Masturbation or masturbation refers to the act of bringing oneself to sexual climax. Contrary to the opinion of past centuries, masturbation is part of normal, healthy human sexuality.
What is masturbation?
Masturbation or masturbation refers to the act of bringing oneself to sexual climax. Humans are one of the few mammals that experience pleasure during the sexual act. Therefore, masturbation is part of his healthy sexual development and maturation and plays a role throughout the rest of his life. Through masturbation, girls and boys learn about their bodies and the functions of the sexual organs for the first time and initially find out on their own what feels good. This enables them to later live a healthy and self-determined sexuality together with a partner. Masturbation is considered a way for single people to have a sex life, however, it sometimes plays a role in relationships as well. Even married people sometimes practice masturbation, which can be healthy in relationships – for example, if the partner once does not feel like having sex. However, excessive frequent masturbation can also become a health problem, for example, as an accompanying circumstance of a sex addiction or caused by other psychological problems.
Function and task
Recent research findings have led to the realization that masturbation begins much earlier than was assumed for a long time. Children already have their first experiences with masturbation – usually around elementary school age. However, the time of the first experience with masturbation can come earlier or later and is part of the healthy mental development of children. They discover their sexuality and the sexual organs for the first time through masturbation and take the first step on the path to sexual maturity. Later in life, masturbation is a way to achieve sexual satisfaction even when no partner is present. Since humans can feel sexual pleasure, they also have the need for it – and several ways to satisfy that need. Because sexual intercourse between two people can be associated with negative or inhibiting feelings (such as fear of losing control), masturbation is a safe way to achieve sexual satisfaction when the need arises. Masturbation is also thought to have several beneficial effects on overall health. Men, for example, need frequent ejaculation as a preventative against prostate cancer. In addition, masturbation helps with falling asleep and even with mild problems falling asleep and staying asleep, as it releases endorphin and oxytocin, which is good for muscle relaxation. Cardiovascular system and pelvic floor muscles also benefit from masturbation, additionally calories are burned. Masturbation also has positive effects on mental health, as it eliminates or reduces sexual frustration when there is no partner present for intercourse. In fact, masturbation has similar health-promoting effects as sexual intercourse with a partner.
Diseases and ailments
Masturbation is healthy, but only if it is practiced to a healthy degree and without any injuries in the process. Excessive frequency of masturbation can be problematic because, depending on how it is practiced, injuries can occur in the process. Sex addiction can also include excessive practice of masturbation when no partner is present. The problem can occur either together with a real sex addiction or as a stand-alone problem. In this case, masturbation occurs at every opportunity, sometimes several times a day. Crucially, this is accompanied by distress for the sufferer, usually resulting from the fact that frequent masturbation puts the sufferer at a loss for explanation or restricts them in their normal daily lives. Just as with sexual intercourse, injuries can also occur during masturbation. In men, the foreskin can tear due to too violent a movement; penile fractures are rarer. Depending on which aids and sex toys are used during masturbation, other injuries can occur, although not all of them need to be treated.In women, the most common occurrence is that objects inserted during masturbation cannot be removed from the vagina. This can happen if they absorb fluid, but also if they get caught. The deeper they are inserted during masturbation, the higher the risk that they will get caught on the cervix. In these cases, medical help is needed to remove them again. Hygiene must be observed during masturbation, because complications can also arise in this regard. Although mucous membranes can usually handle dirt well and excrete it again, germs can also enter during masturbation. Depending on the state of the immune system, these can also lead to infections. If a second person plays a role during masturbation, STIs such as fungal infections can also be transmitted in this way. During anal penetration, bacteria can get into the vagina or on the penis, which can also lead to infections. To prevent this, there are finger cots that can be changed and ensure that germs do not remain directly on the fingers and hands.