How to Stop Masturbating

Men have been enjoying healthy helpings of beef strokin’-off since the dawn of time. For most guys, masturbation is just a normal part of a healthy sex life. After all, flogging the dolphin is a fun, exciting and completely customizable way to pass the time. On top of that, it’s one of the only cost-free activities left in this world. For a growing portion of the male population, however, masturbation is becoming a problem and it’s directly effecting everything from their relationships to their physical wellbeing.

According to research published in the Trauma and Acute Surgery journal, more than half of all injuries to the penis (including accidental penile fractures) are caused by fervent, irresponsible or excessive masturbation. Other reported cases involve things like blood flow strangulation and/or gangrene due to infections caused by unhealed chaffing. Obviously, pocket pool needs to be played in moderation to prevent avoidable issues, but that’s easier said than done for some dudes. The struggle is real.

What Is Masturbation?

Being addicted to jerking off is no laughing matter, even if the slang terms for it are a-plenty and we plan to use them like they’re going out of style. CMD, or compulsive masturbation disorder, is a legitimate concern for millions of men worldwide and most of them fight tooth and nail to reduce the number of times they bash the bishop each week – some to no avail. If you find that masturbating is causing problems or preventing you from performing everyday tasks, it might be time to do something about it. After all, every man deserves to enjoy a healthy relationship with Jack and his beanstalk.

When you badger the witness, A.K.A. masturbate, you engage in one of the most common pastimes, even among other species. Masturbation is a form of self-driven sexual stimulation involving one’s own genitals and it usually lasts until the point of ejaculation. The activity is often done using only the bare hands, although everyday objects and specially made pleasure products are utilized as well. Enjoyed as a type of non-penetrative sex, the five-knuckle shuffle has a wide variety of pros and cons associated with it, although persistent masturbation can make the advantages feel obsolete.

10 Signs of a Chronic Masturbator

Another word for “compulsive” is “gripping” and there couldn’t be a more appropriate synonym right now. Compulsively waxing your crescent may seem like a good idea at the time, but you probably shouldn’t wait until there’s a n unmanageable problem to pull back the reins a little bit. Knowing the most common signs and symptoms of trouble can help you get in front of the issue before it takes a toll on your health and happiness. 

Also known as the secret sex disorder, compulsive masturbation is sometimes difficult to detect and even harder to admit to. Here are the top 10 most glaring signs that you (or someone you love) needs to cut back on the whacking:

1. You’ve become more sexually isolated than before.
   What does it mean to isolate yourself sexually? It means you start subconsciously or consciously avoiding interactions with potential partners and/or making excuses not to have sex with the partner(s) you already have. Basically, you begin locking yourself in the house to pursue your own self-delivered pleasures instead of letting your lover in on the action.
2. You’re starting to argue with your partner more often, especially about sex.
   Because of the new and relatively mysterious change in the dynamics of your existing relationships, emotions become heightened and arguments ensue. Few compulsive masturbators enjoy healthy intimacy, whether that be in or out of the bedroom. In other words, your partner can feel a difference in the way you behave and it’s not a good sign.
3. You have trouble getting to work or concentrating on your tasks when you get there.
   Have you ever been late to work because you were too busy jerking off? Do you have habit of escaping to the bathroom to rub one out during the day? Are you constantly thinking about the next time you get away to get off? If so, then you might have an obsessive relationship with your penis and its ability to cum on cue.
4. You sometimes prefer to masturbate over having sex with a partner.
   You’re given two amazingly pleasurable boxes: one with masturbation in it and another with your partner. Which one do you choose the most? Okay, which one do you want to choose the most? Look, even if you’re opting for a jerk-off session over your partner every once in a while, it’s probably a good idea to keep an eye on things from now on. 
5. You find yourself getting cranky without it.
   At any point if you become moody or irritable because you can’t masturbate, it’s a good sign you need some serious help. We all know it feels really good but get a hold of yourself. Getting shitty because your hands aren’t full of your own dick is kind of lame, not to mention a slippery slope in the wrong damn direction.
6. You have a hard time reaching orgasm if you don’t do it yourself.
   Excessive masturbation can leave you feeling spoiled by your own good work. After a while, you might find it hard to get off without directing the show yourself. This can lead to even bigger problems, which in turn might contribute to the issues mentioned above. On top of that, it leaves you limited to the kinds of pleasures you can experience.
7. You lose an erection during intercourse with a partner.
   Because you’re having a hard time reaching orgasm while playing or having sex with a partner, you might start to lose your erection from time to time too. This is a very disturbing consequence and it could lead to serious embarrassment or worse. Keep in mind, however, that this psychological symptom is not the same as erectile dysfunction, which is physical.
8. You become easily frustrated when it comes to new foreplay and/or sex techniques.
   One of the biggest problems with masturbation is that the better you are at it, the more likely you are to pump yourself into a dark corner. In other words, it’s easy to become set in your ways and not even notice it. If you experience times when you become frustrated while trying new foreplay methods or lovemaking techniques, slow your roll on the masturbation for a while.
9. You’ve sustained avoidable penile injuries.
   As mentioned, nearly 60% of all penile injury cases involve masturbation of some sort. That doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to get hurt by jacking off; it merely means you should consider it a sign of trouble if you’re rousing the rooster so much that you cause damage to your body.
10. You start to experience vision problems.
    Remember, disproportionate levels of certain hormones being released into the bloodstream during masturbation may lead to vision problems that don’t include your eyes rolling back in your head. Now do you see why it’s a good idea to enjoy this pleasurable pastime responsibly? In fact, if you experience anything like this then you should see a doctor right away.

What it all boils down to is having the will to manage yourself and your behaviors. Essentially, you’ll have to teach yourself how to stop masturbating or you’ll have to make an appointment with a physician/psychotherapist – both of which are extremely expensive, inconvenient, time-consuming, embarrassing, and not even effective for all people.

How Excessive Masturbating Negatively Impacts Your Life

They say 90% of people jerk off and the other 10% are hairy-palmed liars. And while there’s no reliable statistic that shows how many men actually beat their meat on a regular basis, one thing is for certain: compulsive masturbation can change the way your mind and body function. According to recent studies, excessive masturbation is pretty much the same thing as self-harm, meaning it might feel good in the moment but it’s doing serious damage in the background. This is not medical advice, but here’s basically how it all breaks down:

• There’s a neuropathway in the brain reserved exclusively for fantasies. It focuses on obsessions, rituals and distractions of escapism.
• When a person masturbates, he or she essentially activates the governing neuropathway that allows them to escape reality.
• If arousal, numbing or injury are combined with the experience – as is the case with masturbation – a potent neurochemical is released into the bloodstream, causing the person to continue the activity even to the point of injury.

Put simply, excessive jerk-off sessions and subsequent ejaculation stimulate delicate nervous system functions in a big way. Hell, the release of serotonin and dopamine alone are enough to change brain wave activity and future hormone levels. On a less scientific note though, disproportionate amounts of self-pleasure can isolate a person, cause sexual performance problems, make organic orgasm more difficult to achieve, and/or create an unnecessary rift in existing relationships. 

For someone guilty of constant masturbation, other health problems may eventually arise as well. Oddly enough, a majority of those problems seem completely unrelated to waxing the Winnebago. Compulsive masturbators can sometimes experience dangerous, life-altering side-effects as a result of being drained of critical brain and body chemicals. Motor functions can lack, memory problems can persist, concentration can become difficult, and eye floaters can start appearing out of nowhere. To prevent those things from happening, it’s important to understand the signs and symptoms of compulsive masturbation.

What Happens When You Stop Jerking Off?

It’s one thing to want to reduce how much you masturbate and it’s another thing to actually pull it off (no pun intended). So, what happens when you stop masturbating? Does it harm you in any way? Will it instantly improve your relationship and love life? Those are some really great questions, so let’s find out the answers before moving on to the latest and greatest way to stop compulsively crank yanking. Here’s what will most likely happen when you refrain from ringing your own bell:

• You will go through a phase where you feel very sexually frustrated.
• Your desire to completely isolate yourself in pursuit of “personal time” will diminish.
• Sexually related arguments with your partner will occur less often (hopefully).
• Your ability to concentrate on work and other daily tasks will improve.
• Intercourse and/or foreplay with your partner will start feeling good again.
• You won’t get so cranky when you’re unable to touch yourself.
• Natural orgasms will begin to feel enjoyable once more.
• Your erections will be stronger and last for longer (unless caused by something else).
• You start to feel more open-minded about new sex techniques.
• You don’t sustain as many physical, mental or emotional injuries.

Don’t you feel better now that you know masturbation compulsion has a silver lining (sort of)? Think of it this way: If you never went through this phase then you would never get to enjoy the other side, where things are more substantial and sensations are renewed. It’s a lot like enjoying the light because you’ve been in the dark for so long. Just be prepared for your eyes to sting a little bit at first. Can’t wait to get to the top of Candy Mountain with all the other disciplined dicks? Start learning ways to stop jerking off as soon as possible. 

Teaching Yourself How to Stop Masturbating

Self-led improvements are always your best bet and that’s especially true when you’re dealing with internal issues like the urge to weed your whacker. Professional treatment of unwanted masturbation addiction can be effective but results can also vary widely from person to person, with some therapy regimens being extremely complex and uncomfortably long-lasting. Unfortunately, the most commonly recommended action is straight-up abstinence, but if that were possible then compulsion probably wouldn’t be an issue to begin with.

Most psychotherapists work with patients to create things called celibacy contracts, but those unenforceable documents require constant use of the honor system and a level of discipline that’s not common among addicts of any kind. The idea behind the method is to allow for a lull in the action just long enough for the underlying issues to surface. Those issues are then met with intense psychotherapy and even sometimes medication – the likes of which can have side effects that negatively affect the patient’s love life. This form of treatment can be incredibly expensive and difficult, at least more so than simply mustering the will to quit on your own.

It may seem extremely difficult, but it’s not impossible to stop whipping up the baby batter. And although intercourse semen and masturbation semen are two totally different things, the result of stopping either one of them cold turkey can be downright devastating, especially to a man who has been constantly white water wristing up until that point. Remember, completely refraining for masturbation is not always necessary as long as you continue to enjoy it in moderation. Just make sure you’re not using self-pleasure as a way to mask latent stress or anxiety issues because, if so, none of the following tips and tricks will work.

Assuming that’s not the case in your situation, here are the top 10 most effective ways to stop masturbating as soon as you’ve made your mind up about doing it (or not doing it, we should say):

• Try to Keep Yourself Busy
  Although you’ve probably been having a lot of trouble concentrating and getting basic tasks completed, now’s the time to really focus on what needs to be done. Try to stay occupied with various hobbies and interests, perhaps some of the ones that you’ve forgotten about since your obsession began. Who knows? You might even discover something new about yourself. The idea is to be too distracted to tickle your dick, so don’t “get busy” watching television or doing something else that gives you ample chance to polish your fender.  
• Develop a Few Coping Strategies
  Nobody said this would be easy. They said it would be worth it. Your willingness to cooperate will help tremendously, but keep in mind that you’re working against your will in many ways. Devise a few strategies to help you cope with the temptations when times get tough. For many people, doing things like reading, writing, listening to and/or performing music, and creating art help soothe the mind while occupying the body. For others, more extreme measures must be taken. Whatever the case may be, try to find something that you enjoy more than masturbating (even if just a little bit).
• Limit Your Alone Time
  Time all by yourself can be very beneficial to your mental and emotional wellbeing, nobody is debating that. But when you have an addiction to masturbation, you should probably try to hang out with friends and family a little more often because that’s a great way to hold yourself accountable to the goal. By limiting your alone time, you naturally decrease the number of opportunities you have to choke your chicken, and most of the time you don’t even notice it happening either. If you’re forced to spend a lot of time without good company, try getting out into the community a little more to attend events and visit exciting locations.
• Find a Compulsive Masturbator’s Support Group
  While you’re out and about looking for things to keep your mind off of meat beating, why not look for like-minded people who are struggling with the same issues you are? Believe it or not, there are tons of support groups for folks who are ready to admit they have a problem with sex, masturbation or both. The candid and therapeutic conversations that take place in those rooms can be very uplifting. Plus, members may be able to give you specialized tips and tricks to help further your success. Either way, you’ll have something new to keep you busy and you’ll get to meet a bunch of new friends in the process. It’s a win-win situation.
• Use Upgraded Sex Toys
  It might seem counter-intuitive but using better sex toys may help you reduce the number of times you masturbate each week (or each day, depending on bad you’ve got the itch). You see, better pleasure products equal better orgasms, which in turn equal fewer attempts to “catch a buzz” so-to-speak. An appropriately upgraded sex toy collection can help you step your game up by allowing you to involve a partner, experiment with different scenarios, and fall in love with in-person orgasm all over again. Even devices without interactive functionality - the Autoblow A.I., for example - can serve the same purpose. The point is to give your dick something it hasn’t seen before.
• Hit Up a Partner When You’re Horny
  Booty calls will never go out of style, especially if you’re in a committed relationship or have a clearly defined friend with benefits. Single people can get down with OPP as well, provided they use protection and take proper precautions when soliciting sex. Either way, asking a partner to please your penis is a much better way to get ‘er done because it establishes and/or promotes better intimacy and prevents you from slipping back into bad habits. And while they might not be able to do it exactly how you like it done, remember that you can always tailor their performance to your unique specifications (wink).
• Stop Watching So Much Porn
  Look, we all love watching porn because, quite honestly, porn is extremely arousing. It makes the viewer want to have sex or masturbate, so you’d naturally want to limit the amount of time you spend enjoying it if you’re trying to learn how to stop masturbating. Peering at pornography of any kind is counterproductive actually, unless of course you’re doing it with a partner you plan to have sex with. Subjecting your senses to pornographic imagery is a powerful thing that may make it physically impossible not to ejaculate. Lead yourself not into temptation but deliver yourself from the evils of compulsive masturbating. Just avoid porn altogether, at least until you’ve got things under control.
• Wear a Cock Cage
  Tame your cock. Constantly getting boners is a pain in the ass (and the lower stomach in my experience). You see Mr. Pickles get hard and you feel obligated to help a fella out. It’s only natural, but it won’t help you stop jerking off anytime soon. If you’re one of those guys who becomes aroused easily or has trouble not touching your genitalia, wear a durable and lockable cock cage to keep yourself in submission. Have a partner who’s supportive of your goals? Ask them to hold onto the key until you’ve been given permission to cum. This technique not only helps control your urge to masturbate but it also serves as a sexy kink that can be used for BDSM and other role playing games.
• Start Working Out
  Did you know that doing exercise can provide the human body with many of the same hormonal changes as sexual intercourse and/or masturbation? Mood-elevating chemicals like serotonin and dopamine get released into the bloodstream during workouts and orgasm, so if you can’t give yourself orgasm then at least give yourself a hot bod as you learn how to not masturbate. Physical activity keeps you busy (see #1) while serving as a coping mechanism for many people (see #2), plus it’s generally free and might even be able to reverse some of the damage caused by your time as a jerk-off junkie.
• Have a Partner Do It for You
  If all else fails, involve your partner for as many masturbation sessions as possible. Usually, a lover is more than happy to assist with sexual gratification if they’re approached gingerly about it. Don’t be too demanding and allow for a learning curve because it will help both of you enjoy the experience much more. Meanwhile, try to incorporate high-end sex toys so it feels more like an occasion than a typical night. Remember: when you can’t stop touching yourself, ask a partner to touch it for you. The right of first refusal can be sexy if wielded by enthusiastic hands.

For many people battling compulsive masturbation, the above-mentioned methods tend to help out a lot. When used in unison and kept up for several weeks, those ten techniques can transform your love life and help you get things back on an even keel. Remember that everyone responds differently and at a distinctive pace, so give yourself enough time to adjust to the new routine and don’t be too hard on yourself in the meantime (literally).

When to See a Doctor about Masturbating Too Much

Fuck what you’ve heard. Masturbating all the time isn’t illegal and it won’t lead to erectile dysfunction either. You’re not going to die from it and your mother isn’t nearly as ashamed as you think she is. Long story short, your desire to stop masturbating should be rooted in self-improvement because, let’s face it, chronic cock pulling isn’t good for your health.

There may come a point when you need the help of a doctor and that’s okay. Those people have far more resources than any article ever could, and their treatment plans can be tailored to the unique requirements of the individual too. Seek medical attention right away if you’re uncomfortable with the number of times you box the clown or if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Uncontrollable mood swings - especially when it pertains to sex
• Unmanageable difficulty controlling your erections - especially when not masturbating
• Inconsistent self-therapy results - especially when multiple attempts have been made
• Blisters or chaffing on the hands or penis - especially if there’s an infection of any kind
• Agoraphobia (reluctance to or fear of going outside) – especially if it hinders your lifestyle, job or relationships
• Performance anxiety – especially if it makes you feel bad about yourself or affects your partner in any way

Let there be no shame in your game. Getting assistance with an important and seemingly impossible goal is commendable because it means you’re not playing around. If you feel as though your personal journey with masturbation obsession would be more advantageous with the help of a professional, you can get in touch with a local sexual health therapist here.