Iatrogenic effects of Reboot/NoFap on public health: A preregistered survey study

“Reboot,” especially NoFap, promotes abstinence from masturbation and/or pornography to treat “pornography addiction,” an unrecognized diagnosis. While the intention of Reboot/NoFap is decrease distress, qualitative studies have consistently suggested that “Reboots” paradoxically cause more distress. The distress appears occur in response (1) goal, which recasts common sexual behaviors as personal “failures,” and (2) problematic inaccurate forum messaging regarding sexuality addiction. This preregistered survey asked men about their experience with perceived “relapse” NoFap forums. Participants reported most recent relapse was followed by feeling shameful, worthless, sad, a desire commit suicide, other negative emotions. A novel predictor identifying addict this lower religiosity sample higher narcissism. forums contained posts were misogynist (73.7% participants), bullying (49.1%), anti-LGBT (42.9%), antisemitic (32.0%), instructing followers harm or kill themselves (23.5%), threats hurt someone else (21.1%). More engagement online associated worse symptoms erectile dysfunction, depression, anxiety, sex negativity. Results support expand previously documented harms problems claims treating addiction research.