Masturbation – is it a taboo or not?

Written by Dr. Arun Bhat P., Consultant Psychiatrist
Read time - 10 minutes

Word “masturbation” elicits a mixed reaction in people. Why does it carry a lot of taboo & stigma? The word masturbation means “deliberate erotic self-stimulation”. In India it is colloquially called as “Hasta Maithuna (Hasta – Hands & Maithuna – Sexual intercourse).

Although it is a subject of taboo & has been viewed negatively in various cultures it is much more prevalent. It is estimated that around 80-90% of males & 40-60% of females masturbate in their lifetimes. Self-stimulation of genital organs is also seen in some children without the sexual context. We can see examples of such behaviours in animals also.

In males, masturbatory processes usually involve stimulation of penis (especially glans penis) to the point of orgasm & ejaculation. It is usually done with hands but rubbing against objects & clothing is also not uncommon. Whereas stimulation or rubbing of vulva, clitoris, breasts & insertion of foreign body inside vagina are different forms of masturbation seen in females.

Discussion about masturbation raises following questions – Whether this behaviour is abnormal or unnatural? Does it defile the natural order of things? How much & to what extent masturbation is considered normal? One should note that any behaviour which is done excessively & causing harm to an individual's personal, social spheres of life is abnormal. For example, if a person drinks a lot of water thinking it as healthy can pose serious risk to his health. Similar is true for masturbation. Self-stimulation of genital organs is seen even during infancy. But once a person reaches puberty & gains sexual understanding which happens usually at the age of 14 years onwards, self-stimulation gains context of sexuality and can be called as masturbation. 

Masturbatory behaviour depends on individual to individual & his/her sexual desire. Frequency of masturbation can range from multiple times a day to a few times a month. Also, some individuals practice in privacy, hygienically & safely. It can be considered abnormal if an individual practices multiple times which affects his day-to-day activities or using some objects which can cause harm or ill effects on his body and genitals. Sometimes in males, rubbing the genital against rough surfaces or using rough hollow objects can lead to abrasions on the glans penis which may increase the risk of infections like Balanitis, scarring & deformities like Phimosis. To achieve intense sexual experiences sometimes violent movements of erect penis can lead to penile fracture & Peyronie’s disease. To increase sexual pleasure foreign objects are inserted into the urethra which can cause serious health problems. In females, insertion of foreign objects inside the vaginal or anal cavity can get stuck and cause obstruction. There are chances of introducing infection increase when masturbation is done with taking proper hygienic measures. Sexual fantasies & watching pornographic content is usually accompanied while masturbating but both masturbation & watching pornography can turn into an addiction if not kept in check.

One of the most common misconceptions which we come across is that masturbation can cause ill effects to the body. Especially in north India & in males, there is a particular belief that in a drop of “Dhat” (Semen), a lot of food and energy is invested and hence it needs to be preserved. If it is taken out it can cause severe bodily harm & weakness. Hence most of the times sexual desire is suppressed to prevent masturbation. But due to gradual building up of sexual tension, these individuals have dreams of sexual content and have “nocturnal emission” (Sapna Skalana) of semen. Along with that they can also have semen discharge while passing urine. This causes a lot of anxiety & guilt in them leading to a condition called “Dhat syndrome”, characterised by fatigue, lower body aches, anxiety, depression, & sleeplessness. Also, there are many misconceptions like infertility, blindness, damage to the genital organs, mental illnesses, loss of hair & death can be a consequence in both sexes who practice masturbation. 

On the contrary masturbation, can have a lot of positive benefits both on mental & physical health. Physical health benefits include better sleep, reduced headaches, better physical & sexual endurance. Stress reduction, improved concentration, improved body image, increased self-esteem, reduction of depression & anxiety, increased mastery over sexual impulses can be some of the mental health benefits. In women it can help to alleviate issues like relieving menstrual cramps and muscle tension, vaginal dryness, pain during sex (dyspareunia) and vaginismus. In women, masturbation can increase cervical mucus production which can be a protective factor against cervical infection and help strengthen the pelvic and anal area. In men, it helps to flush out old semen and to create fresh semen in the body. Masturbation is also found to be a protective factor against Prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction & premature ejaculation in males.

In the history of humankind, masturbation has been viewed with both positive & negative connotations. In Egyptian civilization, people believed that God Atum created the universe with his ejaculate after masturbating. The Sumerians believed the great god "Enki" created the rivers Tigris and Euphrates by masturbating, which was the lifeline of their civilization. In Abrahamic religions, masturbation is viewed as sinful & strictly forbidden. It is considered that ejaculation outside of a woman’s body is a loss of vital essence. In ancient India, it was believed that all humans strive to achieve the four Purusharthas, i.e., Dharma (righteousness), Artha (wealth), Kama (desires), & Moksha (liberation). In many ancient & celebrated temples of India, one can see many sculptures depicting sexual intercourse & masturbation, but the inner sanctorum is devoid of such sculptures. These sculptures convey the abstract meaning that if one has experienced the worldly pleasures, then there is clarity in the mind that can focus upon the Divine, and he or she can attain liberation. An aspect of Kama, "Sex" is viewed as a sacred art of creation & extensively discussed by Vatsyayana in Kamasutra. Kamasutra encourages the healthy practice of masturbation, especially for women, i.e., in moderation, without guilt, hygienically, & using lubricants. It can create diversity in a person’s sexual life. On the other hand, in yogic tradition, sexual energy has tremendous potential, & semen is a powerful force that has the capacity to create life. Yogic tradition urges people to conserve semen and sublimate sexual energy into spirituality. In a literal sense, it seems to discourage masturbation, but it conveys that overindulgence in masturbation can distract one from the path of spirituality. The tantric tradition focuses only on attaining divinity. In tantra, sex & masturbation are part of the "left-hand path" (vamachara) practice, and these practices revolve around shedding the bias of "good or bad" and seeing the divine in everything.

There is another misconception that people in relationships or marriages don’t masturbate. On the contrary, masturbation can increase the sexual health of an individual. In addition, it helps to decrease apprehension, build trust between partners, break taboos & hesitations between them, and spice up their sexual lives. Masturbation is an important tool to overcome sexual dysfunction among couples, and it has been used in the "Sensate Focus" exercise developed by Master & Johnson. "Sensate Focus" has five stages aiming to help the individual feel relaxed & comfortable while experiencing giving and receiving pleasure without having any expectation or pressure to become aroused or achieve orgasm. It will reduce performance anxiety in an individual & help reduce "spectatorship," in which, instead of taking part in sexual intercourse, he or she focuses on their own performance with a fear of not being able to satisfy their partner. Masturbating in front of the partner & mutual masturbation are the important steps in this exercise, which helps to reduce the timidity between the partners. It encourages the individual to know their partner and what pleases them the most, enables them to be creative, and communicate their likes and dislikes. Masturbation serves as an important channel to release sexual energies & desires among couples when the other partner is not available due to pregnancy, menstruation, being away in a different place, etc., thereby reducing the chances of infidelity.

If there are conflicts and disharmony in a relationship, regular sexual intercourse can help heal the bridge, while masturbation can become an escape for the partner and further delay the resolution. Red flags about masturbation are using it as a substitute for real-life experience, causing physical soreness, addiction, and habituation, and as the only way to deal with emotional distress.

In the end, Masturbation is definitely not a taboo. One need not fear or feel guilty about the same. Same fear has been exploited by many quacks to make money. It doesn’t cause sexual dysfunction, sexual development problems, abnormalities in the sex organs but one needs draw the line when it becomes a habit causing biological, social, psychological issues.