How To Stop A Masturbation Addiction
This article was co-authored by Natalia S. David, PsyD. Dr. David is an Assistant Professor in Psychology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and a Psychiatry Consultant at Clements University Hospital and at Zale Lipshy University Hospital. She is a member of the Board of Behavioral Sleep Medicine, the Academy for Integrative Pain Management, and the American Psychological Associations Division of Health Psychology. In 2017, she received the Baylor Scott & White Research Institutes Podium Presentation Award and scholarship. She received her PsyD from Alliant International University in 2017 with an emphasis in Health Psychology.There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 13,423,255 times.
Masturbation happens in every culture, across every period of history, and it’s the way most adolescents discover what they enjoy before embarking on adult sexual relationships. Masturbation is a healthy and natural part of human sexuality and development. However, if you are unable to control your urge to masturbate or if frequent masturbation is interfering with your school, work, or social life, then it’s possible to gain control.
Sex Addiction And Mental Health Disorders
There seems to be a high correlation between sex addiction and psychiatric conditions, particularly mood, anxiety and personality disorders.
- According to some research, around 40% of individuals struggling with a sexual addiction or compulsion also have a history of mood disorders such as depression.
- The correlation between depression and sex addiction is one of the reasons that antidepressants can be useful when treating sex addiction.
Clinical depression, which is often co-occurring with sex addiction, is a serious mental health illness that, if left untreated, can be life-threatening. Typical symptoms include:
- Persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood.
- Feelings of hopelessness.
- Sleeping too much or too little.
- Restlessness, irritability.
- Suicide thoughts or attempts.
Again, if you are a sex addict and believe that you suffer from depression, contact your medical provider immediately. It is pertinent that your treatment plan addresses both your depression and sex addiction.
Causes & Triggers Of Masturbation Addiction
Like symptoms, causes and triggers of masturbation addiction will vary by individual. Again, these may be impacted by personal predispositions and social influences.8 The more causes and triggers that are present in ones life, the greater ones potential susceptibility. With an awareness of these, more proactive measures may be taken to prevent onset.
Mayo Clinic has suggested the following causes and risk factors for compulsive sexual behavior in general:
Causes:8
- Family conflicts or family members with problems such as addiction
- A history of physical or sexual abuse
Note that such causes and risk factors need not be initially present for one to develop masturbation addiction. Said addiction may begin out of an intense enjoyment of self-gratification that progressively leads toward changes in brain pathways, an imbalance of brain chemicals, and other problems and conditions.
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What To Do If You Want To Reduce Masturbation
If you feel you might be experiencing masturbation compulsion or addiction, the first step is to consider discussing it with a therapist or other mental health professional.
Keep in mind that all health professionals practice complete confidentiality, and nothing you talk about will go beyond you and your therapist.
Treatment options for masturbation compulsion or addiction include psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, to identify the root cause of the behavior. You and your therapist can then work together to create coping strategies and ways to reduce or eliminate compulsive masturbation.
Things you can do yourself to reduce your time spent masturbating include:
- avoiding triggers such as pornography
- engage in other activities like exercise or new hobbies
- spend more time with others in social situations
- examine how you deal with stress and emotional discomfort and adopt new coping strategies
- break it down into a manageable goal by handling one urge at a time
You could also seek out a support group either in person or online to have a safe place to discuss your concerns and learn new ways to manage sexual behaviors.
She Promises To Stop Her Behavior But Never Can
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Youre Doing It At Inappropriate Times Or In Inappropriate Places
Masturbating in the office or in public would indicate a lack of impulse control and suggest that your relationship with masturbation has become a compulsive one.
Furthermore, it puts you at risk of discovery and leaves you open to serious consequences, such as termination from your job or public indecency charges.
Your Sex Life Suffers
If you masturbate using the same stimuli , you could find it difficult to replicate this feeling during intercourse.
This is because youve conditioned yourself to get off in that precise way, and that could lead to serious problems in terms of getting and maintaining an erection when having sex with a partner.
This is known as Porn-Induced Erectile Dysfunction .
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How Do You Know If You Have A Porn Addiction
To have a porn addiction, you need to meet three criteria: compulsion, an inability to control your compulsion, and the knowledge that it can hurt you or your relationships with others, says Michael McGee, MD, staff psychiatrist at Atascadero State Hospital in San Luis Obispo, California. With a porn addiction, you simply cant stop yourself even though you want to, he says.
An individual with a porn addiction will continue engaging with porn even though they know there will be adverse consequences such as a damaged relationship with their significant other. And even though there are consequences because of excessive engagement with porn addiction, the person is unable to stop, Dr. McGee says.
How To Stop Masturbation Addiction
As it is masturbation is not an outright unhealthy practice for both males and females. However, getting addicted to masturbation is the real problem. Anyone who is addicted to it should find a solution to overcome it.
Again there are a lot of myths related to masturbation. So instead of believing these myths and fallacies, you should get proper guidance then you will surely get out of this problem.
For that matter, no problem is devoid of the solution to this cannot be an exceptional case. Indeed, you have not got addicted in a single day so dont expect it to vanish in a single day too.
Stopping masturbation is a step by step process and done under the guidance of an expert can bring about positive results
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How To Stop Masturbating Too Much
Masturbation should be a pleasurable, safe, and guilt-free activity.
But if youre struggling to resist the urge to masturbate, or if its impacting your wider life, there are things you can do to cut down:
- Try to reduce your porn-watching habits. Consider using a browser extension or smartphone app to block adult content the accompanying warning may snap you out of the headspace and help you stay in control.
- Avoid spending time in the room where you masturbate most. Dont relax on your bed, for example, where the urge could strike. Instead, spend time elsewhere in your home, or in communal areas if you share with other people.
- Look out your running shoes or hit the gym. Not only is exercising good for your mental and physical health, but it also releases the same endorphins as masturbation while burning the energy youd otherwise use to masturbate. Win-win.
- Limit your alone time. Fill your calendar with activities so that youre not spending most of your downtime by yourself. See friends and family, attend sporting events, join an art class really anything that gets you out and mixing with people.
- Join a support group. Accountability is massively important when it comes to changing your behaviour or developing a new mindset. A support group of like-minded people can provide this, while also offering advice based on their own experiences.
For Your Body And Mind:
We all know that it feels good. But did you know that it can actually do wonders for your health? For example, one study has shown that it can lower your risk of developing prostate cancer by up to 20%. Other research suggests that masturbation may boost your immune system!
Additionally, having an orgasm by yourself or with a partner changes the levels of chemicals and hormones that are active in your brain. Sexual pleasure is linked to increased serotonin , dopamine , oxytocin and endorphins .
Furthermore, orgasms are known to lower your cortisol levels a stress hormone linked to weight gain, high blood sugar, inflammation, immune problems and lowered libido. So, what does this all mean? Masturbation may create a powerful and pleasant chemical cocktail in your brain. This has the potential to improve your mood and stress levels whilst also increasing your pain threshold and improving your sleep!
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Treatment Of Masturbation Addiction
Like all addictions and habits, this one has impacts and side effects as well. Scores of vital nutrients, vitamins, and minerals are drained down the drains or wrapped up in tissues to be disposed of. Your immunity power takes a strong blow and you have left a bit weaker apart from the regret faced later on.
So, prevention is always better than cure –
Quite a few people, who have joined the No Fap online community and committed themselves to not indulging in self pleasure have reported increased levels of focus, increased stamina, higher confidence levels, and even easier access to sex! If you are currently fap-free, remember this is what you have, and dont lower your quality of life!
Don’t indulge in the random enjoyment of deriving pleasure through imaginations and other peoples indulgences. Be with your true self.
Sex Does Not Feel The Same For You
You may have gone off sex with your partner because youve already masturbated and just dont feel the urge anymore! Or you mey be finding that sex with a partner doesnt fulfil you in the same way. Basically, if its coming between you and your partner, then this is a major warning sign. Get help before its too late!
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Etiology Of The Compulsive Masturbator
The person who masturbates to the point of injury presents some specific clinical challenges. The etiology of the compulsive masturbator is complex. As with other clients we see for sexually acting out behaviors, there was often a history of shame, abuse, and neglect in their family of origin. Many clients who engage in compulsive masturbation recall beginning the behavior at a very early age as their only form of respite and escape from an environment filled with fear, secrecy, and trauma.
For the compulsive masturbator who does so to the point of injury, the analytical aspects of self-harm are varied. Often, the person describes a sense of dissociation and depersonalization. Engaging in self-harm allows the person to simultaneously dissociate from their overwhelming anxiety and emotional pain, while at the same time feeling some sense of aliveness through their physical pain. Following the masturbatory self-harm episode, the person has a cathartic flood of endorphins that may provide a numbing effect.
Of particular interest in examining this form of self-harm behavior is to look at the associated neuropathways. The arousal neuropathway is about pleasure and intensity. One of the most common methods of stimulating arousal pathways are high-risk sex, which masturbating to the point of injury would be included in. The numbing neuropathway produces a calming, relaxing, soothing, or sedative process. Masturbation creates an analgesic experience in the brain.
She Neglects Other Responsibilities For Sex
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What Is Masturbation Addiction
Masturbation addiction is the point to which an individual can no longer suppress the psychological urges to masturbate and, consequently, compulsively engage in such behavior. Said addiction is controversial, as there is not significant enough research to support it being a standalone diagnosable condition.3 It makes sense that research is limited due to social stigma and personal shame.
With it not being a typical, everyday conversation, our awareness as to the extent and depth of the condition is limited. Accordingly, it is not included in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and many professionals refer to it as compulsive masturbation, which may occur as a symptom of other diagnosable disorders.3
Although masturbation is a healthy practice in moderation, excessive masturbation may bring with it many negative consequences.4 In either case, healthy or unhealthy, it is considered a relatively taboo topic often related to the familial, societal, or religious shame associated with the act of masturbation.2 Interestingly enough, responses from the worlds largest masturbation survey revealed that 78% of adults masturbate.5 Regardless, the stigma has led toward those struggling with the condition to experience internalized messages around masturbation are that the act itself is dirty, shameful, or sinful.2
Causes Of Pornography Addiction
Due to the controversy surrounding the idea of pornography addiction, researchers have yet to identify a clear set of causes.
A 2015 study found that believing oneself to be addicted to pornography, not actual pornography use, was the more significant cause of associated distress.
This suggests that the very idea that porn addiction exists could be a major cause of the anxiety that some people experience when viewing porn.
Meanwhile, experts and advocates who endorse the existence of pornography addiction argue that, like other addictions, this is a complex issue with a range of possible causes. Some of these causes may include:
- Underlying mental health conditions: A person might use pornography to escape psychological distress.
- Relationship problems: Pornography can be an outlet for sexual dissatisfaction.
- Unhealthy cultural norms: Ideas about how people should look and behave during sex, the types of sex that a person should enjoy, and similar norms may draw some people to pornography.
- Biological causes: Certain biological factors, including changes in brain chemistry when a person views porn, may increase the risk of addiction.
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Who Is This Porn Addiction Quiz For
Below is a list of questions that relate to behaviors common among people who may be using pornography in an unhealthy way. Please read each question carefully, and indicate how often you have experienced the same or similar feelings or habits in the past few months to see where you fall on the spectrum. To learn more about the problematic use of pornography read our comprehensive article, Tell Me Everything I Need to Know About Porn Addiction.
Find A Counselor Or Therapist
Many counselors specialize in the treatment of behavioral addictions such as masturbation. There are also sexual counselors who can help women understand their sexuality and learn to overcome masturbation addiction.
These counselors and therapists will help you understand your emotions and any underlying factors that are contributing to masturbation addiction. They will teach you the tools that you need to express your sexuality in a healthy way.
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Are You Masturbating Too Much Six Signs The Answer Might Be Yes
In 30 seconds
Masturbating is a perfectly normal, healthy pastime. And so long as it remains enjoyable, theres no upper limit to the number of times you can do it.
But if you feel like you cant control the impulse to masturbate, or its interfering with your day-to-day life, or perhaps even taking the place of sex and therefore damaging your relationship, you may have an unhealthy fixation with it.
The good news is, however, that there are things you can do to cut down and bring your masturbation habits under control.
Is Your Habit Harming You Or Those Around You
A characteristic of any addiction is continuing despite harm. Harm can come in many forms: emotional, relational, physical, spiritual or criminal to name a few.
If youre masturbating to the point of overuse or needing medical assistance, you may very well be addicted. This is nothing to be ashamed about. Doctors have seen it all.
Compulsive masturbation can lead to sexual dysfunction and less-than-ideal intimacy with your spouse. This is a very real harm that must be identified. More than physiological, this can affect your spouse emotionally. Are you masturbating to the detriment of your sex life?
Isolation is another harm to look out for. Such retreat can be rooted in shame, anxiety or the lost ability to interact non-sexually. Perhaps you would rather be at home masturbating than socializing. Having an orgasm is easier than building real relationships. But only the latter will bear good fruit in the long run.
Masturbation is a very personal and complicated topic. It can be a response to sexual or emotional trauma, it can be a struggle that begins in early childhood, it can be accompanied by porn or voyeurism or nothing at all, and the line between struggling with and addicted can get blurry. There is a battlefield of opinions out there and it is so easy to slip into judgment and shame in this conversation.
This article was originally published at XXXchurch.
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