Researchers have analyzed the impact of masturbation on mental health.
- Frequency of masturbation is not linked to worse or better mental health, a new study finds.
- On the other hand, people who masturbated too much or not enough for their liking fared less well psychologically.
- The results also revealed that men masturbate more often than women on average.
New research suggest that the psychological consequences of masturbation are not strictly linked to its frequency but rather to the perception of control one has over it.
Masturbation and mental health: contradictory studies
Previous studies have shown conflicting results when it comes to the effects of masturbation on mental health. Some research has suggested that masturbation may have positive effects on mood and stress reduction, while others have raised concerns about excessive masturbation. This complexity prompted scientists to undertake a more in-depth study.
“Some studies suggest that masturbation may play a role in treating certain sexual dysfunctions, while other studies claim that masturbation may turn into compulsive sexual behavior with pornography,” says study author Sijia Huang, a master’s candidate in psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University.
What are the links between masturbation and mental health?
To better understand the links between masturbation and mental health, researchers conducted a study on a sample of 12,271 Finnish twins and their siblings aged 18 to 49. Participants were asked to share information about their frequency of masturbation as well as their level of psychological distress. The data for this study were collected during two separate collections in 2005 and 2006.
The results revealed that men masturbated on average more often than women, with an average frequency of 3.18 times per week for men and 1.62 times per week for women.
Interestingly, men did not report higher levels of psychological distress than women, despite their higher frequency of masturbation. In contrast, men and women who masturbated more or less than they wanted tended to report higher levels of psychological distress.
Masturbation and mental health: more research is needed
In conclusion, this vast study on masturbation and its psychological impact highlights the complexity of this subject. It should also be noted that this study has limitations, such as the use of self-reported data. Therefore, further research is needed.
