Recovery glossary

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Chaser Effect A cascade of intensified urges in the 24-72 hours after a relapse — a well-documented pattern in compulsive recovery, not unique to adult-content recovery.
Coolidge Effect A well-documented biological phenomenon: novelty (a new partner) re-engages sexual interest after satiety with the previous partner. Applies to most mammals including humans.
Counter-Conditioning A well-validated clinical technique: replacing one learned behavioral response to a cue with a different, healthier response to the same cue. The mechanism behind why recovery rituals work.

Death Grip Reduced partnered sexual sensitivity from chronic, high-pressure solo stimulation — generally reversible on changed habits, similar mechanism to PIED.

Edging Prolonging arousal without climax — common in adult-content use, generally counterproductive in recovery because it sustains the dopaminergic reward without resolution.

Flatline A common 1-6 week phase mid-reboot where libido drops to zero — the brain's transitional response between compulsive arousal patterns and natural ones.

Hard Mode A NoFap variant where you abstain from porn, masturbation, AND orgasm (including with a partner). 'Easy mode' allows partnered orgasm.

NoFap An online recovery community and abstinence-based framework, founded in 2011, focused on quitting compulsive porn use and masturbation.

PIED Porn-Induced Erectile Dysfunction — difficulty maintaining erection with a partner despite normal function with adult content, often resolving on abstinence.
PMO Recovery-community shorthand for 'porn, masturbation, orgasm' — the cycle people in NoFap and adjacent recovery groups are trying to break.

Reboot A period of complete abstinence from adult content (commonly 90 days) intended to let the brain's reward circuitry recalibrate to natural stimuli.

Streak The current count of consecutive days abstaining from PMO — the most common metric used in recovery communities to track progress.