Self-Pleasure and Masturbation: The Pros & Cons

As much as it is becoming more common and mainstream, to discuss and feel ok about self-pleasure, there is still a stigma and many limiting beliefs we carry around. Depending on your generation, religion and familial beliefs you may have been told or led to believe that self-pleasure or masturbation is dirty, bad, sinful, etc.

Universal Pros

• Masturbation increases endorphins that increase your “feel-good” mental state and are beneficial for the body also.
• Sexual energy is our creative, life-force energy. Increasing this energy regularly unleashes more creativity and a higher energy vibration.
• Helps promote better sleep, the endorphins help relax and calm your mind and body. The “exercise” helps to make you tired.
• Regular masturbation helps to increase your libido, the more sexual pleasure you have the more you want.
• Stress relief also happens during sex, with a partner or solo. It gets you out of your mind and into your body.
• Pleasure can reduce aches and pains. The adage from women, “I have a headache” and can’t have sex, it a fallacy. Sexual pleasure & orgasms are proven to reduce or relieve aches and pains.
• You increase your knowledge of your body and your pleasure, so when you do have a partner you can have better, more satisfying experiences.
• Overall, sexual satisfaction makes you happier due to all the above.
• You can go a shopping spree! Pleasure, even sexual, does not have to just be physical. You can shop for personal items that will create a more pleasurable experience and environment, you can shop for kinky toys to explore what you like and don’t like.
• Regular orgasms and sexual pleasure also strengthen your immune system.

Universal Cons

• If your self-pleasure practices are affecting your external life, it would be wise to cut back or talk to some you trust about whether it is becoming an addiction.
• Sometimes it does reduce it. If you consistently use the same technique all the time you may lose some sensitivity. This is where kinky sex toys can be helpful to change things up. Variety really is the spice of life!
• Guilt can come up if you have the limiting beliefs mentioned in the beginning of this article. Learning to allow pleasure in your life, even through masturbation, can be hard for many people.

Men

Pros

• Regular ejaculation reduces the risks of prostate cancer. One study says it can reduce the risk up to 20% for men who ejaculate 21 times or more per month. So, if you are not in a regular sexual relationship, masturbation can keep your risks lower.
• Can increase stamina and reduce premature ejaculation. Delayed gratification does not always make for a good sexual experience. If you withhold pleasure your stamina will not be as long, because it just feels so amazing, your mind cannot control your ejaculation. Men that have minor issues with premature ejaculation can help increase stamina with a regular practice. Alternating techniques and consciously increasing the time before they allow themselves to ejaculate. This practice helps reduce sensitivity, in this case, that is a good thing as it increases stamina.
• Regular masturbation & general regular sexual encounters can help you stay hard and give you that perky angle. Because the muscles are not losing elasticity with regular “work outs” and it floods the oxygen to the muscles with ejaculation.

Cons

• Men tend to be more prone to sexual addictions, as they are more visually aroused, and it is more accepted that males’ self-pleasure. If your solo sex does not interfere with your normal daily activities, it is healthy.
• The reduction of sensitivity is more often found in men as well. Especially circumcised men. Because they are unprotected and have constant stimulation from clothes and life in general. Changing up the way you masturbate can usually alleviate loss of sensation. If not, you can also find kinky sex toys that are different textures and sensations. If it becomes a major issue, reducing how often you masturbate & changing techniques regularly should help.
• The guilt mindset can also affect men. Many men think that it is wrong, or bad to pleasure themselves. They may believe that they need to be in a relationship for healthy sexual experiences. If your morals and ethics are not open to casual sex or friends with benefits, then self-pleasure is the best option. It is healthy and has no negative, lasting side-effects.

Women

Pros

• Increases your feminine power by becoming in touch with your creative, life-force energy. The same energy that it takes to create and grow a human life, is your sexual energy.
• You learn your own body and have more control about what gives you the most pleasure. You can deepen your intimate relationships by knowing and speaking up about what you like and what feels amazing!
• Strengthens the pelvic floor and uterine muscles. Kegels are great but giving yourself extended pleasure is mind blowing. Learning where your muscles are and how to contract and expand them creates more pleasure for you solo and with a partner. This also benefits as you age and after childbirth.
• Women have been suppressed for decades, of their sexual power. Sexual energy and pleasure are Goddess power, a force to be reckoned with. Living in a state of turn-on, magically changes every area of your life.
• Sexual release helps your brain function with more clarity.
• Women who have limited sex drive, from a myriad of causes including abuse and menopause can learn to enjoy sex and increase their libido and sensitivity.
• Women who are not into sleeping with every man they date, can still have a very satisfying sexual practice.

Cons

• Guilt and limiting beliefs are the largest con for women. Women were taught that sex was dirty, touching yourself was bad, only good girls get good men, etc. This can be very hard to heal and overcome.
• Women who have had bad sexual experiences or abusive relationships, can deal with masturbation addiction. This is due to trust and fear issues more than an actual addiction.

Whether you masturbate of not it is a personal choice, but I hope this article has alleviated your guilt or shame, and encouraged you to love yourself first and most importantly.