From the Guidelines
Masturbation is not inherently bad or harmful, and it is a normal, healthy sexual behavior practiced by people of all genders throughout their lives. It's essential to understand that masturbation can provide physical pleasure, stress relief, and help individuals understand their bodies and sexual preferences. From a medical perspective, masturbation has several potential benefits, including reduced stress, improved sleep, decreased menstrual cramps for women, and potentially reduced risk of prostate cancer in men, as supported by general medical knowledge and studies on sexual health 1.
Key Points to Consider
- Masturbation is a normal part of human sexuality and sexual development.
- There are no physical health risks associated with moderate masturbation.
- Masturbation can help reduce stress, improve sleep, and decrease menstrual cramps in women.
- Some people may experience feelings of guilt or shame about masturbation due to religious, cultural, or personal beliefs, but these psychological concerns are not related to any inherent harm in the activity itself.
- Masturbation only becomes problematic if it interferes with daily responsibilities, relationships, or causes physical discomfort.
Medical Perspective
From a medical standpoint, the primary concern is the impact of masturbation on an individual's physical and mental health. The studies provided, such as the guideline on disorders of ejaculation 1, focus on the importance of understanding and addressing sexual health issues, including premature ejaculation and delayed ejaculation, which can affect an individual's quality of life. However, these studies do not suggest that masturbation itself is harmful. Instead, they emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach to sexual health, including education, psychological assessment, and treatment when necessary.
Conclusion is not allowed, so the answer just ends here.
From the Research
Masturbation and Its Perception
- Masturbation is a non-reproductive sexual behavior that has been met with silence or trepidation in the scientific and educational communities 2.
- Young adults' perceptions of and feelings toward masturbation are the result of a developmental process that includes learning about the act, internalizing social contradictions, and coming to terms with the tension between stigma and pleasure 2.
Health Effects of Masturbation
- There is a lack of evidence for negative health effects of masturbation, yet abstinence from masturbation is frequently recommended as a strategy to improve one's sexual self-regulation 3.
- Abstinence from masturbation is mostly associated with attitudinal correlates, such as the perception of masturbation as unhealthy, rather than behavioral markers like the maximum number of orgasms 3.
Problematic Masturbation
- Problematic masturbation can be defined in different ways, resulting in varying proportions of individuals categorized as having it, with 8.3% of men and 2.7% of women experiencing self-perceived problematic masturbation 4.
- Self-perceived problematic masturbation is positively associated with childhood sexual abuse, depression, and anxiety, while negatively associated with a sex-positive family background 4.
Compulsive Sexual Behavior
- Compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) is a common disorder featuring repetitive, intrusive, and distressing sexual thoughts, urges, and behaviors that negatively affect many aspects of an individual's life 5.
- CSB continues to defy easy categorization within mental health, and further research is needed to understand its place within the psychiatric nosology 5.
Treatment Approaches
- Cognitive-behavioral treatment has been the mainstay of treatment for sex offenders and paraphilias, but the strength of the evidence base supporting this therapy is weak, and more empirical research is needed 6.