Fried brain and a bad back anyone?

[lightseeker]

I have had a bad back for as long as i can remember, i have been tired constantly for as long as i can remember, anytime people ask how are you i say im good im ok but feeling tired, shattered etc. More and more lately i have tried to figure out why this is, after reading some articles i see that some side effects of obsessive masturbation is a crooked back, bad eyesight (i wear contacts) lack of concentration, bad memory, lack of self esteem and so on, and i suffer from all of these! I do not know how much and to what extent these symptons are related to obsessive masturbating but i am certain that quitting for good will help things drastically in the physical section, although i cant change the eyesight or bad back, having more energy at least would be a hugh bonus.

Also i want to say, have you ever thought about what this is doing to our brains? i spend too much time on the computer already but that extra few hours of intense daily concentration on sexual images and videos just for a few minutes of relief, God only knows what sort of damage we are doing!

So for those who are new to PA or who have not thought about the physical problems i would say just to ponder over the actual harm which may be going on beneath the surface, maybe some of your health issues are related to your habit which you never even considered before!

Any thoughts?

[riseandfall]

an extract from my journal...it may help shed light on your situation.

Holstege's Graph of the Neurochemical Reaction to Orgasm

You betta check yo'self before you wreck yo'self, Aight

Some interesting articles on dopamine, Prolactin and Norepinephrine.

Refractory period - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia(sex)
Quote: Another chemical which is considered to be responsible for this effect is prolactin, which represses dopamine, which is responsible for sexual arousal. The Analyst - Internet Health Report: Condition: Hyperprolactinemia

Hyperprolactinaemia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quote: In men, the most common symptoms of hyperprolactinemia are decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and infertility. Because men have no reliable indicator such as menstruation to signal a problem, many men with hyperprolactinemia being caused by an adenoma may delay going to the doctor until they have headaches or eye problems caused by the enlarged pituitary pressing against nearby optic nerves. They may not recognize a gradual loss of sexual function or libido. Only after treatment do some men realize they had a problem with sexual function. In men excess prolactin may also cause Gynecomastia.



Dopamine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quote: Dopamine

Biosynthesis

Dopamine is biosynthesized in the body (mainly by nervous tissue and the medulla of the adrenal glands) first by the hydroxylation of the amino acid L-tyrosine to L-DOPA via the enzyme tyrosine 3-monooxygenase, also known as tyrosine hydroxylase, and then by the decarboxylation of L-DOPA by aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (which is often referred to as dopa decarboxylase). In some neurons, dopamine is further processed into norepinephrine by dopamine beta-hydroxylase.

In neurons, dopamine is packaged after synthesis into vesicles, which are then released into the synapse in response to a presynaptic action potential.

Functions in the brain

Dopamine has many functions in the brain, including important roles in behavior and cognition, voluntary movement, motivation and reward, inhibition of prolactin production (involved in lactation), sleep, mood, attention, and learning. Dopaminergic neurons (i.e., neurons whose primary neurotransmitter is dopamine) are present chiefly in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the midbrain, the substantia nigra pars compacta, and the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus....




Cognition and frontal cortex

In the frontal lobes, dopamine controls the flow of information from other areas of the brain. Dopamine disorders in this region of the brain can cause a decline in neurocognitive functions, especially memory, attention, and problem-solving. Reduced dopamine concentrations in the prefrontal cortex are thought to contribute to attention deficit disorder....



Regulating prolactin secretion

Dopamine is the primary neuroendocrine inhibitor of the secretion of prolactin from the anterior pituitary gland. [12] Dopamine produced by neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus is secreted into the hypothalamo-hypophysial blood vessels of the median eminence, which supply the pituitary gland. The lactotrope cells that produce prolactin, in the absence of dopamine, secrete prolactin continuously; dopamine inhibits this secretion. Thus, in the context of regulating prolactin secretion, dopamine is occasionally called prolactin-inhibiting factor (PIF), prolactin-inhibiting hormone (PIH), or prolactostatin. Prolactin also seems to inhibit dopamine release, such as after orgasm, and is chiefly responsible for the refractory period.

Behavior disorders

Deficient dopamine neurotransmission is implicated in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and stimulant medications used to successfully treat the disorder increase dopamine neurotransmission, leading to decreased symptoms



Human sexual response cycle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Prolactin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quote: Prolactin provides the body with sexual gratification after sexual acts: The hormone counteracts the effect of dopamine, which is responsible for sexual arousal. This is thought to cause the sexual refractory period.[3] The amount of prolactin can be an indicator for the amount of sexual satisfaction and relaxation. Unusually high amounts are suspected to be responsible for impotence and loss of libido (see hyperprolactinemia symptoms). Prolactin also stimulates proliferation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells. These cells differentiate into oligodendrocytes, the cells responsible for the formation of myelin coatings on axons in the central nervous system.[4]
Quote: Diagnostic use

Prolactin levels may be checked as part of a sex hormone workup, as elevated prolactin secretion can suppress the secretion of FSH and GnRH, leading to hypogonadism, and sometimes causing erectile dysfunction in men.

Quote: Low Testosterone Level
Prolactinoma is a condition in which a noncancerous tumor (adenoma) of the pituitary gland in your brain overproduces the hormone prolactin. The major effect of increased prolactin is a decrease in normal levels of sex hormones — estrogen in women and testosterone in men.

Hypogonadism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Quote: Dr. Weinberger then talks about addiction. He says all forms of addiction, from drug abuse to cigarette smoking to gambling, seem to target the dopamine system, adding that not everyone is affected in the same way -- some people seem to have a genetic predisposition toward addiction. He says the problem with drugs like amphetamine or cocaine is they cause a massive increase in dopamine in the brain. A great, very positive experience may cause a 30-40 % increase in the amount of dopamine between cells. When you take a drug like amphetamine or cocaine, you get a several thousand-fold increase in dopamine between cells. He says, "It's a huge sledgehammer of a message like, 'Wow! This is something I want to experience again!'" So it becomes very difficult to resist that experience. Plus, if you are a chronic user, when you are off the drug, you don't just go back to a normal level of dopamine, you undershoot, so the contrast is even greater.

Our Favorite Neurotransmitters
`I think I can, I think I can …': 5 brain chemicals and why they're important | Better Nutrition | Find Articles at BNET

[lightseeker]

Wow this looks heavy -lol

Cheers for the info!

[riseandfall]

It should help explain your fried brain problem, another culprit may be that you have low levels of free\bioavailable testosterone circulating through your body. After an orgasm, the levels of LH hormone decrease and take up to seven or eight days to return to normal levels...the levels of LH have been shown to be directly proportional to the levels of bioavailable testosterone.

Testosterone is a steroid hormone with anabolic and androgenic properties. It is the main hormone, responsible for the increase in lean muscle tissue, increased libido, energy, bone formation, and immune function.

...
Testosterone is secreted in the testes in men and in the ovaries in women. Small amounts are also secreted in the adrenal glands. Testosterone is derived from cholesterol. The levels of testosterone in men range between 350 and 1,000 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dl). After the age of 40 these normal levels start dropping by roughly 1 per cent a year. In the blood stream testosterone circulates in great percentage bound to so called binding proteins. Sex Hormone Binding Globulin or SHBG is the one that concerns us the greatest.
Why?
Because this is the main reason why testosterone might not be available to reach the cell receptor. When testosterone gets attached to SHBG, it is no longer able to perform its anabolic functions.


Less than 1% of the circulating testosterone is in a free form in males (less that 3% in females). Only when in a free form this hormone can exhibit its properties by connecting to the androgen receptors on the cell walls. Based on a study 14 to 50 per cent of the testosterone is bound to SHBG in males and 37 to 75 in females.

Natural Ways to Increase Testosterone Bioavailability in Athletes

[artguy34]

I hope my comments help in this matter of why you may be tired as well as having back issues.

I have been an athlete my entire life and always active. Ever since 2000, my activities have decreased significantly from recreational sports 4 to 5 nights a week plus semi-professional baseball once a week. Ever since I herniated one of my discs in my lower back, it has been a downward spiral every other year. Finally last year I had surgery to remove part of my protruding disc. I will never again be able to run, but I have come to terms with that. At least I can walk and I can ride a bike.

Anyway, the point im trying to make is that unless you have a severe injury which major surgery is needed, you can overcome back injury. However, attributing chronic back pains to MB and PA can be reversed. I can see how hours of sitting in front of a PC can deteriorate your body over time. But with exercise, proper dieting and avoiding long hours in front of a PC or video game will help in recovery for your back issues.

As far as being tired, I myself have attributed my lack of energy to sitting in front of the TV or PC vegitating. I find that I have an abundance of energy when I get a good nights sleep, (Part of the side effect of having PA is staying up late right?) and avoid sitting for long periods of time. By keeping busy, I find that I have more energy and then try to relax at nighttime before bed. This also helps aid in avoiding the PC at night to view P cause if you're tired from a day of activities, you're going to want to sleep than stay up and view P.

This is NOT scientific, this is just my experience with it. I hope this helps?

[lightseeker]

Sorry to hear that, it cant be easy having to give up things you love, i agree definately the hours on the computer and the lack of physical excercise is probably not helping, its probably a mix of everything. I have always tried to be healthy, i used to go to the gym but havent been for a while, i am now concentrating my efforts on martial arts but i still need to start cardio again.
I have been told that the base of my spine is too straight so it dosen't bend as effeciently as it should and the muscles in my back over compensate for the lack of movement leading to frequent stiffness. Your right i think quiting porn means quiting late nights and prolonged computer exposure as well as the energy drain you get from ejaculation so i can see nothing but benefits all round.

Thanks!