The act of masturbation is probably the one sexual experience that is surrounded by several myths. Masturbation includes the stimulation of the sex organs to obtain pleasure and it may or may not lead to ejaculation and/or orgasm and boys as well as girls indulge in the same.
Masturbation has always been an epicentre for a plethora of conflicts, myths and misconceptions, arising mainly due to ignorance and hearsay and it owes this negativity to western thinking. The theological decree being “it” is a sin. Not just theologists but even doctors, until recently, believed in the so-called “harm” caused by masturbation. In fact, S. Tissot, a Swiss physician added a new dimension to the myth by propagating a theory that masturbation was a disease and hence needed a cure.
However, the fact is that masturbation is a perfectly normal and healthy act. To quote a famous sex researcher, “95 per cent of the population masturbates and the remaining five per cent are lying!” Masturbation is a substitute for sexual intercourse. The difference between masturbation and sex is that the former is entirely self-oriented unlike sexual intercourse, which is a shared experience; the objective being mutual pleasure or procreation.
In fact, masturbation is often the first form of sexual expression and it is chaperoned by sexual fantasies. Hence, it may cause psychological stress and the ability to deal with this stress differs from person to person depending on their attitudes and backgrounds.
The bottom-line is that masturbation is normal, common and typical. There is absolutely no need to feel guilty or ashamed about masturbating and it does not lead to any health deficit. Masturbation is even being recommended as a therapeutic tool in the treatment of sexual problems.
The writer is a sexologist.
You can mail him at dr.narayana@deccanmail.com [1]
Links:
[1] mailto:dr.narayana@deccanmail.com