File :-(, x, )
Voluntary Self-Denial Anonymous
Two friends and I have a system of "bets" that we RIGIDLY follow. We come up with different scenarios and hash out the specifics, and then commence for a set period of time (perhaps a week or a month, depending on the severity of the bet). This isn't supposed to be crazy Jackass type shit -- the bets are intended to be productive in some way. Examples:

- Month of drinking no soda or artificially sweet beverages of any kind. Juices, water, plain tea, etc were fine. It sucked for a week and then we didn't mind. Now I rarely crave soft drinks.

- A month of no hot water when bathing. Cold only. It's jarring at first, but I actually liked this bet.

- Twice per week for a month, an uninterrupted 3 hour period of doing nothing. No entertainment, no distraction, minimal movement. I did it laying in my dry bathtub (clothes on) with the shower curtain pulled across, so I had nothing to look at. Also, I make sure to do this when I wasn't tired and used an alarm in another room to mark 3 hours up.

Nothing too crazy, as you can see, but it was important to stick to it. We're currently doing 2 weeks of waking up at 6 am and running 5 miles (we all go to the same university and normally have no obligations until around lunchtime).

Maybe this sounds stupid, but it's actually addictive to come up with shit and then stick to it. I'm curious if other people do things like this, or even if not then what kinds of stuff would you come up with? I'd even be game for hashing out a bet with this board if someone has a good idea.
>> Anonymous
I gave up caffeine for an entire year. No cola or chocolate, nothing.

Fuck the government for allowing drugs that increase productivity.
>> Anonymous
Hm well I never officially decide to do anything like that, but I guess I end up doing it anyway. I only drink water, milk and tea, so I'm already not drinking the soda and artifically sweet beverages stuff. And haha a lot of times before bed I end up just sitting still and thinking for an hour or two (three would be stretching though... I'd probably just fall asleep).
>> Anonymous
I'm in on this self-denial routine (once I stop being sick that is)

I'm not going to do the do-nothing-for-3-hours bit thought (way too easy for me)

Definitely going to do the early running. Don't drink pop so I'm not going to do that part (my only refined sugar intake in two teaspoons in my morning tea).

My suggestions:

- Masturbate only once a week (or better yet, not at all)

- Don't read any websites / forums (/. fark, SA, etc) for a month.
>> Anonymous
this actually sounds kind of fun.
>> Anonymous
>>29264
29252 here. I gave up the caffeine no problem. I also stopped watching television for years. Masturbation however was impossible. I made it 7 days the first try and less than that the second. Both of these were at the same time as going without any computer use. By the 7th day I was dry humping a pillow since if I didn't touch it it wouldn't count...
>> Anonymous
I haven't masturbated in 3 and a half years.
>> Anonymous
>>29290
29264 Here, me too, I keep trying to not masturbate and keep a log of how this change (how often i get random boners, changes in concentration, etc). Never gotten more than 7 days either...its fucking hard when porn is so easily accessible. I don't think I could stop at this point.
>> Anonymous
Me and my friends had a bet that we couldn't masturbate for 2 weeks. AFAIK we all made it.
>> Anonymous
>>29523
AFAIK you're all fucking liars.
>> Anonymous
>>29530
I know I made it, but I can't vouch for my friends.