Masturbation is a sexual act that involves self-sexual stimulation of the genitals for sexual arousal and sometimes up to the point of achieving an orgasm. The act of sexual stimulation is usually done by hand, fingers, or with sex toys such as vibrators or dildos.
Planned-parenthood organization recently reported a rising number of cases of men seeking medical consultation due to the shrinking of their penises. Many of them had one thing in common; they regularly masturbated.
This new information got me thinking, can masturbation make your penis smaller? Yes, masturbation can make your penis smaller if done excessively and is generally caused by penile tissue damage either through a process known as Atrophy which is the wasting away of body tissue which in our case is the aggressive physical force caused by a hand during masturbation or penis trauma.
Causes of Masturbation
Between the ages of 11 – 13, boys’ testosterone levels are on the overdrive, and he starts looking at girls differently. The scent of estrogen from the girls and their expanding breasts provide an extraordinary sexual attraction for the boys, and masturbation provides the avenue of the release of this sexual urge built up over time.
I have summarized the causes of masturbation below:
Hormones that trigger the healthy development of genitals
Having sexual urges and thoughts
Unavailability of a satisfactory sexual partner at that time
Unwillingness to restrain acting on those sexual urges until such a time a satisfactory partner is available.
Benefits of Masturbation
Masturbation is a normal and healthy sexual activity. Research done on sexual stimulation has shown that masturbation many benefits as listed below:
Releases sexual tension built up over time
Reduces stress by releasing ‘feel good’ hormones
Improves self-esteem and body image
Relieves menstrual cramps and muscle tension
Strengthens muscle tone in your pelvic and anal areas
Couples can agree to masturbate together to explore different desires and to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
Helps you sleep better
Side Effects of Masturbation
Masturbation doesn’t have any harmful severe side effects, apart from the general feeling of guilt depending on an individual cultural and religious upbringing. Below are some of the side effects of masturbation.
Guilt Feelings
The people, who subscribe to cultural, spiritual and religious beliefs that view masturbation as something immoral, will have guilty feelings when engaging in the act and this affects their self-esteem and how they see themselves within their communities.
Addiction
Some people can develop an addiction to masturbation, which would eventually affect their ability to become productive members of society. Spending too much time masturbating can cause you to:
Skip your daily chores and activities
Miss work, school and even essential events you had earlier planned to attend
Nutrient Deficiency
Studies have shown that excessive masturbation can cause a nutrient deficiency in a variety of essential nutrients responsible for the growth of genitalia such as zinc, acetylcholine and nitric oxide which is extremely useful in opening up blood vessels that take blood into the penis.
Controlling Masturbation
If you feel you would have an addiction to masturbation, consult a counselor or therapist to work out the root causes of the problem. You can cut down the time you spend masturbating by replacing it with other activities such as:
Going for a walk or jogging
Writing in your journal
Get out and spend time with your friends
