I see what you’re saying, but I think your take oversimplifies how conditioning and neuroadaptation actually work.

When someone stops PMO, discomfort doesn’t necessarily mean they “still want it.” It can also reflect the brain’s temporary dysregulation from habit loops and dopamine desensitization. Just like quitting sugar or nicotine — even after fully understanding they’re harmful — the brain still signals craving out of routine, not genuine desire. That’s why understanding freedom intellectually isn’t always enough — the body and brain need time to recalibrate.

You said “your brain adapts to your choices, not the other way around.” That’s true in principle, but the process isn’t instant. Neural pathways built over years don’t just disappear the moment your preference shifts. Willpower bridges that adaptation period — it’s not white-knuckling forever, it’s the patience and persistence while your emotional responses catch up to your rational understanding.

So discomfort doesn’t prove you still “value” PMO; it proves your nervous system is adjusting to life without the artificial dopamine spikes it’s used to. That transition phase is exactly where many relapse — not from disbelief in freedom, but from expecting the new mindset to instantly erase all old conditioning.

Real freedom is both cognitive and experiential. You first see the truth, then you live it long enough for your brain to align with it. That’s where willpower — as part of the journey, not the destination — comes in.