Symptoms and effects of Masturbation

How often do you "love" yourself?

Yes, I said it. Masturbation. It's one of those things most of us rarely talk about publicly but most of us have done or continue to do privately. Exploring our sexuality is a normal part of our development, and masturbation is a typical part of this journey.

If masturbation is so common, why is it so hard to talk about? If it is a normal part of sexual development, how come we can't talk about it openly with our friends and family?

There are perhaps as many answers to this question as there are people on earth, but the simple answer is this: masturbation is typically a solitary behavior. Many people learn to masturbate when they are at an awkward, insecure phase of development.

1. You masturbate to the point of self-injury.

There is no magical number of times in a week or amount of time masturbating that is optimal, but if you masturbate to the point where you are harming yourself, chances are you are doing it compulsively.

2. You feel the need to masturbate successively.

If you simply need a physiological release, once should suffice. If you masturbate three, four or ten times successively this will most likely indicate that you are using masturbation to medicate emotions or escape. This should be a clue to check in with yourself and see how you're using masturbation.

3. It is interfering with your relationships.

Are you single and use masturbation as a way of avoiding intimacy or putting yourself out there romantically? Are you married or in a committed relationship and find masturbation preferable to engaging your partner for sex? Have your partners expressed concern about your masturbation habits?

For some, it can feel far less threatening to turn to masturbation rather than intimacy, fears of rejection or abandonment, and connection. If used in this way, masturbation can sidetrack relational intimacy.

4. Masturbation negatively impacts how you feel about yourself.

When you masturbate, are you more in touch with your body, your sensations, and your spirituality, or do you feel more numb, lonely, and spiritually disconnected? If you feel less connected after masturbating, you might want to take a look at what role masturbation is playing for you.

5. You feel shame about it.

Whether the shame is surfacing because of your religious beliefs, societal messages, or family views, shame can be extremely damaging. Shame frequently leads to even further secrecy and maintaining a double life where you look good on the outside but don't feel so good on the inside. It is really important to talk to someone about this shame, since it typically deepens over time.

6. You have tried to cut down or stop masturbating but you continue anyway.

One main criterion that a behavior has become addictive is loss of control over the activity. If you have made repeated unsuccessful attempts to stop, or if your behaviors have escalated in the amount of time spent, the frequency, or the intensity of the behaviors, it'd be a good idea to talk to a professional who can help.

7. You have become obsessed or preoccupied with masturbation.

If you have become preoccupied with thoughts about when and how you will be able to masturbate, there's a good chance it might be a problematic behavior for you.

Side effects of Masturbation 

1. Touching May Make Climax Harder

One proven side effect of masturbation is the fact that it takes a bit longer for subsequent ejaculations. In case one masturbates several times before going on a date and having sex, they might have difficulty to reach climax. It is best advised to give the penis a day or two to recharge itself. There might be another grave impact: masturbating can become the only source of individual impact where men respond to their own touch but give a less response to the touch of other people. This would eventually make it a bit tougher to reach climax.

2. Reduce Firmness in Subsequent Ejaculations

This is one of the worst side effects of masturbation in men. With each ejaculation, men would notice reduced firmness in the next erection with the penis getting spongier and softer. However, there is no such evidence that proves the fact that too many erections would impact future erection. One more side effect of masturbation is swelling or abrasions of the penis.

3. Masturbation Brings About Guilt

A negative psychological impact of masturbation over a person could be the feeling of shame or guilt. This may be moral, religious or cultural issues which can make people be pretty hard to themselves. The fight will be between something that is pleasurable and natural against rules they are told to follow and things they are told to refrain from. This guilt is very harmful to their self-esteem, self-love or confidence.

4. Chronic Masturbation May Make You Unmanly

Chronic masturbating is reported to impact the body and mind chemistry, which is considered to be one of the serious side effects of masturbation in men. Masturbation may lead to overproduction of sex hormones or even the neurotransmitters. The results due to this may vary from person to person. Some people report fatigue, vision disorders, hair loss, testicular pain, pelvic pain, etc. If these symptoms happen, try to decrease your frequency of masturbation for some time to alleviate your symptoms. See a doctor if necessary.

5. Compulsive Masturbation May Happen

It is believed compulsive masturbation can impact a man adversely. Although a guy masturbating for 6 times a day may feel productive, others might feel just the opposite. But if you can't keep balance between living a responsible life and satisfying your personal desires and pleasures, then your relationship, work, finance, self-esteem, and social support will be negatively affected.

Other Side Effects of Masturbation in Men

Too much masturbation may lead to hormonal changes within the body. The level of these changes totally depends on the number of times one indulges in masturbating. Potential risks may include:

• Addiction: Masturbating might become an addiction if done too much. This addiction can be as harmful as any other drug addicts.
• Erectile dysfunction: There is an increased risk to suffer from erectile dysfunction due to too much masturbating.
• Neurological concerns: Several studies have indicated that over masturbation can cause severe neurological problems in men.
• Premature ejaculation: Men masturbating too much would find it extremely difficult to control the release of sperms. And overstimulation of penile nerve is held responsible for this problem.
• Pain: Rarely, too much roughness with the genitals might eventually lead to soring. Be gentle if this happens to bring things back to normal.
• Emergency may happen: This is rare, but can still happen. When a man inserts an object in his anus and that goes too deep in the rectum, one may have to seek a professional for an emergency removal.