Dr. Tara Suwinyattichaiporn has highlighted the importance of not opposing masturbation in one’s life.
Surprisingly, engaging in activities like masturbation is quite beneficial for one’s health, contrary to the perception of it as merely an act of boredom or something associated with being single.
Madison Prewett, known from the 2020 season of The Bachelor, recently shared her 10-year commitment to avoiding ‘sexual sin’, yet this isn’t necessarily commendable due to potential adverse health effects.
During her appearance on the Stay True podcast, Prewett discussed how her renewed faith led her to stop consuming adult content and refrain from self-pleasure.
“This has been a struggle,” she shared with her audience. “It’s been a significant part of my story, something I’ve wrestled with since middle school.
“Thankfully, by God’s grace and support from a Godly community, I have been free from porn and masturbation for… I don’t even know, 10 years?”
Sex and relationship expert Dr. Suwinyattichaiporn has examined the effects on the body during periods of abstinence, and Prewett might find these findings important.
A 2021 study at UCLA found that 38 percent of 18 to 30-year-old Californians had no sexual partners in the previous year, up from 22 percent in 2011. Dr. Suwinyattichaiporn informed The Daily Mail that avoiding sex and masturbation can cause severe physical and mental symptoms.
Men, in particular, might face the risk of penile atrophy, where the penis tissue loses elasticity, potentially reducing its size by up to two centimeters.
Tobias Kohler, an assistant professor of urology at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, explained to WebMD: “If [men] don’t do anything to maintain normal erections, they will experience shortening of the penis.”
However, scientific research on the direct link between sexual inactivity and penile atrophy hasn’t yet determined the timeline for this condition to develop.
According to Suwinyattichaiporn, it might take more than five years without sex for such changes to occur.
For women, infrequent penetrative sex can lead to vaginal atrophy, characterized by drier and thinner vaginal walls, which can cause discomfort during intimacy.
Additionally, men face an increased risk of prostate cancer with prolonged sexual inactivity.
The connection is related to sperm, as researchers suggest that carcinogens accumulating in the prostate over time elevate cancer risk. Regular ejaculation might help prevent cancer by clearing out harmful chemicals in the semen (via Urology Care Foundation).
On the mental health front, Suwinyattichaiporn observed that those who abstain from masturbation or regular sexual activities may suffer from heightened stress, anxiety, depression, and anger issues due to sexual frustration.
Realistically speaking, is there a reason to deprive oneself of such benefits?