Dispelling Unhealthy Myths about Masturbation
It’s common to feel shame about masturbation. Perhaps you were kept in the dark about this while growing. Or maybe you were taught masturbation myths rather than masturbation facts.
Masturbation can be helpful and healthy. So, let me dispel some of the unhelpful masturbation myths that you may have heard and give you the facts about masturbation.
MYTH: Masturbation isn’t common.
THE FACTS: According to the TENGA 2018 Global Self-Pleasure Report, which is the world’s largest survey on masturbation, 76% of American women and 92% of American men have tried masturbating. The average frequency of masturbation for American women is 4.1 times a week and 4.8 times a week for American men. The fact is that masturbation is common.
MYTH: Masturbation can cause erectile dysfunction.
THE FACTS: Masturbation does NOT cause erectile dysfunction. Numerous studies have debunked this connection. Some research even finds that masturbation may benefit men’s long-term health and reduce the risk of prostate cancer. There can be multiple causes of erectile dysfunction and male low libido (and I discuss some of these in The Male Low Libido Issue), but masturbation is not one of them.
MYTH: Masturbation is cheating if you’re in a committed, monogamous relationship.
THE FACTS: This is largely dependent upon the boundaries that you and your partner set for your relationship. However, masturbation is not usually considered cheating.
MYTH: Self pleasure is shameful.
THE FACTS: The act of self pleasure itself is nothing to be ashamed of. However, people may develop feelings of shame around self pleasure for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons could be because of religious or moral beliefs, a belief that sex is dirty, confusion regarding arousal and how to respond to it, a lack of knowledge regarding sexual health, or a history of sexual abuse.
Still, self pleasure is not inherently shameful.
Research finds that masturbation is a trait dating back to ancient primates. For primates, masturbation increases reproductive success and reduces the probability of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs). So, humans’ desire to masturbate might be rooted in biological reasons similar to our primate relatives.
MYTH: Masturbation is only something people do when they’re alone.
THE FACTS: Not so! Masturbation doesn't have to be confined to solo sessions.
Mutual masturbation is common and is a great form of foreplay, connection, and bringing you or your partner to orgasm. Watching you or your partner engage in self pleasure can also be a great way to turn each other on, and masturbation can enable you to show your partner how you’d like to be touched.
Want to Learn More?
If you want to learn more about masturbation and masturbation techniques, then check out my ezine’s The Solo Issue.
You can also chat with me. As an experienced sex and dating coach, I’ve helped people from all walks of life find peace with self-pleasure and find techniques that work for them. Click here to learn more about sex and dating coaching with me.