Thoughts on masturbation and its side effects and benefits are often varying and confusing. Thus, it is high time to settle things up and emphasize the truth.
First of all, let it be said as a factual statement that masturbation is a normal and healthy sexual activity. In this generation of open-minded individuals, this topic should be freely discussed in public conversations to promote awareness. However, as a result of the lack of discourse regarding this subject in the past, numerous conflicting and unsupported claims are being associated with this activity. In line with that, this article provides information from medical experts to shed light on the truth and put an end to allegations about the side effects and benefits of masturbation.
Side Effects of Masturbation
In case some people do not know, masturbation is the stimulation of genitals to achieve sexual pleasure, which may or may not lead to an orgasm. This activity is not something new to people as this can be performed by anyone regardless of age and gender. As for the reason, it varies from pleasure to enjoyment to fun to tension release. To be clear, masturbation poses no harm to those who engage with it. Though, there are instances when other factors kick in and result in the following potential side effects.
Guilt and Shame
Some people are usually conflicted with guilt and shame when they masturbate because of their cultural, spiritual, and religious ties. But, this should not be the situation. There is nothing immoral or wrong with masturbation. Even more importantly, self-pleasure is not something to be ashamed of. People should not allow insignificant opinions of others to dictate what they can and cannot do.
However, if one cannot easily escape from guilt and shame, it is advisable to consult a trusted friend, healthcare professional, or therapist that specializes in sexual health. These people can assist in overcoming the feeling of guilt and shame that is connected with masturbation.
Addiction
Like other activities, masturbation should be done in moderation. Nevertheless, some may experience difficulties following that especially once they develop an addiction to masturbation.
A person may be doing it too much when they skip their chores and daily activities, have less time for work and school, choose to cancel plans with others and miss out on important events because of masturbation. This addiction then can cause interruptions in their everyday routine, bring adverse effects on their responsibilities and relationships, and become an unhealthy form of escape from problems or a dangerous substitute for real-life experiences.
To address that, people concerned can have talk therapy with experts to formulate coping strategies against excessive masturbation. Also, instead of succumbing to the urge to masturbate, they can do other tasks, such as running, walking, writing, and spending time with friends, to minimize their addiction.
Sexual Sensitivity
Enhanced stimulation, including masturbation, can boost sexual desire and sensitivity among women, specifically for those who have sexual dysfunction. The results of two studies in 2009 support this claim, stating that the use of sex toys like vibrators is linked to improved desire, arousal, and sexual performance. Moreover, it was reported that women experience an increase in vaginal lubrication due to this activity.
On the other hand, although the same studies mentioned that men can have better erectile function through masturbation, another inquiry discovered that too tight of a grip can decrease sensation among men during sex. Hence, sexual health experts highly suggest that men should change their technique and grip to restore sensitivity levels.
Benefits of Masturbation
Among the common myths told about masturbation is its supposed negative impacts. These include blindness, gradual impotence, erectile dysfunction, penis shrinkage and curvature, low sperm count, infertility, mental illness, and physical weakness, among others. Neither of these is supported by scientific evidence and, therefore, is true. What is proven, meanwhile, are the following benefits.
Physical and Mental Health Benefits
Contrary to what is believed by some, masturbation can offer benefits to one’s physical and mental health. Research reports add value to this statement by noting that sexual stimulation, like masturbation, can reduce stress, release tension, enhance sleep, sharpen concentration, elevate mood, relieve menstrual cramps and other pain, and improve sex. Moreover, this form of sexual activity is considered beneficial because it has no risk of pregnancy and transmission of STIs.
Lower Risk of Prostate Cancer
Different studies concluded that frequent masturbation decreases the chances of having prostate cancer among men. To be specific, a 2003 research indicated that men who ejaculated at least six times each week were one third less likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer than those who did it less often. Similar findings were gathered from a 2016 study, which showed that the risk of prostate cancer declined by about 20 percent for those who masturbated at least 21 times in a month.
The reason behind this reduced risk, as suspected by researchers, lies on the possibility that frequent masturbation prevents the build-up and growth of cancer-causing agents in the prostate gland.
Alleviating Pregnancy Symptoms
Pregnant women are confronted with hormonal changes during their time of pregnancy. These changes are usually accompanied by heightened sexual desire. Since sexual intercourse increases the chance of premature labor, masturbation is the safest way to release this sexual tension.
Additionally, masturbation can assist in easing pregnancy symptoms like lower back pain. However, this may be followed by mild contractions, which eventually fade away. In case they do otherwise, experts highly advise to contact a doctor.
Conclusion
Overall, it is safe to say that masturbation is a natural, healthy, and safe method in engaging oneself with self-care. It can be beneficial to the mind and the body of an individual, making it an effective contributor to improving one’s overall health. Moreover, it is safe to perform since the risk of addiction mostly depends on a person’s attitude and lifestyle. Hopefully, with these facts about masturbation, a better sense of awareness will be promoted and false claims about the subject matter will no longer be perpetuated. Once that happens, people may become confident, and not ashamed, in practicing self-pleasure.
Leave a Reply