The Mental Health Benefits of Masturbation
It’s no secret that stress, anxiety, and depression can all impact our quality of life. The good news is that you don’t have to go Keto or run a marathon to give your mental health a boost. Masturbation offers an enjoyable way to elicit an uptick in one’s mental and hormonal functioning.
All too often masturbation is touted as a once-in-a-blue-moon activity that wine drunk housewives indulge in when they buy a new vibrator. Or it’s seen as the scandalous wank that antisocial tech bros compulsively indulge, getting carpal tunnel and running through cases of tissues while bent over their computer screens.
This article argues that solo sex is a healthy practice. We’ve gathered the best scientific studies that support masturbation as a positive influence on one’s mental health. Want to learn more? Read on.
That thing everyone does but no one talks about . . .
First of all, we need to fight the stigma associated with masturbation. Across families, religions, and cultures, solo sex has been villainized. Common myths regard self-pleasuring as an addiction, a symptom of perversion, or a sign that somebody’s relationship is a failure. None of these ideas are based on science.
Tragically, the internalized shame that results can cause deep mental and emotional distress. You can imagine how this ripples out into one’s sex life and relationships. And wallet, if said human seeks therapy to eventually liberate themself from such sex-negative conditioning.
Masturbation is a healthy lifestyle practice!
Besides the personal empowerment benefits named in this brilliant article, solo sex can have a considerable effect on our mental health.
Let’s take a brief look at the big-picture benefits. The first is that diving into an exploratory masturbation practice can increase your sense of body positivity and self-acceptance. The second big picture benefit is that celebrating solo sex can help you reclaim your sex life from cultural and religious shame. Finally, once you are actively working toward accepting yourself and your desires you will be better able to communicate them with your partners. This kind of sexual empowerment goes a long way when it comes to peace of mind and a sense of fulfilment.
But what about the science of masturbation and mental health? Let’s dig in.
Brain Boost #1: Masturbation reduces stress and anxiety
Bet you aren’t thinking of the unopened messages in your inbox when you’re chasing that big O. And by O, we’re talking about Oxytocin.
Oxytocin is the superhero hormone of stress reduction. Often referred to as “the cuddle hormone,” it’s the secret ingredient of the brain cocktail that makes you feel a bit, well, sleepy. And it hits us like a tidal wave after we climax.
That means that in addition to being able to set aside your to-do list – at least while you’re rubbing one out – masturbation is likely to lead to a better night’s sleep. And we all know that sleep is the bedrock of a healthy mind and body.
Brain Boost #2: Masturbation increases levels of beneficial neurotransmitters
Ever feel a little bit loopy after a good wank? You may have our good friends dopamine and serotonin to thank for that. That’s because these neurotransmitters are both associated with positive feelings and elated moods. And their levels increase considerably with sexual arousal.
Dopamine is our focus and pleasure chasing hormone. Folks with ADHD, in particular, are familiar with its importance, as it’s needed to motivate one’s brain. When we “heart” an Instagram photo, make online purchases, or – you guessed it – enjoy the perfectly healthy and human practice of self-pleasuring, we get a dopamine boost.