Masturbation Myths and Benefits

"History will teach us nothing" (Sting)

Masturbation has been maligned for centuries as a deviant, dangerous and sinful practice, and some of the old taboos linger on. Through the ages of mankind, masturbation act has often been seen as a sexual practice indulged in only by mentally retarded or the people with low moral qualities. Even now in modern age, some people are still proud of their decision not to resort to masturbation even though they haven’t had any form of sex in a long while.
Masturbation means nothing but touching your own genitals in your own privacy for your own pleasure. It is normal, healthy expression of sexuality.
Myths about masturbation
Masturbation has been wrongly blamed for a host of human ills, including:

• Blindness


• Deficiency in intelligence


• Madness


• Physical decrepitude


• Sexual perversion


• Reduced sexual function


• Neurotic disorders

How many people actually masturbate?
According to medical research, the results show that some of 85% male practice masturbation on regular basis as well as 58% of female population. Still, 95% of men are willing to engage in masturbation in period of longer sexual abstinence, while almost 75% of women would release sexual abstinence tension through masturbation act.
Is masturbation normal?
Let's first define what normality is. According to medical science (psychiatry in this case) and other similar sciences like psychology, "normal" refers to a lack of significant deviation from the average. In plain English, normality is what most of the people do. Also, normality usually refers to phenomena often seen in nature. Having in mind the statistics from previous paragraph, it is easy to conclude that masturbation is perfectly normal.
Masturbation at different life stages (ages)

Generally speaking, people who masturbate do it because it feels good. Other issues by age group may include: Babies - infants tend to masturbate as part of general body exploration. Young children - sexual fantasies don’t usually accompany masturbation at this age. Young children begin to pick up on their parents’ attitudes towards masturbation. If parents react in a mortified way, the child can feel ashamed of their sexual feelings and behaviours. Teenagers - many teenagers feel nervous or unsure about their developing bodies and sexual feelings. Mixed messages and misinformation about masturbation from parents and peers can increase the anxiety. Adults - some people believe that masturbation is only appropriate for those without partners, but most people with regular partners continue to masturbate throughout their adult life. The idea that adults who masturbate must be sexually deprived or inadequate is simply not true.How much is too much?A common concern, especially among teenagers, is the frequency of masturbation. ‘Normal’ ranges from several times per day, week or month to never masturbating at all. The frequency of masturbation isn’t a problem unless it is linked with an obsessive compulsive disorder, where the same activity must be repeated over and over.Sexual benefits from masturbationSome of the known sexual health benefits of masturbation include: Solo masturbation is a safe sex practice that carries no risk of sexually transmitted infection and unwanted pregnancy. As part of lovemaking between two people, it is known as ‘mutual masturbation’. Sexual tension is released. Masturbation allows a person to express their sexuality by themselves and is valuable if, for example, they don’t have a partner or if sex with their partner isn’t available, or if they want to (or have to) abstain from sex for any reason. Being familiar with your own sexual responses allows you to better communicate your wants and needs to your partner. Masturbation is a popular treatment for male sexual dysfunction (as seen on PenisHealth); for example, women who don’t orgasm can learn by masturbating. Men who suffer from premature ejaculation can use masturbation to practice control.

Health Benefits of Masturbation

• Most people have no idea that this solitary sexual practice is surprisingly beneficial for men's and women's health!
  A recent study you may have heard about has also suggested that frequent masturbation in men may help decrease the risk of developing prostate cancer. While this is not 100 percent certain, there’s a good chance it may prove to be true. Of course, nobody recommends masturbating in order to prevent cancer, but men who engage in this practice frequently should not feel as if they’re doing something wrong because, it turns out, this activity may even help them in their old age. So, as you can see, there are good things to say about masturbation and even some benefits to be had.


• Eases some of the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome


• Relief from menstrual cramps


• Muscle relaxation


• Helps you to fall asleep


• Promotes release of the brain’s opioid-like neurotransmitters - endorphins (similar to morphine but 10 times stronger), which cause feelings of physical and mental well being


• Reduces stress (important for immune, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular system)


• Enhances self-esteem

Some other benefits from masturbationThere is no question that people denied other types of sexual relief are perfectly willing to engage in masturbation just to get rid of the tension. But there are more benefits to be had from masturbation. It sometimes happens that two persons who may be otherwise perfectly matched in interests and lifestyle preferences may prove to have very different views on sex. Such is life. One of the partners may want and expect a lot of sex, while the other likes sex, but is not overly concerned with this activity. I such cases, masturbation may be used to satisfy the bigger need without making the less eager partner uncomfortable. This helps to maintain balance within the relationship and unite couples who are open-minded enough to acknowledge and respect their differences. A lot of experts on psychological issues agree that masturbation is a good way of relieving depression by allowing the individual to reach a higher sense of self-worth through successful masturbation. A good orgasm is one of the best ways to lift somebody’s spirits and make that person feel once more the zest for life that lies in all of us. Sex also tends to drive out negative thoughts, if only for a while. In the end, whatever arguments some people can raise have against masturbation, it far is better to engage in this practice than to allow depression to set in. Moreover, it is quite clear that frequent masturbation teaches a person to understand his or her own sexual responses and is a very good way of exploring one’s sexuality. Every bit of experience helps later on and masturbation can be a very good teacher to the young and shy people who are nervous about sex, which is one of the most intimate acts two people can perform together. Masturbation is perfectly safe at all ages and, unlike sex, it does not carry the risk of unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted infections.

Masturbation in young children (if you are parent)Childhood memories of being ‘caught in the act’ by horrified parents can trouble a person well into their adult years!Boys generally start masturbating at an earlier age than girls, since the clitoris and vagina are harder to find than the penis. Studies show that the way in which parents react to their child’s masturbation impacts on the child’s sexual attitudes and behaviours in adult life. Suggestions for parents include: Young children masturbate for various reasons, including curiosity, exploration and sensory pleasure. Reassure yourself that masturbation in young children is normal. It is not a sign of sexual deviancy. Focus on the setting, rather than the activity itself. For example, if your child is masturbating in public, tell them that what they’re doing is fine if they do it in private, much like toileting and picking one’s nose are private activities. Young children may turn to masturbation in times of stress. If your child is masturbating to the point where playtime and other activities are curtailed, you need to find out what is making them anxious and upset. When masturbation is not OK?
Masturbation is not OK if it is the only source of sexual pleasure. In most of these cases, masturbation is only a symptom and not the reason why adult person can not have normal sexual relationship with the partner. The very reasons can be hidden in simple physical imperfections like small penis size, obesity, sexual problems like sexual dysfunction, latent homosexualism and plenty of factors with psychological background.