Masturbation - A Psychological Addiction

[iGuest 3]

The truth

Masturbation - A Psychological Addiction

 

Before I get into the views of compultion and obsession I wanted to point out some things.

 

Law

The legal status of masturbation throughout history has varied fromVirtually unlimited acceptance to complete illegality. In a 17thCentury law code for the puritan colony of  new haven conneticut  "blasphemers, homosexuals and masturbators" were eligible for the death penalty.

 

Health and psychological effects

Compulsive masturbation

 

Sigmund Freud argued that every normal child usually experiments with many types of autoerotic sexual stimulation. Social repressions of sexuality reached their peak in the Victorian era when popular authors wrote books threatening young children with mental deficiency or insanity if they indulged in any form of masturbation. There is no scientific evidence of any causative relationship between autoeroticism and any form of mental disorder. Though mentally disturbed persons characteristically show poor judgment in expressing sexuality, this may be understood as a symptom rather than a cause.

 

Masturbating frequently presents no physical, mental or emotional risk in itself, but masturbation can be used to relieve boredom or stress. In either case, as with any "nervous habit", it is more helpful to consider the causes of the boredom or of the stress, rather than try to repress the masturbation.

 

There is some discussion between professionals and other interested parties as to the existence or validity of sexual addictions. Nevertheless, there are lists of warning signs such as when sexual activity affects a person's ability to function in everyday life, or is placing them at risk, for example, of pursuing illegal or destructive activities. Very frequent and compulsive masturbation may be seen as a sign of sexual addiction

Benefits

 

It is held in many mental health circles that masturbation can relieve depression, stress and lead to a higher sense of self-worth. Masturbation can also be particularly useful in relationships where one partner wants more sex than the other ? in which case masturbation provides a balancing effect and thus a more harmonious relationship.]

 

Mutual masturbation, the act by which two or more partners stimulate themselves in the presence of each other, allows a couple to reveal the "map to [their] pleasure centers". By watching a partner masturbate, one finds out the methods they use to please him- or herself, allowing each partner to learn exactly how the other enjoys being touched.

 

In 2003, an Australian research team led by Graham Giles of The Cancer Council Australia concluded that frequent masturbation by males appears to help prevent the development of prostate cancer. The study also indicated that this would be more helpful than ejaculation through sexual intercourse because intercourse can transmit diseases that may increase the risk of cancer instead. However, this benefit may be age related. A 2008 study concluded that frequent masturbation, at a rate of about two to seven times a week, between the ages of 20 and 40, is correlated with higher risk of developing prostate cancer. On the other hand, masturbation at a rate of once per week, in one's 50s, was found to be correlated with a lower such risk.

 

A study published in 1997 found an inverse association between death from coronary heart disease and frequency of orgasm even given the risk that myocardial ischaemia and myocardial infarction can be triggered by sexual activity.

 

  The association between frequency of orgasm and all cause mortality was also examined using the midpoint of each response category recorded as number of orgasms per year. The age adjusted odds ratio for an increase of 100 orgasms per year was 0.64 (0.44 to 0.95).

 

That is, a difference in mortality appeared between any two subjects when one subject ejaculated at around two times per week more than the other. Assuming a broad range average of between 3 to 5 ejaculations per week for healthy males, this would mean 5 to 7 ejaculations per week. This is consistent with a 2003 Australia article on the benefits against prostate cancer.

 

Masturbation is also seen as a sexual technique that protects individuals from the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Support for such a view, and for making it part of the American sex education curriculum, led to the dismissal of US Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders during the Clinton administration.

 

Sexual climax, from masturbation or otherwise, leaves one in a relaxed and contented state. This is frequently followed closely by drowsiness and sleep ? particularly when one masturbates in bed.

 

Some professionals consider masturbation to function as a cardiovascular workout.

 

Blood pressure

Both sex and masturbation lower blood pressure. A small study hasShown that in one test group, recent full intercourse resulted in theLowest average blood pressure in stressful situations. MasturbationThen led to lower blood pressure than did no recent sexual activity

 

In the end it comes down to your own personal preference, beliefs. It is human nature, natural, and normal. 

-reply by Jacknite3000