Why Am I Addicted To Masturbating

“One of the most common questions asked in sex therapy sessions is “”How do I quit masturbation?”” Most people who have never been able to stop masturbating think they need help from a professional because they’ve tried everything – meditation, hypnosis, prayer, pills, books, even religious conversion… but nothing seems to work. It’s almost like there’s something wrong with their brain chemistry or maybe they’re simply not wired right for orgasm control.
The truth is that your inability to break masturbation could very well be a sign of an underlying problem. Many men masturbate without ever having had any kind of relationship with another person, while many women start masturbating at a young age. The following article will explain why some people can’t get enough to satisfy them sexually despite multiple partners, how masturbation can cause problems and what you can do about it.
I’m sure you already know this, but let me repeat anyway — masturbation is a normal part of healthy sexuality. And if you don’t believe me, try asking your doctor! He or she may say “”it doesn’t hurt anyone”” but I bet they won’t tell you it’s OK. Masturbation is not only natural, it also helps relieve stress, maintain self-esteem and release tension. In fact, according to experts, it has great health benefits — including preventing heart disease, osteoporosis and colon cancer.
What makes masturbation so unique is its ability to provide instant gratification. You see, when you touch yourself, especially through intercourse, stimulation takes time — sometimes hours. There’s no fast forward button. Masturbation offers relief from that discomfort; it’s faster than anything else you can imagine. So instead of feeling frustrated and wanting more, you keep going until you reach satisfaction.
Masturbation is often associated with guilt. If you were raised to believe that masturbation was dirty, shameful or sinful, then it’s not surprising that you might harbor feelings of shame and remorse when you indulge in this activity. Or perhaps you’re afraid that someone will find out you’re doing it and disapprove.
If you experience frequent bouts of anxiety over masturbating, you may suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). People with OCD use compulsive rituals or repetitive behaviors to reduce anxiety. They may wash themselves repeatedly, check doors several times before locking them, count things dozens of times or walk around constantly looking behind them. When you masturbate, you may repeat certain patterns over and over again — such as touching your genitals, stroking your skin or watching pornography. These activities become compulsive and create intense anxiety.
It sounds crazy, but some people spend years trying to cure themselves of these obsessions, which can lead to depression and other emotional disturbances. Since they typically resist treatment, obsessive compulsive disorder sufferers sometimes resort to alcohol, drugs or food to numb themselves.
So how does masturbation affect your overall mental health? Read on to discover why it’s bad for you, and how to overcome it.
Problems With Masturbation
While masturbation can bring us joy and relaxation, too much of it can lead to physical complications. For example, chronic masturbation causes tissue damage in the rectum and anus. This affects both males and females, whether they’re gay or straight. Women tend to worry less about this condition called Fissures Anal Diffuse, because they rarely engage in anal intercourse. But fissures occur when the rectum becomes irritated and inflamed due to repeated pressure on the walls of the rectum, causing bleeding and tearing. Men, however, are more likely to develop fissures during long periods of prostate massage.
Chronic masturbation also leads to inflammation and irritation of the vagina, resulting in painful intercourse. Vaginal dryness is another possible side effect of excessive masturbation.
There are also psychological issues related to excessive masturbation. A study published by researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that men who masturbated frequently showed signs of depression and loneliness. Another study showed that women who masturbated excessively suffered from low self-esteem.
And did you know that masturbation can make you infertile? According to Dr. David Rall, medical director of reproductive medicine at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in California, masturbation reduces sperm production. Sperm count decreases significantly after six months of regular masturbation. After three years, the number of sperm drops to zero. Even worse, research suggests that men who masturbate daily face greater risk of developing testicular cancer later in life.
The good news is that there are ways to avoid these negative effects. Try reading on to learn tips on how to overcome masturbation.
Tips On How To Stop Masturbating
Here are five simple steps you can take to break the habit. Follow these guidelines and you’ll soon be free of masturbation:
1) Identify Your Motivation. Take a moment to evaluate why you want to stop masturbating. Is it because you’re worried about contracting HIV? Maybe you’re concerned about damaging your marriage? Perhaps you want to save money? Write down the reasons you want to stop, and post them where you’ll see them every day.
2) Make a Plan. Now that you’ve identified your motivation, write down a plan on how you’ll handle temptation. Set aside specific blocks of time each day to give yourself permission to enjoy pleasurable sensations. Also set limits on how long you’ll allow yourself to focus on your own hand or fingers. For instance, decide that you’ll stay away from erotic materials for 30 minutes after dinner. Then stick to your plan.
3) Reinforce Successes. Reward yourself each time you successfully follow through with your plan. For instance, buy yourself a new magazine or watch a favorite movie. You’ll be amazed at how quickly these small successes build upon themselves, eventually leading to big changes.
4) Avoid Temptations. Don’t wait until you’re alone to begin exploring your desires. Instead, schedule fun dates with your partner. Choose a restaurant that allows children, go to a public place where you can easily slip off and explore your fantasies together. Just remember to return home before midnight.
5) Meet Other Masturbators. Find support from others who share your struggles. Join a group of people interested in overcoming their masturbation habits. Check online message boards, chat rooms, e-mail lists and social networking sites to connect with others who understand.
Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you can try solo play. Masturbation can be extremely sensual and pleasurable. Experiment with different techniques, lube, toys and positions.
Next we’ll talk about the role of porn in masturbation.
Pornography is a major source of temptation for those addicted to masturbation. Pornographic magazines and films depict sex acts performed by attractive models wearing revealing clothing. As a result, many people confuse fantasy with reality and lose all sense of boundaries between the real world and the pornographic one. When you look at pictures of naked bodies, you’re actually getting aroused inside. And since the images are unrealistic, you expect them to produce the same response as they would in real life.
Addiction and Pornography
When you view explicit material, your reward centers in your brain light up like fireworks. Your body produces hormones and neurotransmitters that increase arousal levels and stimulate your senses. Your imagination goes wild and you get caught up in the excitement and emotion of the scene.
But the danger lies in the fact that you now associate those feelings of desire and excitement with actual sexual encounters. You convince yourself that you’re physically ready for lovemaking when in fact you’re nowhere near being satisfied.
Your mind creates mental links between masturbation and sex. Because you can’t distinguish between the two, you conclude that you must be horny whenever you happen to get turned on. This is known as transference and it happens because our minds link unrelated experiences together.
People who are unable to abstain from viewing pornography turn to it as a way to cope with boredom and loneliness. Some people even prefer to masturbate to scenes involving violence and degradation, believing that it increases arousal. However, studies show that violent pornography isn’t linked to increased aggression.
Other people use porn as a means of desensitizing themselves to the idea of human intimacy. They use pornography as a way to prepare themselves emotionally for real relationships.
Sigmund Freud believed that many people used pornography as a substitute for real sexual experiences. He thought that individuals who viewed porn experienced a form of sexual compensation. By satisfying their sexual needs through artificial methods, they didn’t have to deal with the burden of sexual frustration and inhibition.
However, today’s psychologists disagree. Studies conducted by Richard Moss suggest that pornography usage is primarily driven by sexual compulsivity rather than true sexual desire. Individuals who struggle with erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation use porn to achieve arousal.
Another reason people use porn is to replace lost time spent fantasizing about sexual encounters. If you’ve always wanted to date a particular celebrity, model or actor, for example, then porn provides a convenient way to live vicariously through characters who resemble the celebrities you admire.
Finally, some people use pornography as a coping mechanism for dealing with personal difficulties. Watching erotica relieves tension and anger, and gives you temporary escape from problems at work, school or home.
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