If you do not like masturbating, then you do not have to do it. But, if you are into it, then you’ll realize the benefits that come with it.
Masturbation is a way of having sexual pleasure by touching your genitals, may it be using your hand or a toy. It is a fairly common activity that plays a significant role in healthy sexual development. It is also the safest way to find sexual pleasure. People do it for fun, for satisfaction, or for releasing some tension. However, many are still in doubt if it is dangerous to engage in it.
What Are the Benefits of Masturbating
There are numerous myths about the side effects of masturbation. They say it can cause blindness, infertility, and even make you go crazy. Those are, in any way, not true. In reality, there are a few things to gain from it.
Masturbation can help relieve stress
Endorphins are chemicals produced in the brain as a response to cope with stress and distress. They act as pain relievers or happiness boosters. They are released whenever you eat, drink, exercise, and even when you have an orgasm. Therefore, in some way, you can reduce your anxiety by masturbating.
Studies have been conducted that point to the direct relationship between endorphin levels and stressful behaviors. Although endorphins alone cannot treat depression, they do help alleviate the symptoms. Since they minimize pain and maximize pleasure, that means that masturbation can help with relaxation. This is why some do it to get in the mood for sleeping.
Orgasms are also said to be an effective natural painkiller, specifically for women dealing with the pain and discomfort in relation to menstrual cramps. Some women masturbate to relieve the pain caused by menstrual cramps and although a lot of people still question this argument, masturbating during your period is perfectly safe as long as you keep yourself or your toy clean.
It can be a way to explore your tastes
Whether you’re a couple or going solo, masturbation can help improve your sex life. If you have a partner, then masturbating can help you figure out what you find pleasurable, and you can tell your partner about it for a better experience. Masturbation can even serve as a solution to differing sex drives between couples.
If you are single, it can still positively affect you since figuring out what you love with your body can help boost your self-esteem. Some are worried that it may lead to dependency on self-pleasure and sex toys that they might struggle to have an orgasm otherwise. However, that should not be a cause of concern. While there is indeed a possibility for that to happen, it is nothing long-term. After all, the most arousing sensations can only be from actual sex, not masturbation.
Masturbating is safer than actual intercourse
Out of all the other types of sex, masturbation is on the side of the safer ones. There are no risks of pregnancy and getting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). It is very unlikely to have the disease without contact with another individual since STDs are only transferrable from one person to another. Therefore, if you touch yourself, then there is no one else that can pass on their illness to you. With the exemption, of course, of herpes or other disease-causing bacteria that you could acquire even without a partner. To avoid these, wash your hands before you touch your genitals if you have cold sores on your mouth.
While masturbation is an activity usually done alone, it can still be performed with a partner as well. As long as there is no intercourse involved, the chances of pregnancy are pretty much close to none. It is a safer option, and you can both let each other know what you find arousing.
However, it is possible to pass on and receive an STD if you are not wary of your hygiene. If you are touching your partner’s genitals, do not touch yours as well if you have not washed your hands. The semen and vaginal fluids are the transporters of the disease, so if you rub against each other, there is a risk for contamination.
STDs are also transmittable with the use of sex toys. If you are the only one using your toys, then you do not have to be anxious. However, if you share them with your partner or with someone else, then it can be detrimental. Therefore, use condoms on it even if the shape is not like a penis, and make sure that it is clean before swapping.
If your genitals are in pain or feel itchy after masturbating with a partner or letting someone borrow your sex toy, do not hesitate to visit your doctor to get checked. Those symptoms do not always point to STDs. It may be because your body is not ready for the way you masturbate. There is also a chance that you are merely sensitive to toys or to the materials used to produce them.
Lotions, lubes, gels, and oils, especially the scented ones, may irritate your skin. However, masturbating without making use of those can cause infections as well because of friction. That is why it is crucial to find a product that can be trusted and that works for you. Letting something that has not been washed gets in contact with your genitals is a wrong move. There may be viruses embedded in them and that can cause infections.
Conclusion
Whether masturbation can affect you positively or negatively should not be your initial concern. At the end of the day, it depends more on your personal needs and desires. If you like it, then there are no physical and emotional consequences that you should be wary of, as long as you follow safety precautions. On the other hand, if you do not enjoy it or it goes against your personal beliefs, then you don’t have to force yourself to do it. Don’t feel pressured to masturbate if you do not want to. After all, masturbating rarely or not masturbating at all does not have any negative impacts as well.
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