Who in their right mind would take part in No Nut November? We’ll tell you.
What is No Nut November?
No, No Nut November is not to raise awareness for nut allergies. It’s a month-long celebration without “nutting” or ejaculating in any way, shape, or form. Not only are you not allowed to ejaculate, you must also refrain from masturbation altogether. Even on those days when you wake up with “morning wood”, touching yourself is off-limits.
If you’re reading this and thinking how ridiculous it is, we’ll be honest, we thought the same, which is why we researched the potential benefits and detriments of such a challenge. Discover if No Nut November is something that could work for you.
Benefits of No Nut November
Discipline
Just like any other social challenge, incorporating or removing something for some time is a form of willpower and determination. Above all, you are proving to yourself that you can set your mind, or dick, to anything you desire. Some even claim that completing this challenge “separates the men from the boys”, and a quick internet search will pull up plenty of memes depicting the superpowers you’ll gain from the experience.
Breaking Habits
A lot of us are guilty of masturbating in the same way, position, type of stimulation, etc., over and over again. While knowing the best way to get off is an important part of understanding your body and sexuality, it’s also important to be aware if you are dependent on only one way to get off. Pornography is one example. While masturbating and porn itself are not the problem, relying on this or any other form of masturbation as the only way to reach arousal can be a sign of an underlying issue.
Detriments to No Nut November
No Health Benefits
Scientists have concluded that there aren’t any proven health benefits of not ejaculating for extended periods of time. A study on The Relationship between The Ejaculatory Abstinence Period and Semen Characteristics actually found that an abstinence period of less than a day was linked more so to increased sperm mobility.
When it comes to research linked to the health benefits of orgasms and self-pleasure, the findings are limitless. They span from Perceptions of Sex as a Sleep Promoting Behavior to The Role of Masturbation in Healthy Sexual Development. Orgasms have a ton of health benefits, from stress reduction and better sleep to boosting self-confidence. Contrary to popular belief, increased masturbation even leads to more sex.
Who’s a Good Candidate for No Nut November?
While we’ve dedicated a majority of our time on this blog to look at the cold science of masturbation and the many benefits pleasure can bring, we can see this challenge being beneficial to those who have some form of sexual addiction.
While people often confuse a high sex drive with a sex addiction, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders by the American Psychiatric Association added sexual addiction as a legitimate diagnosis in their 2019 edition update. The American Addiction Center characterizes the diagnosis as “engaging in their addictive fantasies and behaviors as a way to self-soothe emotional discomfort brought on by life stressors and/or the dysphoria associated with depression, anxiety, unresolved early-life trauma, and the like.” If you’re noticing a decline in your relationships related to masturbation or you feel powerless over your sexual habits, you should consider discussing it with a professional and seeing if abstaining from self-pleasure could help you.
Otherwise, if you’re reaping benefits from exploring your sexuality and increased pleasure, science is simply on the side of nutting, so there’s no reason to not keep it coming.