Questions and answers on a topic that remains controversial: masturbation

Posted by Dr. P K Gupta on January 2nd, 2021

The word masturbation sounds at least unsympathetic since it is a term battered by religions, ideologies, and the same prevailing machismo in our culture. It is perhaps one of the sexual topics most loaded with myths and taboos, and considering its multiple benefits, a sexologist in Delhi decided to propose an article that responds to the most frequent concerns in this regard.

Is masturbation a practice more associated with men than women? 

The first image that comes to mind when we think of masturbation is that of a man stimulating his penis. But of course, the autoerotic drive is human, not male or female. Unfortunately, many women repress their desire to explore and stimulate themselves precisely thinking that this practice is not for them but for them. 

Is there an age or developmental stage for masturbating?

Another frequent association is that of masturbation with adolescence. However, beyond the fact that puberty and adolescence are by definition stages of self-exploration and high masturbatory frequency, this does not mean that the search for self-pleasure continues in other moments of life. Masturbation is practiced in adulthood, in the third age, and even prior to adolescence -during childhood- exploratory pleasurable practices are known that are important for the psychosexual development of the individual, explains sex specialist in Delhi.

Is masturbation for those who do not have a stable partner? 

Limiting masturbation practice to a situation where a person does not have a stable partner is another mistake. Someone can be in a relationship, even with a very full and frequent sexuality, and yet have their intimate moments of full autoeroticism. According to the best sexologist in Delhi, masturbation is not something we do as a last option, only if there is no satisfactory sexuality for two. It contains within itself pleasures other than shared sexuality, therefore, rather than exclusive practices, they are complementary. 

Does frequent masturbation cause sexual problems?

It is not so much a matter of frequency, but of habit. For example, if a man masturbates very quickly, thinking only about the discharge of ejaculation, it is possible that he develops a habit of uncontrolled ejaculation and therefore suffers from premature ejaculation. In sex therapy what sex doctor in Delhi does is give instructions to unlearn this dysfunctional habit and teach ejaculation control techniques. It is also common that in men with the opposite problem, delayed ejaculation, we find the tendency to masturbate with a very intense stimulus (for example, strong pressure of the hand on the penis or the friction with the mattress) which causes the penetration is not stimulus enough for him to ejaculate. In the case of women, in whom the absence of masturbatory practice in their sexual history may be more common, Ignorance of your sexual response could trigger orgasmic dysfunction. Therefore, we see that orgasm, beyond being a natural impulse, has an important component of learning and self-knowledge, and in that sense masturbation is an absolutely relevant practice, says sexologist in Delhi. 

Is masturbation a symptom of sexual addiction?  

What defines sex addiction is the lack of control over the sexual impulse rather than the masturbatory practice itself. Someone could do it frequently, even daily, but choose the appropriate time and place to do it without affecting their body, their emotions or their social relationships. On the other hand, the addiction to masturbation, which is usually associated with the addiction to pornography, is characterized by the absence of control over the sexual impulse, the negative impact on their social relationships (for example work and as a couple), the associated anguish to practice and a high level of anxiety if for any reason it is suspended or postponed, explains sexologist in Delhi. 

Does masturbation have benefits?

If practiced in a setting of privacy, sex drive control, and free from negative emotions, it has many benefits. For example:

-Provides sexual pleasure.

-Increase self-esteem.

-It facilitates self-knowledge of one's sexual response.

-Allows you to better sleep, relax, and reduce stress.

-In the framework of sexual therapy, it is a key tool to modify dysfunctional sexual habits.