Each year, about 1000 people die trying to strangle themselves while masturbating, this is known as Autoerotic Asphyxiation. When the brain’s supply of oxygen is cut off temporarily (asphyxia), a person experiences a euphoric high seconds before he loses consciousness. There are people addicted to this. These Autoerotic asphyxiators chase this high in order to experience the next level of sexual thrill and end up strangling themselves with cords, ropes, scarves, and ties. Though bizarre, some even resort to sealing their heads in plastic bags! Doctors, as well as psychologists never talk about this issue as they do not want to put dangerous ideas in the heads of young and inexperienced people. But such a step could be seen as a double-edged sword, as young people need to be made aware of the dangers they could put themselves in, in their search for a pleasurable thrill but it could also give them dangerous ideas leading to serious harm, especially as sexual asphyxiation could lead to cardiac arrest and coma.
What is addiction?
An addiction is an urge to do something that is hard to control or stop. General signs of addiction are lack of control or inability to stay away from a substance or behavior. People with addictive disorders may be aware of their problem, but be unable to stop it even if they want to. The addiction may cause health problems as well as problems at work and with family members and friends.
What is Masturbation?
Masturbation is the sexual stimulation of one’s own genitals for sexual arousal or other sexual pleasure, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation may involve hands, fingers, everyday objects, sex toys such as vibrators, or combinations of these. Mutual masturbation is masturbation with a sexual partner and may include manual stimulation of a partner’s genitals or be used as a form of non-penetrative sex.
Addiction to masturbation
Some people can and do develop an addiction to masturbation. You may be spending too much time masturbating if masturbation causes you to:
- skip your chores or daily activities
- miss work or school
- cancel plans with friends or family
- miss important social events
Addiction to masturbation can harm your relationships and other parts of your life. Masturbating too much may interrupt your work or studies, which can lower productivity. It may also hurt your romantic relationships and friendships because you don’t spend as much time with your loved ones as you used to, or don’t pay attention to their needs. Abstinence from masturbation is frequently recommended as a strategy to improve one’s sexual self-regulation. READ: Side Effects of Masturbation in Females
How to Stop Masturbation Addiction Permanently
Making the Decision to Change
Sooner or later, most people who have an addiction decide a change needs to happen. Once the decision is made, most people have a specific goal in mind. It might be to quit entirely, to quit some addictive behaviors or substances (but not all), or to reduce the amount of time or money masturbating. Getting clear on your goal before putting it into practice is helpful for success in changing addictive behavior.
Although quitting entirely is the best path to wellness, making the decision to change, and deciding what that change will look like, is a process that often takes a while. This is known as the contemplation stage because it involves contemplating, or thinking about, whether to change and what the change should involve. Make a plan for avoiding masturbation during your go-to times of the day. If you have problems before going to bed or in the shower, refrain from any temptation to masturbate. For instance, if it’s a problem late at night, drop to the floor and do push-ups until you’re too exhausted to do anything but fall asleep. If you find shower time too tempting, start using ice cold water only, you won’t want to be in there for long; a cold shower will offer the added benefit of saving you time and water. Consulting a doctor, addiction counselor, or psychologist is particularly helpful at this stage, as these professionals can help you understand the risks and what can help alleviate them. SEE: Does Masturbation Cause Hair Loss?
Consult a Doctor, Addiction Counselor, or Psychologist
Make an appointment with a medical professional. Counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists are all trained to help people with varying levels of addiction. Start by seeing a therapist in your area, who can assess your addiction and refer you to more specialized help if necessary. Discuss how masturbation affects your life with the therapist. Some people may use masturbation as a way to distract them from other feelings, emotions, and problems. Try to be open with your therapist as you discuss the impact that masturbation has on your life. It may take a few sessions for you to feel comfortable with your therapist, this is natural. Take the time you need. If you feel empty, sad, or angry before or after masturbation, share these details with your therapist. They can help you determine the source of your feelings. Discuss your treatment options. Masturbation addiction is considered by some to be a form of sex addiction. Your therapist may recommend a combination of medication and cognitive behavioral therapy to help you work through it. SEE: Does Masturbation Cause ED?
Stop watching porn on your computer. One of the reasons you may be masturbating so much is that you know that you can access porn within seconds if you desire. However, if you don’t have the willpower to stop looking at the porn on your own, then you may have to take other measures to get the job done: Consider installing porn-blocking software on your computer. Of course, you will know the password to bypass the blocking function, but just having it pop up will remind you of your priorities. You can also type a random password in a text file, copy and paste it when you enter your password and verify it, then delete the text file. Then, you will not be able to know the password of your own porn-blocker. This is the best way to keep you strong and spare you the struggle. If you have the tendency to masturbate looking at porn on the computer, try moving your computer into a room where others can see you. If you have a physical collection of porn, dispose of it ASAP (as soon as possible).
Always Keep Yourself Busy
Find another outlet for your time and energy. Fill your life with engaging activities. The excitement of doing something different can help replace the urge to masturbate, and you’ll have a go-to distraction next time you’re tempted. Try some of these options:
Be creative. The process of turning sexual urges into creative output (called sublimation) is something upon which monks and sages have relied upon for centuries. Start writing, learn to play a musical instrument, paint, draw, or do whatever else makes you feel like you’re doing something productive.
Play sports. It takes discipline and persistence to excel at a sport. Develop an interest in running or swimming, or a group sport like soccer, football, basketball, or tennis. Also, any form of exercise will help you relieve tension, feel happier, and make you focus on your physicality in a positive way. Yoga is another form of exercise that can help you feel more relaxed and less likely to feel the sudden urge to masturbate.
Eat a healthy diet. Fruits and vegetables have healthy effects on the body and provide nutrients necessary to increase your energy to make you more active throughout the day. Minimize consumption of aphrodisiac foods, such as oysters, salmon, chili peppers, coffee, avocados, banana, and chocolate.
Find a new hobby, or cultivate a skill. Learning something that takes a while to master can refocus your brain on the delayed gratification of achieving goals instead of the instant gratification of masturbation. Try skills like cooking, woodshop, archery, baking, public speaking, or gardening.
Volunteer your time. Devote your energy to helping teens who’ve been less fortunate than you, such as working at a shelter, tutoring low-income students, cleaning up blighted areas, or raising money for a good cause. You’ll get an altruistic feeling from helping others, and you’ll have less time to stray from your goals.
Get enough sleep. Urges to masturbate can be exceedingly strong, so make sure you have enough energy to fight those urges. Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep. If you frequently forget to go to bed at a reasonable hour, set an alarm to remind you. SEE: Does Masturbation Cause Acne(Pimples)?
Limit your solitude. If you masturbate frequently because you feel lonely, find ways to be as socially engaged as possible. This means that you should join as many clubs or activities as you can, accept and give more invitations to people, and go out of your way to make more friends. If you want to date someone, consider asking a friend to set you up or join an online dating site. Another thing you can do is to limit the times when you are likely to be home alone. If you tend to masturbate in the hour or two before your parents get home from work, go for a walk during that time, or do your homework in a coffee shop. Even if all of your friends are busy, you can still limit your impulse to masturbate by going out in public. For instance, instead of watching the game at home by yourself, watch it at a sports bar. Even if you’re not hanging out with friends, you will not be alone, ultimately having no time for masturbation.
Be persistent and patient. Stopping a masturbation addiction won’t hit you like a lightning bolt. It’s a process that requires commitment, and you might make mistakes or relapse on occasions. The real struggle is persevering, so commit now that you won’t let little mistakes stand in your way.
Set up a reward system. Bribe yourself to stay on track with rewards for good behavior. For instance, if you can go two whole weeks without masturbating once, treat yourself to a small indulgence like a new game or an ice cream cone. Read: Side Effects Of Masturbation In Males
