How Long Does The PMO Flatline Last?
The flatline is a unique phenomenon that only seems to happen to people who quit fapping to porn.
It is a phase when guys can feel totally broken because of the follwoing symptoms…
- Very low libido, or more commonly, even ZERO libido.
- The genitals can feel lifeless, cold and even shrivel up and shrink a bit. (Don't worry, it's only temporarily).
- Low mood and low drive.
How long does the flatline last?
In this article you will discover how long the NoFap flatline last, but before we start there is something you need to understand; the PMO flatline looks different for everyone, so the time frames I'm about to share needs to be taken with a huge grain of salt.
That said, I'm going to give the answer based on averages from what I have seen over the years.
How long the flatline lasts also depends on how severely addicted you are and also depends on what age you started using the internet porn.
So, in order to make the answers more valuable to my readers, I will give my answer in 8 different categories.
- You started before you were 10 and you think you are only mildly addicted.
- You started before you were 10 and you think you are very addicted.
- You started before you were 15 and you think you are mildly addicted.
- You started before the were 15 and you think you are very addicted.
- You started before you were 24 and you think you are only mildly addicted.
- You started before you were 24 and you think you are very addicted.
- You started after you were 24 and you think you are only mildly addicted.
- You started after you were 24 and you think you are very addicted.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Now, by “started” I don't mean when you started masturbating. I am referring to the age you started masturbating to internet porn, particularly streaming functions and tube sites.
If you started to any other from of porn, like for example the old fashioned adult magazines, you might be in a much better position today.
Also, once more I need to point out that, even if you identify your category, and you get your answer, your reboot may still look very different from that. No one knows for sure how long it will take for YOU. Chances are you'll recover much much faster. Particularly if you have a very healthy lifestyle, with physical exercise and you are spending a lot of time around real life people, instead of pixels on a screen.
Ok, so with all that said, let's jump in and take a look at the averages…
How Long Does PMO Flatline Last?
Here's Your Answer!
We will start with the oldest age group and move down in age as we go along.
Scroll down to find your category…
You “started” after age 24 and you think you are just mildly addicted…
Flatline time: 2-6 weeks. (It's a very rough estimate. remember that results vary greatly)
If you belong in this category it is pretty likely that your flatline will be on the shorter side. Another thing to note is that there are even rebooters who do not experience any flatline at all.
Quote from one guy in this age group…
Guy #1
“I didn't start wanking to internet porn until I was 25, but I kept at it for many years before I gave it up. I felt I was fairly recovered in about 8 weeks or so. My flatline was horrible because it really killed every little bit of libido I had left. It also made me extremely depressed. After about three and a half week I got out of the flatline and I started to see benefits roll around, one by one”.
You “started” after age 24 and you think you are very addicted…
Flatline time: 4-12 weeks. (It's a very rough estimate. remember that results vary greatly)
Today everyone starts before age 24. However, the internet came out almost 30 years ago, and not everyone was able to get it right away. Back then it was also very slow, and there were no tube sites with streaming function, so we can still see guys who became addicted to internet porn after the age of 24. Those are now the 40+ year old guys. I myself belong in that group.
Quote from one guy in this age group…
Guy #2
“I'm 46 years old and I'm lucky I didn't have the internet growing up. I see so many young kids struggle with long flatlines and I really feel for them because I know exactly how scary the flatline can be. I was fighting with mine for more than 9 weeks, got some libido back for a few days, only to go back in to another flatline again. The second one lasted only 2 weeks though.
You “started” before age 24 and you think you are just mildly addicted…
Flatline lasts: 5-10 weeks. (Remember that your results may vary)
One thing to keep in mind is that it also depends on HOW the guys watched porn. The more clicking form scene to scene, with multiple tabs open, the more likely they did damage…
Guy number 3
“I had a pretty easy reboot. My flatline lasted 6 weeks and I'm glad I got this handled. As a 31 year old guy I feel I have a lot of good years left. I'm so grateful I found out about the harmful effects of porn so that I could put an end to my excessive use.”
You “started” before age 24 and you think you are very addicted…
Time in flatline: 6-16 weeks. (Keep in mind that it's just a rough estimate calculated from averages)
Quote from one guy in this age group…
Guy number 4
“I started masturbating to internet porn at age 19 and my reboot lasted between 4-5 months. Out of those months I'd say I spent 10 weeks in a deep flatline. I started rebooting because I had PIED but I'm happy to report that, not only did I get my sexual function back, but rebooting actually reduced my social anxiety as well.”
You “started” before age 15 and you think you are just mildly addicted…
Time in flatline : 7-13 weeks. (It's a very rough estimate. remember that results vary)
As we drop down in age we are now getting into the territory of guys who see time frames with the biggest ranges. They can be all over the place, but unfortunately many young guys need a really long reboot before starting to see great results.
Quote from one guy in this age group…
Guy number 5
“I started watching porn online when I was 12 years old. Today I'm 25 and when I see how many guys struggle to quit I have to say I don't think I was addicted, or maybe I just had a mild addiction, because quitting was never that hard for me. I did have to go through a flatline though and it lasted somewhere around 9 weeks. Sometimes when I went to the bathroom in the middle of my flatline and looked down at my penis it seemed so small and lifeless…it all felt so strange!”
You “started” before age 15 and you think you are very addicted…
Time being in flatline : 9-30 weeks. (Remember that everyone is different. Your results may be totally different)
Quote from one guy in this age group…
Guy number 6
“I had several flatlines. My last one ended when I was 5 months into my pmo reboot. I thought I was broken for life. It has now gone more than a year since I started and the colors are back in my life. Increased energy, confidence and a healthy libido for girls are my biggest benefits.”
You “started” before age 10 and you think you are just mildly addicted…
Flatline time: 7-18weeks. (It's a very rough estimate, results vary greatly)
Guy number 7
“When I was 8 years old I found the world of porn on the web. I think I got somewhat addicted to it but it never really grabbed me as hard as it did to some of my friends. My flatline started in the second month after quitting and lasted perhaps 13-14 weeks. I'm done with it now and I will never ever go back. “
You “started” before age 10 and you think you are very addicted…
Time in flatline : 15-60 weeks. (It's a very rough estimate. Remember that results vary. You may be getting away with a lot shorter flatline)
Quote from one guy in this age group…
Guy number 8
“My flatline lasted 11 months. Not once during that time could I get hard with my girlfriend. It's a miracle that she didn't leave me. I started watching adult sites when I was 9 years old and I really developed a nasty addiction to that shit! The porn demon is a nasty beast, chewing up the souls of today's young men. Fuck the adult industry…FUCK IT!”
Discover a FREE >>high quality webinar<< for quitting porn right NOW!
How To Know If You Are Very, or Just Mildly, Addicted?
Some people get more affected by fapping to adult sites than others. There are many factors behind how severely addicted you get, ranging all the way from genes to how long or how frequent you fapped and also; what your porn sessions looked like…
…for example…
…if a guy would only watch a 30 minute clip and then be done with it, it would most likely not cause as much damage as if he clicks from video to video every 30 seconds, chasing the new best scene, with multiple tabs open in order to reach the highest possible dopamine levels.
How addicted am I? – Here's how to tell…
So what did your porn history look like?
Does any or several of the following ring true for you?…
- I found myself searching for new and different categories, just to get the same buzz I used to.
- The normal “vanilla porn” did no longer really do anything for me.
- Even if I sometimes were 100% sure I was not going to relapse, an unexpected trigger could send me straight into a relapse anyway.
- I had delayed ejaculation when having sex.
- I had trouble maintaining or achieving an erection when having sex.
The more the above statements ring true, and if you otherwise are healthy, the more certain you can be that there has been physical, addiction related brain changes, going on in your brain.
An even more accurate way to tell is “The four C's”…
Sometimes it can be a bit tricky to know whether it is juts a matter of natural urges, since sexuality is a powerful force on its own, or if there is a real addiction going on.
An even better way to tell if you are addicted to something or not (better than the statements above) is to use something called “the four C's”.
In this video I talk about the 4 C's and how to instantly see if you have developed a real addiction.
Take a look at it right now, while it's fresh on your mind.
How To Get Out Of The PMO Flatline Faster
The number one thing you should be doing is staying away from fapping to nasty websites, obviously, and then let your brain take the time it needs to heal.
However, there are actually some thing we can do to potentially help speed up the time it takes to recover and thus also speed up the time it takes to get out of the PMO flatline.
I have made other articles about that. If interested, here are a few of them…
- 7 PIED recovery tips for you to try
- Flatline taking too long after quitting porn? (answers here)
- 7 surprising facts about the flatline – And how to get out of it
- NoFap – how to get out of the flatline
- NoFap – hot to know you are in a flatline
The Pmo Flatline
Conclusion And Final Words
I hope this post has been informative and that you now have some more meat on your bones. However, you still have to keep in mind that, even if you find your category, for example “started before age 15 and are very addicted” and the estimated time frame is 9-30 weeks, it is not at all impossible for you to get out of the flatline sooner than 9 weeks.
Again, we are all different and there a just so many factors involved when it comes to a PMO reboot.
One thing is clear though, just keep staying away from nasty websites and sooner or later you will recover…
…simple as that!
Thanks for reading,
-Scandinavian Bob-
P.S. Do you keep relapsing and find it hard to stop? Click here now to see what kind of help I'm currently offering.
F.A.Q's About The PMO Flatline
Q: My flatline lasted only 8 days. Is this even possible? I see so many guys talking about how it is taking them many months?
A: Yes it is possible. There are even people that, even if they developed addiction related brain changes, do not experience any flatline at all. Juts consider yourself lucky and keep on trucking 🙂
Q: Can the pmo flatline start even before we quit fapping to porn?
A: Some guys speculate about this and the truth is, nobody really knows. However, it really does seem to be the case for some guys. I personally believe it is possible and I think it could be a way for the brain to “protect” itself from the constant high stimuli and abuse. But, those are juts my personal thoughts, so don't quote me on that one.
Q: Is the flatline unique to quitting porn or does it happen in other addictions as well?
A: Even though quitting any addiction is often accompanied with withdrawals, low drive and low mood, the flatline, with it's loss of libido and even penis shrinkage, is indeed unique to quitting porn. As far as I know, no other addiction does that when quitting.
Q: Is there anything positive about the pmo flatline?
A: Well, some guys find the loss of libido to be kind of a relief, since it often also means that they get a break from the strongest urges. That said, it is possible to have urges even when going though a flatline, simply because we have conditioned us for so long, so while it may not be raw horniness, the brain is craving its dopamine fix and can mask that as sexual urges.
For more info on the flatline, a good source is Your Brain on Porn
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