10 Concerning Signs You’re Engaging in Too Much Masturbation

Disclaimer: This article on too much masturbation or masturbation addiction is meant to be a source of valuable information for the reader; however, it is not a substitute for direct expert assistance. Seek help from a medical professional if you’re experiencing a severe case of this condition.

Masturbation is an act of self-pleasure that everyone engages in from time to time. It’s normal, especially as we get older and discover more of what our individual bodies are capable of. However, is there a limit that we shouldn’t surpass so we maintain a healthy relationship with masturbation?

Like everything in the world, doing things in excess is never a good thing. And masturbation is most definitely included here.

In this article, we’ll be talking about more on the grounds of what counts as “too much masturbation” and vivid signs someone is going through such a phase. Alongside this, we’ll provide tips on how to avoid such a distressing situation.

What Counts as “Too Much Masturbation”?

Before we get into that question, let’s get some facts about the average frequency of masturbation out in the open.

The International Society of Sexual Medicine states that a quarter of men from the ages of 18 to 59 years old “masturbated a few times per month to weekly.” There’s also 20% of them who “masturbated 2-3 times a week.”, then another less than 20% who go beyond 4 times a week. 

As for women, it stated that they “masturbated once a week or less.”

Even with this research, the range of “too much masturbation” varies per person of varying sexes and genders. This point makes it clear that what can be too much masturbation for one person can be average or less for another. But if you reach an amount where it becomes a concern for you, that’s when you get yourself checked or reevaluate your current lifestyle so far.

What Causes One To Engage in Too Much Masturbation?

To answer this question, there are 4 possible causes behind this case. Based on PsychCentral, here are the following possible causes:

• Family History
• Social Media Access to Pornography
• Cultural and Religious Beliefs
• A History of Sexual or Physical Abuse

Clear Signs of Someone Engaging in Too Much Masturbation

In this section, we’ll dig deeper into the evident signs of someone who may be masturbating a lot more than normal in their lives.

1 The skin around your genitalia can get irritated.

Skin irritation due to too much masturbation manifests in redness and soreness around the genitalia. As friction is present to elicit pleasure and orgasm from you, doing it back and forth beyond your limits can harm your delicate parts. One prime example here would be swollen labia. It’s about balance and knowing your boundaries here that distinguish the plane between doing it properly or overdoing the whole thing.

2 It ruins your lifestyle.

Masturbation is time-consuming. You have to get into the mood before touching yourself, plus you’d take breaks in between after every o’ you hit or when you get exhausted. It’s like a workout that takes time to build up, work through, and recover. If you have other priorities and aspects of your life that need constant attention, too much masturbation can disrupt its flow and completely change your daily dynamics.

3 It creates disarray within your relationships.

With your friends, family, and significant other/s, having a problem revolving around engaging in too much masturbation can affect your relationships with them. If you’ve ever considered or already canceled plans with them so that you can masturbate, it’s as if you don’t value your relationships with them.

That’s because you’re making them feel like they’re not a priority in your life, as you’ve overprioritized masturbation every time.

4 Genital injuries are possible.

Too much masturbation means too much friction and roughness as you continue to pleasure yourself. You may even use sex toys wrong out of haste and need. And as a result, MedlinePlus states that you may experience bleeding, swelling, painful urination, bruising, and groin/genital pain when you get a genital injury. This works for both penis and vulva owners. It’s also possible to leave behind painful, stinging scratches. 

For example, inside your vagina if you’re fingering yourself too rough and you lack natural lubrication. Or don’t use lube at all.

5 You may experience genital oversensitivity.

Genitals naturally become sensitive when aroused, preparing for stimulation and penetration by another person or the body owner themselves. However, overpowering and excessive genital stimulation to deliver intense pleasure can result in genital oversensitivity. It can make a single graze get an immediate shocking reaction from the owner, or there may be numbness on the other end.

6 Your impatience increases.

You want instant gratification when it comes to anything related to sex. And if you don’t get it, you’ll get cranky or moody the rest of the day. As too much masturbation is under your control, you’d do whatever you want whenever you want to feel good. You will not wait for a good time for sex if you’re busy with other things. When you want to masturbate, you will do it regardless of the plans you have set initially during that time frame.

7 You may have problems with partnered sex. 

If you have a partner and you keep engaging in too much masturbation, your relationship will be challenged in the sex department. You’re caught in too deep with masturbation that any other pleasure that you didn’t create won’t feel as satisfying or fun as it used to be. If you don’t address any issues about it beforehand, your partner might notice your lack of enthusiasm and address it instead of you, which is much more disheartening. Sex is meant to be fun and enjoyable for all the parties involved, not something half-a$$ed. 

And even if you try to find ways to make the sex work, it just won’t when masturbation is still high above the ranking. 

Like don’t get us wrong; we’re not telling you that masturbation while in a relationship is a bad thing. It’s normal to engage in it while you’re taken. But in this case, it’s the exact factor that’s causing conflict, distance, and tension between you and your partner. 

8 You feel a lot of guilt and shame over it.

These days, masturbation at a normal amount is something we wouldn’t feel shy to admit to our close friends. However, when you go at an excessive amount, you’ll eventually feel negative emotions of guilt and shame over it due to how much time and effort spent that can be used for other activities. 

We go beyond our own boundaries because we don’t have self-control, making us feel bad because we’re also not doing anything to solve it. And in the next times you do masturbate, you’re constantly reminded of this addiction you have for this activity.

It’s all about balance in everything we do, and masturbation is something we celebrate rather than condemn. So ensuring balance here guarantees a better relationship with self-pleasure.

9 You begin to have a codependent relationship with masturbation.

Codependency, in general, is not a good thing to go through. And codependency with masturbation worsens things when you’re someone with low self-esteem and the desire to feel loved and approved. Because instead of another person being in a codependent relationship with you, it’s within yourself. You’re codependent with yourself and how you view masturbation. It’s a whole internal battle only you can solve.

Engaging in too much masturbation can also be an automatic solution to relieve emotional discomfort and stress. However, such a way to build and form a codependent relationship.

10 You simply can’t stop doing it.

No matter how hard you try and control yourself, you still have the strong need to masturbate. It’s like a really bad itch that needs to be scratched immediately so that you don’t go mad. With too much masturbation over time, you may develop an inability to concentrate on other valuable aspects of your life. Your brain may grow foggy and forget important things. This may lead you to spiral, only focused on pleasing your body in every way, shape, or form. All without thinking about the consequences or your personal boundaries as the fine line between them grows blurrier.

In other words, you may experience masturbation addiction if not identified by medical professionals right away.

Tips on How to Prevent Engaging in Too Much Masturbation 

Now that you know what kind of signs of too much masturbation to watch out for, here’s a list of key tips to put you in check and prevent yourself from going over your self-pleasure routine.

1 Learn about your triggers and avoid them.

Knowing your triggers when you’re trying to refrain from too much masturbation puts you ahead of the game right away. That way, you’d find ways to avoid them, or when faced with them, you’d control yourself better. 

Some examples of triggers can be pornography and vices (e.g., alcohol, drugs, and smoking). 

2 Engage in new hobbies.

There’s more to life than partaking in too much masturbation. Doing things in excess can lessen the quality of your life, lowering your self-esteem and viewing life more negatively. Thus, by trying something new, it gets you outside of your comfort zone and motivates you to get better. A new reward system due to a new hobby has you running and going once more. You’d have a more open mind as well moving forward.

A few ideas for new hobbies to try and engage yourself in are physical exercise, sports, exploring new music, and pole dancing.

3 Carve out time to be social.

One of the first things that can affect your life due to too much masturbation would be your relationships with your friends, family, and significant other/s, if you have any. Especially for the first two, those relationships (when healthy) stay with you through thick and thin. So in order to avoid the possible spiral of too much masturbation, always make time for the important people in your life. Show them that they’re a priority in your life no matter how busy you are.

The last thing you’d want to do is disrespect them by taking them for granted due to the fact you can’t refrain yourself from touching and pleasuring yourself.

There’s a time and place for everything if you manage your time and energy well and effectively!

4 Have new coping mechanisms.

Coping mechanisms are healthy ways to get through a tough part of your life. However, it’s been quite common for people to rely on toxic habits as coping mechanisms, worsening their overall state. In this case, with too much masturbation or masturbation addiction, you can use exercise or any sports to combat it. You’re still physically active and moving your body, except your hands aren’t bobbing your genitalia up and down.

This is only one example out of many more, depending on your personal preferences and interests. More examples of coping mechanisms are meditation, talking to a friend or therapist, doing something creative like painting or knitting, and journaling your feelings and labeling them too. Alongside these various coping mechanisms, it can help build your self-esteem and improve self-love within yourself.

5 Take it one day at a time.

It’s not easy to get through a phase such as too much masturbation. It’s addiction at this point, even if there’s no actual medical diagnosis for it. It may not be an overnight battle, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get through.

So with each passing day, it’s the minimal actions you can do that make a big difference in the long run. Whether it’s blocking all sorts of pornography sites, going on a social media detox, or going through a phase of abstinence, do whatever it takes for you to have a much better approach to masturbation.

It’s an overall good activity, but when done in excess, it becomes the complete opposite for you.

6 Seek professional help.

If applying any lifestyle changes or following any of the previous tips mentioned earlier isn’t helpful enough, it’s ideal to seek help from medical professionals. Too much masturbation or masturbation addiction may not have a clinical diagnosis, but it brings a lot of concern and disruption in your overall life. So when you’ve observed any of the signs above and can’t seem to navigate it on your own, consulting with a medical professional immediately is key.

Takeaway

Too much masturbation is a phase that can definitely create havoc in your life. It can put you off balance, making it feel hard and difficult to get back on track with regaining your identity, fixing your lifestyle, and mending any relationships harmed during that phase. However, once you can pinpoint your masturbation routine going that way right away, you can stop and prevent yourself from falling into a spiral of masturbation routine and implement better and healthier self-pleasure mindsets and practices.