6 ways to overcome masturbation addiction

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By Adam Mosadioluwa

Masturbation is a natural phenomenon exhibited by every human being. As such, it isn’t a characteristic of humans alone. As for the question of why we masturbate, this natural act is nothing but a reaction of hormonal secretion in the body. 

Dopamine, a compound that is associated with incredible feel-good features is released in the brain. While masturbation has many health benefits, overdoing it can lead to several complications in the body. 

As far as masturbation is concerned, there is definitely no wrong in pleasuring yourself. In fact, you would be amazed upon knowing the brilliant health benefits of masturbation. So let us go ahead and look at the advantages of the much-tabooed subject of masturbation. 

According to studies and reports, masturbation helps in reducing nasal congestion by disallowing swelling of vessels in the nasal region. That is, during an orgasm, the muscles contract around the body, including inside the nose, which can temporarily relieve sinus pressure and help get rid of nasal congestion. 

Your headaches can now be put to rest with the help of masturbation. Researchers point out that, when you masturbate, a chemical called oxytocin is released into your body (head), which acts as a natural pain reliever, reducing your headache. Orgasm from masturbation releases endorphins and hormones that help ease headache pain. 

Ejaculation releases a hormone called cortisol which is a stress hormone that causes you to feel weak and tired. Therefore, when this hormone is flushed from your body it helps to strengthen and maintain your immune system. 

It has also been proved that masturbation can help relieve built-up stress. This again is partly associated with the release of feel-good compounds in the brain. Masturbation results in the secretion of dopamine in the brain, which is a natural feel-good compound that is released during the time of orgasm. It can improve your mood tremendously. 

A study by a leading Australian Medical Research Institute revealed that men who masturbate about 5 times a week are at 30 per cent lower risk of contracting prostate cancer. Many recent studies have suggested a declined risk of prostate cancer in men who masturbate 4 times a week, as it helps flush out the carcinogenic toxins. A lot of toxins sometimes get accumulated in the urogenital tract in men. By way of masturbating, the harmful toxins that are capable of causing uninvited complications in one’s body are wiped out.

 Another important benefit of masturbation is that it improves the quality of sperm secreted by the body which in turn helps enhance the chances of conception, studies indicate. 

Masturbation has been proved to help promote a healthy sleep cycle and improve sleep quality. When you masturbate, the pressure in your body is lowered and a chemical called endorphins is produced which is responsible to ease stress and increase relaxation, allowing you to get better sleep. 

One of the primary health benefits of masturbation for women is that it helps ward off all types of urinary tract infections. When you masturbate, the old bacteria from the cervix are flushed out giving UTI patients a sort of relief. Masturbation has been proven to help reduce menstrual cramps and also promotes an increase in blood flow at the time of periods. This is because masturbation releases endorphins, which can help relieve menstrual cramps. 

Masturbation doesn’t have any harmful side effects. However, some people may develop issues such as chronic masturbation – an addiction to masturbation. It can result in the individual skipping on their daily duties such as work or school, resulting in harming one’s relationships and other aspects of life. 

If you’re worried you may have an addiction to masturbation, speak with your doctor or a counsellor about ways to manage the condition. You can also break the habit by opting to go for a run, spending time outside or by going for a walk. 

Some people define masturbation as the act of self-stimulating the genitals or touching other sensitive areas for sexual pleasure. There is an old joke that 98% of people masturbate and the remaining two percent are lying. Just like any other addiction, overcoming masturbation addiction is not easy, but with the help of some of the tips that will be discussed in this article, it can be combated and defeated. 

According to a 2018 Global Self Pleasure Report conducted by Tenga Co. Ltd, 78% of all adults in the world masturbate. This further affirms the popularity of masturbation among people. Although the Bible does not directly address masturbation, “lustful thoughts” which is the action that leads to masturbation, are described as sinful and are condemned by the Bible. Similarly, in Islam, there is no specific verse of the Qur’an that addresses the issue, but it has been condemned as Haram (forbidden) by many Islamic scholars. Apart from the fact that masturbation is frowned upon by most religions, it is also usually condemned by many cultures, and social stigma is always placed on those who engage in the act. Ironically, masturbation is linked with different harmful effects.

 Excessive masturbation can reduce the level of functionality of an individual, thus disrupting their daily activities. They may find it difficult to perform optimally at work, school, and other places.

Masturbation may affect your sexual relationship with your partner. It can alter one’s sexual life and make it difficult for the person to derive pleasure in sex when compared to that of masturbation. Excessive masturbation can hamper the body’s capacity to build testosterone, which can possibly lead to a low sperm count. Excessive masturbation has been linked with premature ejaculation. It is extremely hard for men who masturbate to control the release of sperm while having sex. 

Masturbation, if done vigorously, could hurt you by leaving skin chafing on your private parts. Although mild, this might take days or weeks to heal in some cases. 

Let’s take a look at some of the tips that can be adopted to overcome an addiction to masturbation. Masturbation does not just begin on its own. It is mostly as a result of being exposed to sexual content such as pornography and nudity. To overcome the habit of masturbation, you need to distance yourself from any sexual content that could trigger the act. 

If your phone or other gadget is loaded with sexual content, you should consider getting rid of such content. Privacy, being all by yourself, gives you the possibility to explore all types of moral and immoral habits, masturbating included. If you are always in the midst of people, your chances of masturbating will be slim or close to nothing. Always ensure you spend more time with good people. Just as it is difficult to build a house in a day, it is also difficult to stop addiction in one day. This is where the setting of goals comes in. 

Set an abstinence goal for yourself. You can begin with a day, then a week, then a month, or a year. You should continue the process until you are totally free from the act and no longer get the urge to masturbate. Always ensure you find something to do all the time. Keeping a full schedule will reduce the probability of you engaging in the act of masturbation. 

You may learn a new skill, read books, exercise, or engage yourself in any other healthy activity that may help to keep your mind and body busy, such that you won’t have the time to think about masturbating. Anytime the urge to masturbate flashes through your mind, you should replace it with other activities. Set a reward system for your success. The reward does not necessarily have to be big. It may just be anything to appreciate your progress in overcoming the addiction. Rewarding yourself each time you overcome the temptation and urge to masturbate can be helpful when it comes to overcoming the act of masturbation addiction. It is best to seek professional help. If your masturbation addiction has gotten to a stage where all the other tips discussed could not help to stop the act, then it is ideal to seek professional help from a mental health professional who specializes in human sexuality. 

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