October 11, 2024

Why do I always ask myself, ‘”Why am I addicted to masturbating?’ Many of you have found yourselves questioning this same thing. Most tend to look down upon themselves or maybe even feel slightly irritated by this behaviour. In this comprehensive guide, we will discuss why there is indeed such a thing as masturbation addiction, its signs and symptoms, and most importantly, how to overcome it. What is Masturbation Addiction? Before the reasons that bring about masturbation addiction, it is essential to understand what masturbation addiction is?. Masturbation addiction is also known as compulsive masturbation. It is one of the behavioural addictions where there is an overwhelming urge to masturbate, often interfering with daily life, relationships, and well-being. As a point, masturbation itself is a healthy and normal sexual activity. However, whenever it becomes compulsive or excessive or starts negatively affecting other behaviours in life, then it can be referred to as addiction. Masturbation addiction isn’t officially registered in DSM-5 Manual but is quite often considered a subset of compulsive sexual behaviour disorder. A national representative survey of 5865 men and women ages 14–94 was conducted 2009 for the National Survey of Sexual Health Behaviour (NSSHB). Of the men, 28%, ages 70+, 43%, ages 14–15 and 60–69, and over half, ages 16–59, reported engaging in solo masturbation in the previous month.  The difference between healthy masturbation and addiction is how much control a person has over the behaviour and how it affects their life. Why Am I Addicted to Masturbating? If it’s always in your thoughts: “Why am I addicted to masturbation?” then there are several reasons you may be at play. Understanding these reasons will also be your first step to addressing this problem. Relaxation: Many consider masturbation as a coping mechanism for stress, anxiety, or the negative feelings they may be dealing with. The slight moment of relief that comes along with pleasure can lead to dependency on these coping mechanisms. Anything stressful can activate the brain in seeking temporary relief, hence making it an addictive behaviour. Hormonal Effects: It is indeed a fact that changes in hormones can occur during puberty and young adult periods and thus may cause elevated sexual desire with potential masturbation. Testosterone can also contribute to compulsive sexual behaviours as it directly affects sexual drives. Psychological Factors: There are psychological factors, of which undiagnosed chronic mental illnesses like depression or anxiety and low self-esteem are associated with addiction to masturbation.  Boredom or loneliness: In most instances, a person will not have an activity to do anything with, nor will he have someone to share his thinking with. An idle brain turns something easy and time-passing into something up-temptation-giving, such as masturbation. Pornography Use: In some individuals, addictive pornography consumption is accompanied by compulsive masturbation. Given the ease of accessing pornography online, there may be an escalation in masturbation frequency and desensitisation to sexual stimuli so that more frequent or intense stimulation will become necessary to achieve orgasm. Neurochemical Rewards: Masturbation releases dopamine, endorphins, and other “feel good” chemicals in the brain. These chemicals might eventually cause the brain to become habituated to such surges over time, requiring a regular masturbation session to once again feel the same intense pleasures. Escape Mechanism: Masturbation can sometimes serve as a means of escape for individuals from the world where real problems exist or as a form of avoidance from pressures within the daily realm. It temporarily drives away those feelings of inadequacy or failure. Learned Behaviour: At other times, masturbation addiction may result from what was learned through behaviour fallout from early sexual experience or exposure to sexual content when he was still a child. The problem might have some relation to relationship issues: A person might have various difficulties in his romantic relationships, or they are afraid of intimacy, having an unsatisfying sexual partnership. Understanding these factors will help you realise why you might be facing this problem and which solutions can guide you towards appropriate solutions. First of all, remember that addiction to masturbating is very complex and consists of several contributing factors, so it needs treatment as well. Symptoms of masturbation addiction are mostly visible; however, some of the more evident signs and symptoms are mentioned below: Signs and Symptoms of Masturbation Addiction More recently, in a comparison of sexual activities reported in the 2009 and 2018 waves of the NSSHB, whereas all kinds of partnered sex analyzed had declined from 2009 to 2018, solo masturbation among adults did not decline during this time frame.  The signs of masturbation addiction must be understood and known to address the problem. Some common symptoms include: Lack of Control: No matter how hard you try to stop or even cut down, you cannot refrain from masturbating. One of the essential characteristics of addiction is that you cannot control this behaviour. Interference with Day-to-Day Activities: Masturbation begins interfering with work, school, relationships, or other meaningful spheres of life. You may miss social functions, fail to meet deadlines or lose interest in responsibilities. Escalation: You have to masturbate more frequently or in more dangerous conditions to reach the same level of enjoyment. It can mean masturbation in public places, at inappropriate times, or in locations that may expose you to legal or social consequences. Withdrawal Symptoms: You become irritable, anxious, or restive unless you can masturbate. Your signs can be similar to symptoms with other substance use disorders. Obsession: Compulsive thinking and planning to masturbate. It starts to interfere with other activities and duties. Guilt and Shame: Fearing and feeling ridiculous amounts of guilt or shame after masturbation but continuing in the behaviour. This cycle of guilt and indulgence is typical in many addictions. Secrecy: Obsessing to hide the behaviour from everyone around at any cost. It means lying to loved ones, therefore feeling further separated and isolated. Negative Interness to Relationships: Masturbations may lead to conflicts in your romantic relationships or hinder true relationships with other people. Physical Urges: Suffering from constant pain or some other