Dear friends, today we embark on a journey to inform you about something that has greatly impacted your lives so far—namely, porn addiction.
Dear friends, we believe that if you have read and understood all the chapters of this NoFap Recovery Guide and tried to implement its teachings, you will succeed in overcoming this addiction. Always remember that, as Muslims, our ultimate goal should be to seek Allah’s pleasure by giving up porn and masturbation. Alongside this, our goal should also be to free ourselves from this addiction for our well-being in this world and to lead a good life. When your intention is right, you will surely seek help from Allah, and Allah listens to the sincere supplications of those who seek His assistance.
In the upcoming episodes, we will share what this addiction has taken away from your life and how you can break free from it. This series on NoFap and porn education will prove to be very helpful. If you want essential information about NoFap, read this series thoroughly. Insha’Allah, you will find answers to all your questions.
Now, before understanding NoFap and porn education, it’s crucial to grasp what addiction is and why it develops. In this episode, we will discuss the following key points:
1. Dopamine
2. Importance of Dopamine in our life
3. Endorphins
4. Brain Reward System
5. Good Habits
6. Addiction
Let’s start by understanding Dopamine by NoFap Recovery Guide.
Dopamine is a crucial chemical compound (hormone) released in our brain that generates the desire for happiness and reward. It motivates us to seek pleasure and accomplishment. If the brain reduces the release of dopamine, a person’s actions become sluggish, affecting their intellect and awareness. Sleeplessness, restlessness, and trembling hands may occur, leading to a condition known as Parkinson’s disease.
Importance of Dopamine in our life:
Dopamine is the hormone responsible for driving us to accomplish tasks in life, whether it’s success in exams, sports, marriage, raising children, business, or employment. Many great achievements, scientific inventions, and literary masterpieces owe their foundation to the motivation provided by dopamine. As humans, Allah has also endowed us with the ability to produce dopamine internally, similar to the great individuals. However, some bad addictions have hijacked this system, so we need to understand how our system is hijacked.
Dopamine, Endorphins, and the Reward System:
Our brain releases dopamine when we engage in activities, providing us with the energy and motivation to complete those tasks. After completing a task, our brain releases another hormone called endorphins, creating a feeling of extreme pleasure and satisfaction. The more dopamine the brain releases for a task, the more endorphins are released upon completing it, resulting in intense happiness and satisfaction. This entire mechanism is referred to as the brain’s reward system in psychology.
Good Habits:
When a person engages in an activity consistently or forms a habit, the brain syncs with that activity and becomes programmed. When the person thinks about that activity, the brain immediately releases dopamine, providing motivation. This activation is known as addiction in medical terms. Addictions can be good or bad, weak or strong, and can be related to positive or negative habits. Socially, we refer to them as good habits.
Some good habits that can establish a connection with the reward system are social relationships, sports and exercise, worship and mindfulness, reading good books, etc. If these activities engage the reward system, a person leads a healthy life.
Bad Habits or Addictions:
When we talk about addiction or bad habits, we mean a person getting hooked on an unhealthy engagement with the reward system, causing an excessive release of dopamine and endorphins. The major downside is that the brain loses its balance and starts depending on that activity. The person becomes so accustomed to it that, even if significant joy is present in their life, it feels bland because they release very few hormones in comparison. Hence, their happiness, pleasure, and satisfaction become dependent on that addiction, making them feel disenchanted with everyday life.
For example, the addiction to substances like heroin and opioids.
In the next episode, we will delve into understanding how porn becomes an addiction and how it leaves you helpless.
