It happens rarely, so I'll possibly are more sensitive to the effects. But even, if there were no other reasons to not masturbate, the neural/mental low after that would be a reason enough. Since I am already borderline anhedonic I even don't get pleasure out of it, but only and still the withdrawal symptoms and become a complete mushy, apathetic, half-dead with social anxiety, who only want laying in bed.
It is every time my own stupidness, which leads to this.
Some biological background (but I think there is may also some spiritual truths behind it)
Some highlights of another text, which I can relate to:
legacy.pitchengine.com
therawman.se
I also like the graphic tables of comparison between high and low state of different chemicals, like this for dopamine:
It is every time my own stupidness, which leads to this.
Some biological background (but I think there is may also some spiritual truths behind it)
When we think about sex, we think about the approaching, the act, the fireworks of climax… and then we usually stop there. Makes sense, the sexual act in itself is over, right? However, many changes keep happening within us after we’ve rolled over and gone to sleep.
As we saw last time, when we orgasm our brain becomes flooded with dopamine in our reward pathways of in the limbic system. This feels so intensely pleasurable that it looks just like a heroin rush to the brain, producing intense feelings of well-being (Holstege et al., 2003). But the story doesn’t end there. Because orgasm activates reward pathways much in the same way as drugs, it can also produce similar experience of addiction and withdrawal. In fact, people that are treated for sex addictions tend to have other comorbid addictions, suggesting that they have addictive personalities, an inclination for overactivation in this part of the brain (Hartman et al., 2012). This is because after the rush of orgasm, dopamine levels drop below baseline, similar to what happens during withdrawal from drugs of abuse. Low dopamine levels are associated with depression, low energy, lack of ambition, social anxiety, among others (Dailly et al., 2004).
Why does dopamine drop? Well, to make sure we attend to other aspects of our life, our brains come hardwired with a neurochemical mechanism of satiety. Prolactin, another hormone, surges right after orgasm, and is considered a reliable marker of such (Kruger et al., 2003).Prolactin works as a dopamine inhibitor, curtailing our sex drives once we consummate orgasm and providing us with feelings of satiation and sexual gratification. So the happy feelings impulsed by orgasm are carried along by prolactin. These secretions are relatively long-lasting after orgasm (Kruger et al., 2012).
Orgasm also reduces androgen receptor density in the Medial Preoptic Area part of the reward circuit. Androgens regulate sexual desire by activating dopamine levels in this area, so their decreased activity could be another source of the dopamine drop (Putnam et al., 2001). While postcoital neuroendocrine changes are better documented, there is also data on postorgasm brain activation. For example, one neuroimaging study conducted immediately after orgasm in men showed activation in the amygdala, temporal lobe, and septal areas (Mallick et al., 2007). Case studies have documented hypersexuality in patients with lesions in all three of these areas, reinforcing the inhibitory evidence of what is known as the post-orgasm refractory period (Mallick et al., 2007).
This shows that the sexual cycle isn’t over when the fireworks die out. Neuroendocrine changes in our bodies orchestrate a coordinated dance to make sure that we feel content, wind down, and rest or go on with a lives for a bit. Dopamine dips from its orgasmic high and prolactin and androgen step in to produce feelings of satiety, pleasantness, and to make us want to take a break. At least for a while.
Some highlights of another text, which I can relate to:
Orgasm's Hidden Cycle
Why orgasm give you hangover - The Raw Man
“Orgasm is generally regarded as the ultimate goal of recreational sex. Wilhelm Reich was the first scientist to describe the nature and purpose of the orgasm as a discharge of excess bio-energy with the additional liberation of feeling energy, and he also recognized the negative consequences of...
therawman.se
I also like the graphic tables of comparison between high and low state of different chemicals, like this for dopamine:
Dopamine Levels
Excess | Deficient | “Normal” |
Addictions | Addictions | Motivated |
Anxiety | Depression | Feelings of well-being, satisfaction |
Compulsions | Anhedonia – no pleasure, world looks colorless | Pleasure, reward in accomplishing tasks |
Sexual fetishes | Lack of ambition and drive | Healthy libido |
Sexual addiction | Inability to “love” | Good feelings toward others |
| Unhealthy risk-taking | Low libido | Healthy bonding |
Gambling | Erectile dysfunction | Healthy risk taking |
Compulsive activities | No remorse about personal behavior | Sound choices |
Aggression | ADD/ADHD | Realistic expectations |
Psychosis | Social anxiety disorder | Maternal/Paternal love |
| Schizophrenia | Antisocial behavior |
