To Fap or Not to Fap?

Masturbation has been around for centuries and with that time comes varying perspectives on the act whether it is called a sin or a divine gift from the gods. Masturbation has its admirers as well as its critics. In ancient Greece, masturbation was more in discussion as females could buy phallus shaped objects called “olisbokollikes,” and masturbation was thought to be a gift from Hermes, but it was also seen as an activity done by the poor as rich men could just buy sex services (Planned Parenthood, 2002). In the U.S. the animosity towards masturbation is more from the anecdotes that people tell or the myths that people spread. Those myths and anecdotes were spread through mass publications and mass gatherings and were passed down through generations (Nicholas, 2020). In the modern day, the U.S. public opinion of masturbation is less taboo and research studies on the subject has found many biological and psychological benefits that seems drastic compared to the views a century earlier where some physicians claimed disorders were caused by masturbation. Even though there has been research on masturbation there is a lack of female studies as compared to male studies most likely due to societal conventions being more patriarchal. However as more time passes, more information will be produced by research studies in the science community which hopefully will make the U.S. public whether male and female become more open about discussing the joyful activity.

A prominently cited religious argument against masturbation is from an interpretation of the biblical story of Oman in which a man is told by god to impregnate his widowed sister in law, but when the man was about to ejaculate he pulled out and spilled his seed on the floor. Many in religion interpreted the story to characterize all non-reproductive sexual activities as sinful or called “unnatural,” while reproductive sexual activities were “natural,” this has led to religious leaders such as Augustine of Hippo, an influential Christian Bishop to claim that masturbation is worse than rape (Planned Parenthood, 2002). The reasoning presented by Augustine was not necessarily condoning rape, but his thought process comparing the two was reiterated and across many centuries in which religious institutions have tried getting rid of the habit. In 1716, Onania was a pamphlet that used the religious arguments, but also included false medical claims such as masturbation being a symptom of dysfunction and causing other diseases (Planned Parenthood, 2002). Masturbation was even seen as a medical disease as late as the 19th century where physicians tried to make treatments to prevent urges to masturbate. These practices have been debunked and the medical information on masturbation has evolved to be more favorable.

The reasoning for the opposition to masturbation is not warranted and it may discourage people from reporting actual problems with masturbation. Masturbation can be addictive for some people such that those who cannot perform daily functions of life such as a job or relationship, but these cases are a rarity as surveys show that a majority of people have masturbated at least once and most people are not staying at home for self pleasure (Gerressu,2008).  Those who chronically masturbate can get lymphedema, an illness where the penis swells with lymphatic fluids, however sexually transmitted infections are the most common cause of lymphedema and masturbation should only be considered as a possible cause (Calabro, 2011). The goal of masturbation is to achieve orgasm, during or at the time of orgasm there are chemical releases that trigger a feeling of euphoria, what some people feel after this however is guilt or disgust of themselves. The feeling of guilt after masturbation is usually a result of the environment that the person is surrounded by, in religious communities contempt against masturbation is still passed on and if people in those communities do not learn or hear about sexual experiences they may feel like they betrayed their community once orgasm is reached (Mintz, 2018). There were also observances of mentally disturbed patients masturbating which led to the myth of masturbation being a cause or symptom of disorders, but those patients were most likely trying to cope with their situation through masturbation.

Masturbation is a natural instinct contrary to the unnatural label, so much so that there are records of other animal species performing it. Squirrels are one species that participate in masturbation specifically males during their mating season and it is believed that ejaculating can decrease the squirrel’s chances of catching a sexually transmitted infection by flushing their urethras (Waterman, 2010). For human males studies have shown masturbation can also play a role in preventing infection as masturbating activates usually inactive components of the immune system mainly by increasing a type of leukocyte called natural killer cells (Haake, 2004). Natural killer cells combat viral infections, the effect is most likely minimal as it does not guarantee immunity to viruses. Masturbating in general can help a person, male or female satisfy their sexual desires while also avoiding sexually transmitted diseases though they should try to avoid exchanging fluids even if it is their own. Prostate cancer is another disease that masturbation can help decrease the chances of receiving, as multiple studies have shown correlations between males ejaculating during masturbation at younger ages such as in the 20s or 30s decreasing the chances of prostate cancer at later ages (Rider, 2016). The hypothesis behind the decreased chances is that ejaculating pushes out carcinogenic particles out of the penile tracts (Moffit, 2015). The study does not guarantee that masturbating prevents prostate cancer as there can be other factors contributing to a person’s chances such as diet, so masturbation should not be seen as a vaccine to prostate cancer.

For people who want to have children, masturbation is also beneficial in preparation of conception according to multiple studies. When sperm is created they are kept in the testicles until they are ejaculated, but as they wait they can accumulate damage by radiation leading to higher chances to create an offspring with disorders thus masturbation can replace old sperm with new healthier sperm (Baker, 1993). For females wanting to have offspring masturbating can prepare the body for pregnancy as masturbating can increase the levels of prolactin in the body (Exton, 1999). Prolactin is associated with promoting characteristics of pregnancy such as increased body fat and lactation, masturbating males can also raise their prolactin levels, but it is not likely to promote lactation. Females can also benefit from masturbation as the orgasm that follows after persistent stimulation can release endorphins which can help with pain management including menstrual cramps and contractions during pregnancy (Sprouse-Blum, 2010). Thus ironically, the practice that some religious institutions have considered sinful because of its non reproductive nature benefits people who want to have offspring.

Research on female masturbation is less developed when compared to men which is most likely due to the historically male dominated societies and perceptions in those societies that females should repress sexuality. In the present day, there are more concurrent groups attempting to educate males and females on female masturbation and the conversation around masturbation will hopefully become more transparent. Because of the lack of studies directly linking female masturbation to bodily effects, information on how females benefit from masturbation usually comes from connecting available biological information and not on research papers such as the mentioned connection of orgasm during masturbation to reduced pains during menstruation or during pregnancy. Orgasms do release endorphins and other chemicals linked to opiate-like effects, but there has not been a direct link between masturbation and pain reduction only a link between endorphins and pain reduction (Sprouse-Blum, 2010).

Masturbation does not have to be celebrated, but as more research on masturbation is produced and societies become more open to masturbation, people should be informed on masturbation. In some school settings sex education do include masturbation, but if more schools inform students then the students may have an biological alternative to partner sex instead of abstaining with will power. Hopefully more information on female masturbation will also be available to the public and more research on masturbation will be published as it does contribute to a better understanding of the human body. Of course, people do not have to masturbate, but with the information provided, people should ask themselves when alone or with a consenting partner whether they should have some happy time.

References:

 

Baker, R., & Bellis, M. (1993, November). Human sperm competition: ejaculate adjustment by males and the function of masturbation. Retrieved April 22, 2020, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229125576_Human_sperm_competition_ejaculate_adjustment_by_males_and_the_function_of_masturbation_1993

 

Calabro, R. salvatore, Gali, A., Marino, S., & Bramanti, P. (2011, July 27). Compulsive Masturbation and Chronic Penile Lymphedema. Retrieved April 13, 2020, from https://link-springer-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/article/10.1007/s10508-011-9812-7

 

Exton, M. S., Bindert, A., Krüger, T., Scheller, F., Hartmann, U., & Schedlowski, M. (1999). Cardiovascular and endocrine alterations after masturbation-induced orgasm in women. Retrieved April 22, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10367606

 

Gerressu, M., Mercer, C.H., Graham, C.A. et al. Prevalence of Masturbation and Associated Factors in a British National Probability Survey. Arch Sex Behav 37, 266–278 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-006-9123-6

 

Haake, P., Krueger, T. H. C., Goebel, M. U., Heberling, K. M., Hartmann, U., & Schedlowski, M. (2004). Effects of sexual arousal on lymphocyte subset circulation and cytokine production in man. Retrieved April 14, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15316239

 

Planned Parenthood. Masturbation — From Stigma to Sexual Health. (2002, November). Retrieved April 12, 2020, from https://www.plannedparenthood.org/uploads/filer_public/8e/f5/8ef53e54-2fcb-4f92-933e-59fa0a09285b/masturbation_11-02.pdf

 

Mintz, L. (2018, May 30). Masturbation 101: Letting Go of Guilt. Retrieved April 23, 2020, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/stress-and-sex/201805/masturbation-101-letting-go-guilt

 

Moffit, M. Brown, G. (2015, September 10). Is Masturbation Good For You? Youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU3JqoUDkjA&t=2s

 

Nichols, H. (2020, January 23). Masturbation side effects: Myths and facts. Retrieved April 12, 2020, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320265#health-benefits-of-masturbation

 

Rider, J. R., Wilson, K. M., Sinnott, J. A., Kelly, R. S., Mucci, L. A., & Giovannucci, E. L. (2016, December). Ejaculation Frequency and Risk of Prostate Cancer: Updated Results with an Additional Decade of Follow-up. Retrieved April 14, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27033442

 

Sprouse-Blum, A. S., Smith, G., Sugai, D., & Parsa, F. D. (2010, March). Understanding endorphins and their importance in pain management. Retrieved April 23, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3104618/

 

Waterman, J. M. (2010, September 28). The Adaptive Function of Masturbation in a Promiscuous African Ground Squirrel. Retrieved April 22, 2020, from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0013060

 

Picture References:

 

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(2009). Retrieved from https://www.toonpool.com/cartoons/Sex education_47170