There is no specific number for a healthy masturbation habit, according to Dan Drake – a licensed sex addiction therapist and clinical counselor. It’s not a problem until it has an impact on your life in undesirable ways.
When does a reasonable workout become an unhealthy addiction? Here are the physical and psychological indicators that suggest it’s time to put down your hand and give your body a rest.
1. Hurting yourself
Yes, according to Tobias Köhler, M.D., a urologist at Southern Illinois University, some guys do it to the point of being harmful.
A Peyronie’s disease might be caused by a variety of factors, including an infection or a more serious condition such as skin chaffing. —Bacteria can also enter your urethra and cause a blockage. When you use too much pressure while stroking your tool, plaque may build up in the shaft, causing an obstruction. He cautions that you should cut back if you’re hurting yourself.
2. You’re in a lot of trouble.
Maybe you opt to masturbate rather than go out with friends on Fridays. Or you’ve been late to meetings because you were cleaning yourself in the men’s room yourself.
3. You fail with a partner
Some guys who play a lot with specific sorts of stimuli — say, certain kinds of masturbation played with particular hand movements — report that they cannot replicate the same level of enthusiasm during the sex. This can lead to premature ejaculation (you can buy premature ejaculation treatment online if this is the issue) or erectile dysfunction.
4. You’re always thinking about it.
If you’re constantly preoccupied with when or how you’ll yank it next, that’s a clear sign you have serious behavior, according to Dr Drake.
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5. You attempt to cut back, but you ultimately fail.
The loss of control is one of the most important elements of any type of addiction, Drake adds. If you can’t control your habit when you recognize it’s out of hand, that’s a problem.
There are also times when simply masturbating isn’t a good idea.
For example, Köhler and his colleagues have discovered that diddling every day for a couple of weeks depletes a man’s sperms count by nearly 50%.
If you and a partner are attempting to conceive, masturbating may be lowering your chances, he explains.
What should you do if you have that problem?
After years of masturbation, it can be difficult to quit cold turkey. According to Drake, there are two primary ways to address the problem: cutting yourself off abruptly or the “harm reduction” technique, which entails reducing your habit while still allowing yourself a five-knuckle shuffle now and then.
Whether you’re doing it alone or with a spouse, game-planning ahead of time is always a good idea. If you fail, seeing a therapist or sex addiction counselor might assist you in developing a more effective strategy, according to Drake.
Masturbation is not unhealthy or harmful, he adds. But if it begins to cause you problems in your life, then you should treat it the same as any other destructive habit.
