-week mark that is colored by increased emotions, frustration, and impatience. There is a tendency to lash out, especially if there are stressful situations during this day. A feeling of raw energy that wasn’t there before is palpable. This is all a good sign. Keep going forward; things will settle down into more manageable but powerful energy soon. Day 10 — Out of the pit At this point it's safe to say that you’ve made good headway since the last time you used PMO. To use an analogy of  the pit: inside the pit are the throes of relapse, and now, after nine days, you have managed to climb out of the pit. You’re not clear just yet, but the worst is behind you. So pat yourself on the back; you’re doing good.

Day 14  

The second day of anger

Unlike the First Day of Anger, day 7, I don’t remember reading a study about this, but as far as I can remember, there seems to be a second hormonal or at least emotional spike here at about the two-week mark. It’s not as chaotic as the first one, but it’s something to pay attention to. If you feel like swearing at your boss  on day 14 (more than usual), know that it will soon pass and the power that’s growing inside of you will be more easily harnessed.

Day 21

Back to the baseline

This is an interesting day because it has seemed to often during, around, or exactly at this day that the feeling that’s prevalent is “normal”. Normal, meaning I felt like a normal person— not addicted, not too awkward, shy, or perverted. Looking back at day five or day fifteen at this point, it feels laughable how much struggle there was. How far I thought I had come, but how little I had actually traveled. But this day, three weeks in nofap, semen retention, or whatever you want to call it, is not far either. Not really. But it’s a great milestone. To feel less addicted; to feel more normal; to feel the calm, relaxing feeling of non-addiction.

Day 30

A new dawn rises

Day 30 could be said to be a new start. This is the milestone this blog post ends at, but the journey of semen retention (or nofap) does not end here. Actually, it all starts here. Let me explain. The first step is now done. The first leg is down. You’ve stepped out of the pit. You’ve felt the worst of the urges and withdrawal symptoms. Now you’re out of the pit. Now the positive parts are just beginning to shine below the horizon; the new sun rises. Quitting here is like killing the golden goose after it has laid its first golden egg. There are more benefits to come, and they are better than you ever dared to believe. I’ll be writing a blog post about the more distant milestones or stages of nofap and semen retention. After thirty days it’s not uncommon to think that the benefits went away because of a flat-line. The mood and libido might drop a little, but rest assured, if one keeps on going forward, it will all come back, and the pay-off will be huge. For some reason, at around day 50, things have always begun to really pick up for me. So if you’re in your thirties and struggling, don’t let up. Keep fighting, keep improving yourself, and see how things look in a few more weeks.

Good luck, and stay strong!