Relationship - Is Masturbation Normal?

It refers to the touching of your own body in order to get pleasure and satisfaction. This activity is a very important part of physical as well as mental wellbeing.

Men and women all over the world engage in masturbation, irrespective of whether or not they are sexually active with their partners. There are many myths and debates associated with the act of masturbation, especially for those who are in committal (or non-committal) relationships with a regular sexual partner.

One of these myths is that masturbating when you're in a relationship is abnormal and is indicative of the fact that your partner has lost interest in you and is not sexually attracted to you.

However, masturbating in a relationship is perfectly normal for the following reasons:

• It is how many learn about their bodies and sexual responsiveness, which enables them to perform better during intercourse
• It acts as a sexual outlet for those whose partners do not wish to have sex or are unavailable for a temporary time period
• It is a safe alternative when the risk of sexually transmitted infections and diseases is present

Apart from that masturbation can also help enhancing the sexual relationship as studies show that those who had experienced orgasm through masturbation before they started having sex are likelier to experience better orgasms when they have sex than those who don't masturbate.

However, masturbation comes with its own set of problems. If done excessively, these problems will begin to manifest themselves in the bedroom in the form of sexual dysfunction.

• Too much masturbation leads to loss of libido: Some people tend to constant masturbate to pornography despite having regular sexual partners. They often find themselves underperforming during intercourse as unwarranted masturbation lowers sexual drive.
• Masturbation does not have the health benefits of sexual intercourse: Having regular sex with a partner positively impacts many aspects of one's health, such as blood pressure, cardiac vigour, hormone secretions, etc. However, masturbation does not carry many of those benefits, as studies have shown.
• Masturbation has its own risks: It may be considered the safest form of sex possible but it isn't entirely risk-free. Frequent masturbation can cause skin irritations and men who masturbate with roughness face the risk of penile fracture.

The amount of masturbation that one should indulge in is extremely subjective. Those who masturbate regularly and still have a healthy sexual relationship with their partners are in a wholesome place. But if masturbation causes you to develop an aversion to having sex with your partner, consult a sex therapist right away. Compulsive masturbation is a behavior that disrupts one's life both physically and mentally.