Is masturbaiting bad
Is Masturbation Bad for You? What the Science Says
The available research shows that masturbation isn’t bad for you — in fact, it can benefit your health.
Share on PinterestPhotography by Megan Madden; Prop Styling by Sara SchipaniThere are a lot of myths about masturbation, partly because many of us can feel awkward talking about it. Some people claim that masturbation is bad for you and that it can even harm your body.
Although many people feel uncomfortable talking about masturbation, nearly all of us have done it at some point. It’s an entirely common practice, and, when done in moderation, is not bad for you.
Of course, whether you masturbate is up to you. Some people enjoy masturbating, while others don’t — and either way, that’s OK.
According to adult toy distributor TENGA’s 2020 self-pleasure report, 71% of Americans agree that masturbation improved their mood or was a form of self-care in the last year.
It also found 71% of Americans are OK talking about self-pleasure with their partner, and 51% are comfortable chatting with friends about it.
Here are other stats from TENGA’s survey:
| Identifying factors | Percent that masturbates |
|---|---|
| Dating | 18% |
| Married | 44% |
| Single | 38% |
| Straight | 88% |
| LGBTQIA+ | 20% |
| Men | 54% |
| Women | 46% |
| Black | 14% |
| White | 56% |
| Hispanic | 21% |
No. Despite what some people say, masturbation is not inherently bad for you. No evidence suggests it harms your mental or physical health.
Common myths about masturbation include the idea that it’ll make you go blind or that it causes impotence and infertility. There isn’t any evidence for this.
However, excessive masturbation, or masturbating incorrectly, can lead to some side effects.
Side effects of extremely frequent or improper practices
- Bacterial infection, including UTIs — not from masturbating itself, but from not cleaning sex toys or hands properly before use
- Skin irritation if you masturbate too frequently or too roughly
- Edema on the penis (which is swelling) if you masturbate too frequently
Because masturbation is stigmatized, you might feel uncomfortable or guilty when masturbating.
Masturbation might also bring up some difficult emotions for you, especially if you have a history of sexual trauma. If this applies to you, you might benefit from talking with a therapist.
You might also find vaginal masturbation uncomfortable or painful if you have certain conditions, such as vaginal dryness or dyspareunia, which is recurring pain during vaginal penetration.
Erectile dysfunction and post-orgasmic illness syndrome, a rare condition where you can become ill after ejaculating, can also make masturbation unpleasant.
You may benefit from speaking with a doctor if you experience any of these issues.
For many people, masturbation is an enjoyable and pleasurable activity, and it could actually benefit your health.
Brain effects
Masturbation can trigger the release of certain hormones. This can have a positive effect on your mental and physical health.
These hormones include:
- Endorphins, a natural pain reliever that can lift your mood and reduce stress
- Dopamine, a hormone associated with happiness
- Oxytocin, which is often called the love hormone and is associated with social bonding
These hormones may help reduce stress and improve mood.
Sleep
There’s very little research on the effects of masturbation on sleep, but many people claim that masturbating helps them sleep better.
And this makes sense: Because the above hormones are associated with relaxation and happiness, it’s no wonder why masturbating might help you fall asleep.
Stress
Endorphins, in particular, are associated with stress relief. The primary function of endorphins seems to be to reduce stress and pain. They’re often released in response to pain, but can also be released because of exercise, eating, or sex.
For this reason, masturbating can be a great way to relieve stress.
Self-awareness
Masturbating can be a good way to connect with your body on a physical, sensual, and sexual level.
It might improve your sexual experiences with other people, as you’ll know more about what you enjoy and what feels good for you. In this way, masturbation can improve your sex life.
How much masturbation is too much masturbation?
While masturbation addiction is not a mental illness as classified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), it’s possible to develop an unhealthy compulsion around masturbating.
It’s hard to say how much masturbating counts as excessive masturbation because it varies from person to person. It might be more helpful to ask yourself how you feel about masturbating.
For some people, masturbating frequently is out of habit (for example, you’re used to masturbating before sleep or in the shower, and thus you habitually do it every day). Others feel a compulsion to masturbate.
The following signs might suggest you would benefit from reaching out for support:
- you’re having difficulty with work or school because of a constant need to masturbate
- you miss out on social activities or appointments to masturbate
- you feel little pleasure while masturbating
- you’re doing it because you feel you must, not because you want to
- you find it hard to stop or reduce masturbating
If you can relate to any of this, online sex therapy resources could be helpful.
Masturbation isn’t inherently bad — in fact, it can have healthy and positive effects on your mind and body.
However, excessive masturbation might lead to some side effects, and it is possible to develop a compulsion to masturbate excessively.
If you’re experiencing difficulties masturbating, or having side effects you’re not comfortable with, consider reaching out to a mental health professional.
Want to “do it right”?
There’s no “right” way to masturbate, but there are strategies that might improve your experience:
- Wash your hands and any sex toys before and after masturbating
- Urinate before and after masturbating to avoid a UTI
- Use lubricant to help with dryness and to avoid chafing
- Check out these helpful guides on masturbating with a penis or a vagina
Was this helpful?
Is Masturbation Bad for You? What the Science Says
The available research shows that masturbation isn’t bad for you — in fact, it can benefit your health.
Share on PinterestPhotography by Megan Madden; Prop Styling by Sara SchipaniThere are a lot of myths about masturbation, partly because many of us can feel awkward talking about it.
Some people claim that masturbation is bad for you and that it can even harm your body.
Although many people feel uncomfortable talking about masturbation, nearly all of us have done it at some point. It’s an entirely common practice, and, when done in moderation, is not bad for you.
Of course, whether you masturbate is up to you. Some people enjoy masturbating, while others don’t — and either way, that’s OK.
According to adult toy distributor TENGA’s 2020 self-pleasure report, 71% of Americans agree that masturbation improved their mood or was a form of self-care in the last year.
It also found 71% of Americans are OK talking about self-pleasure with their partner, and 51% are comfortable chatting with friends about it.
Here are other stats from TENGA’s survey:
| Identifying factors | Percent that masturbates |
|---|---|
| Dating | 18% |
| Married | 44% |
| Single | 38% |
| Straight | 88% |
| LGBTQIA+ | 20% |
| Men | 54% |
| Women | 46% |
| Black | 14% |
| White | 56% |
| Hispanic | 21% |
No.
Despite what some people say, masturbation is not inherently bad for you. No evidence suggests it harms your mental or physical health.
Common myths about masturbation include the idea that it’ll make you go blind or that it causes impotence and infertility. There isn’t any evidence for this.
However, excessive masturbation, or masturbating incorrectly, can lead to some side effects.
Side effects of extremely frequent or improper practices
- Bacterial infection, including UTIs — not from masturbating itself, but from not cleaning sex toys or hands properly before use
- Skin irritation if you masturbate too frequently or too roughly
- Edema on the penis (which is swelling) if you masturbate too frequently
Because masturbation is stigmatized, you might feel uncomfortable or guilty when masturbating.
Masturbation might also bring up some difficult emotions for you, especially if you have a history of sexual trauma.
If this applies to you, you might benefit from talking with a therapist.
You might also find vaginal masturbation uncomfortable or painful if you have certain conditions, such as vaginal dryness or dyspareunia, which is recurring pain during vaginal penetration.
Erectile dysfunction and post-orgasmic illness syndrome, a rare condition where you can become ill after ejaculating, can also make masturbation unpleasant.
You may benefit from speaking with a doctor if you experience any of these issues.
For many people, masturbation is an enjoyable and pleasurable activity, and it could actually benefit your health.
Brain effects
Masturbation can trigger the release of certain hormones. This can have a positive effect on your mental and physical health.
These hormones include:
- Endorphins, a natural pain reliever that can lift your mood and reduce stress
- Dopamine, a hormone associated with happiness
- Oxytocin, which is often called the love hormone and is associated with social bonding
These hormones may help reduce stress and improve mood.
Sleep
There’s very little research on the effects of masturbation on sleep, but many people claim that masturbating helps them sleep better.
And this makes sense: Because the above hormones are associated with relaxation and happiness, it’s no wonder why masturbating might help you fall asleep.
Stress
Endorphins, in particular, are associated with stress relief. The primary function of endorphins seems to be to reduce stress and pain. They’re often released in response to pain, but can also be released because of exercise, eating, or sex.
For this reason, masturbating can be a great way to relieve stress.
Self-awareness
Masturbating can be a good way to connect with your body on a physical, sensual, and sexual level.
It might improve your sexual experiences with other people, as you’ll know more about what you enjoy and what feels good for you. In this way, masturbation can improve your sex life.
How much masturbation is too much masturbation?
While masturbation addiction is not a mental illness as classified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), it’s possible to develop an unhealthy compulsion around masturbating.
It’s hard to say how much masturbating counts as excessive masturbation because it varies from person to person. It might be more helpful to ask yourself how you feel about masturbating.
For some people, masturbating frequently is out of habit (for example, you’re used to masturbating before sleep or in the shower, and thus you habitually do it every day). Others feel a compulsion to masturbate.
The following signs might suggest you would benefit from reaching out for support:
- you’re having difficulty with work or school because of a constant need to masturbate
- you miss out on social activities or appointments to masturbate
- you feel little pleasure while masturbating
- you’re doing it because you feel you must, not because you want to
- you find it hard to stop or reduce masturbating
If you can relate to any of this, online sex therapy resources could be helpful.
Masturbation isn’t inherently bad — in fact, it can have healthy and positive effects on your mind and body. However, excessive masturbation might lead to some side effects, and it is possible to develop a compulsion to masturbate excessively.
If you’re experiencing difficulties masturbating, or having side effects you’re not comfortable with, consider reaching out to a mental health professional.
Want to “do it right”?
There’s no “right” way to masturbate, but there are strategies that might improve your experience:
- Wash your hands and any sex toys before and after masturbating
- Urinate before and after masturbating to avoid a UTI
- Use lubricant to help with dryness and to avoid chafing
- Check out these helpful guides on masturbating with a penis or a vagina
Was this helpful?
Benefits and harms of masturbation - Afisha Daily
18+
Nika Golikova
February 14, 2019 17:54
Afisha Daily talked with a sexologist from the Mental Health Center clinic, about the dangers of masturbation and Amina Nazaraliyeva myths that make us ashamed of it.
Masturbation is not so simple: today we do not have enough research to say anything with certainty. Everything is complicated by the fact that even with the complete anonymity of the surveys, people do not reveal themselves to the end and do not tell the whole truth.
First of all, it is connected with stigma. Almost all religions condemn masturbation. We remember very well the horror stories that the hair on your arms will grow, that you can go crazy, become a pervert, and so on. There is a lot of shame and guilt associated with masturbation, it is embarrassing to talk about it in our society - even in many advanced sex education programs, the topic of masturbation is not addressed. And among progressive parents who talk about sex with children, only one in twenty touches on this topic.
However, masturbation is very common. Almost all men masturbate: at least, studies have about 70%. And about half of the women, and maybe more.
Scientists have found a lot of good things in masturbation. That is, either it does not affect anything, or it has a positive effect.
8 reasons to masturbate
Of the obvious advantages: when masturbating, the risk of an unplanned pregnancy or genital infections tends to zero.
According to my personal observations, people who practice masturbation are much more satisfied with their sex life and their own body than others.
Women who masturbated in childhood or adolescence are more likely to have positive sexual experiences in adulthood. In addition, they have healthier ideas about themselves.
Masturbation debunks the myth that vaginal orgasms are "correct" and clitoral orgasms are not. The fact is that women prefer clitoral masturbation to vaginal masturbation, and many of them use vibrators. By the way, men also sometimes use selectors during masturbation.
According to some studies, men who masturbate are more likely to use condoms.
The lion's dose of techniques in sex therapy is in one way or another connected with masturbation - whether it is working with a couple or individually. Such techniques are used, for example, if we want to help a woman experience an orgasm for the first time in her life or return a lost one; for a man - to control the time of the onset of his ejaculation; couple - not to experience pain or discomfort during sex.
Masturbation is always part of the healing process. Except when a person's religion and beliefs forbid him to masturbate.
Sometimes masturbation is better than sex, especially if the sex is bad or violent. Masturbation is something understandable and predictable, you always know what you need. Many women reach orgasm only with clitoral stimulation and often the partner cannot do it better.
If a person has an attraction to an object that he cannot approach for various reasons, masturbation is an excellent way out.
If you don't feel like masturbating, it's okay
Some people are not interested. The absence of masturbation in a person's life can only become a problem if he himself suffers from this.
It happens that a person is not interested in sex in principle. Asexuality is normal as long as it doesn't make you feel uncomfortable. On the other hand, most people who consider themselves asexual still masturbate, but the reasons for masturbation may differ: they practice non-directional masturbation, which means that the process is not accompanied by fantasies.
Is masturbation harmful?
Today, scientists argue about the existence of sex addiction, but a compulsive sexual disorder is discussed, in which a person suffers from a constant desire to have sex. This can be expressed in compulsive porn viewing and masturbation. Often this is accompanied by a constant change of partner and trips to sex workers. In this case, people spend a lot of time masturbating, because of which important areas of their lives suffer. Unless in this case masturbation can be harmful.
Masturbation is a normal part of the sexual development phase. There is no need to be afraid of it, especially since sometimes it is even useful.
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healthmasturbationmedicinepleasuresex relationships is he okay? Doesn't he do "it" too often? Lyubov Klimova, a specialist in sexual education, answers.
Question. I am 16 years old and I masturbate all the time. I started it somehow as a joke, like everyone does it. And now I can't stop. I do this several times a day. Is it dangerous? And what to do with it?
Answer. Modern medicine considers masturbation as a form of sexual activity - it is a healthy and ethical way to relieve sexual tension. There is nothing wrong with masturbation in itself.
All people have different sexual needs. Therefore, the frequency of masturbation can vary from a few times a year to one or more times a day. But in some situations, it becomes intrusive and turns into a problem. At the same time, there may not be true sexual desire - stimulation occurs mechanically, there is little or no pleasure from it, it is more difficult to get an orgasm. The greater the fixation on this process, the greater the need for discharge - and the less its effect. An addiction begins to form - an obsessive need for masturbation, an inability to stop it, despite desire and attempts. This addiction to masturbation can have serious psychological consequences, just like drug or alcohol use.
The physical act of masturbation is not in itself harmful. But excessive intense stimulation of the genitals can cause irritation, soreness, bruising and abrasions. Some people may experience shame or guilt if masturbation is seen as "out of the norm" or contrary to religious beliefs.
What should a teenager do? Something upsets me, so I want to relax? Or do I just have nothing to do and I do it just like that, out of habit?
You have to admit that this is a problem if you notice that:
- masturbation has already become a kind of self-medication for boredom or anxiety;
- masturbation is not always associated with sexual tension, but becomes a kind of way to avoid real life;
- this process has some power over you.
