is there any harmful effect of masturbation?
605204
Hope not or I'm REALLY in trouble!
362522
Both from the standpoint of avoiding unwanted pregnancy and that of avoiding sexually transmitted diseases, masturbation is the safest of sexual practices. There is no credible scientific or medical evidence that manual masturbation is damaging to either one's mental or physical health.\n\nMore information\nIt is held in many mental health circles that masturbation can relieve depression and lead to a higher sense of self-worth (Hurlbert & Whittaker, 1991). Masturbation can also be particularly useful in relationships where one partner wants more sex than the other — in which case masturbation provides a balancing effect and thus a more harmonious relationship.
1075047
Dear Alice-\n\nIf a person masturbates once or twice a day, for approximately over a long period of time, like two to three years, would there be any side effects for this person? Or maybe, are there any long-term side effects?\n\nSigned-- Curious Student about Masturbation\n\n \n\nDear Curious Student about Masturbation,\n\nIndividuals vary tremendously in the frequencies with which they masturbate. There are people who never masturbate, those who masturbate two or three times in their lifetime, and those who masturbate three or more times a day, as well as everything in between. Many people masturbate throughout their lifetime without any side effects, other than pleasure. If there is no significant stress in your life (work, school, relationship, family, etc.), and the amount you are masturbating isn't hurting you, why not just enjoy yourself?
1066274
Why oh why is everyone so afraid of masterbation? There are no ill effects of masterbating!!!! IT'S PERFECTLY HEALTHY AND HARMS NO ONE!
1007340
Masturbation, or self-stimulation of the genitals for pleasure, is not a dangerous or bad activity for men or women. In fact, it is quite normal. It cannot cause any health problems-- even though there are many myths that warn of dangers. Masturbation does not cause fertility changes in men or women, such as decreased sperm or egg counts.\n\n    There is no numerical safety limit to how many times a day one can or should masturbate. The only time a person should be concerned is if his or her masturbation is so frequent that it significantly interferes with other aspects of the individual's life. For example, if a young man stops socializing because all he wants to do is masturbate, he may become socially withdrawn which creates its own problems. Otherwise, pleasuring oneself is safe and enjoyable.
1067571
The only side effect I'm aware of is that women who masturbate have better sex generally, as they are more comfortable with their bodies and knowing what gets them off helps them steer men in the right direction.
872570
MASTURBATION MYTHS:\nfrom http://www.jackinworld.com/library/myths.html\n\nChances are, of all the things you've heard about masturbation, most of them were absolutely false. For some reason, misinformation surrounds masturbation like virtually no other topic. How do you spot a masturbation myth? One simple method is to ask yourself if the statement is also true of sexual intercourse. When you're masturbating, your body only knows it's getting sexually stimulated; it doesn't know by what means. So, for instance, if the question is whether or not masturbation causes acne, think of it this way: If it did, intercourse would also cause acne. In fact, neither masturbation nor intercourse cause acne.\n\nMYTH:\nMasturbation causes hair to grow on your palms.\nFACT:\nHow many people with hair on their palms have you seen?  \nMYTH:\nMasturbation causes hair loss, chronic fatigue, and other problems.\nFACT:\nInternet scam artists have tried to invent a concept called "overmasturbation," insisting that you have to buy their expensive herbal pills in order to counteract the effect of masturbating more than a couple of times per week. But the pills have absolutely no effect — and masturbating once or twice a day will not make your hair fall out, or cause anything else they claim.\nMYTH:\nMasturbation is bad for your eyesight. \nFACT:\nMasturbation does not affect eyesight. This myth probably originated because boys often start having to wear glasses at about the same age they start masturbating. \nMYTH:\nMasturbation causes your penis to stop growing (or) to get bigger. \nFACT:\nMasturbation has no effect on penis size whatsoever. \nMYTH:\nMasturbation causes your testicles to shrink.\nFACT:\nAbsolutely false! It is true that if you're highly aroused, your testicles become engorged with blood and may appear slightly larger and heavier, and that masturbating will make them revert to normal. But they will absolutely not be any smaller than after the last time you masturbated. \nMYTH:\nMasturbation causes acne. \nFACT:\nIt doesn't cause acne. Like the eyesight myth, this is a case of two things that happen at the same time, even though one doesn't cause the other. \nMYTH:\nMasturbation causes sexually transmitted diseases. \nFACT:\nHello? "Sexually transmitted" means from one person to another. You can't give yourself a sexually transmitted disease! \nMYTH:\nIf you masturbate too much, you'll run out of semen and become sterile. \nFACT:\nSemen is a fully renewable resource. When you ejaculate semen, your body simply makes more — the same way your body makes more saliva after you spit. \nMYTH:\nPeople can tell whether you masturbate by how your penis looks. \n------------------------------------------------------------------\nMasturbation Frequency:\nhttp://www.jackinworld.com/misc/faqtree1.html#mastfreq\n\nHow often does the average male masturbate?\nIt depends on a lot of factors, the most important being age. For an 18-year-old male, a rough average is once a day or so. This is slightly higher for younger teenagers — maybe 10 or 12 times a week, and slightly lower for older people. You might be surprised by how often adult men masturbate — even happily married men.\n\nI think I'm addicted to masturbation. Is that possible?\nIt is, although many, many people think they're addicted when they're really just doing what comes naturally. For more on this topic, read the article Is Masturbation Addictive?(http://www.jackinworld.com/library/articles/addict.html).\n\nHow can I masturbate less often, or quit altogether?\nIt's tough; it takes a lot of will power. It can be done, especially if you're driven by very strong religious feelings. However, JackinWorld's position is that it's not worth it. We think you should enjoy the harmless pleasures your body can provide.
94269
no, masturbating will have no effects on the baby in later life. masturbating is a safe and normal process to give oneself sexual pleasures and it has no effect on one's health.
205591
IF YOU MEAN MASTURBATION THEN IT IS IN NO WAY HARMFUL.
542231
No it's not OK. Masturbation is OK as long as it doesn't become an addiction, like you have. You should get help, like a psyquiatrist.
536489
Masturbution is a healthy normal response to your body's instinctive sexual drive. Daily masturbation is referred to as overmasturbation and in males can cause several undesirable side effects such as hairy palms, eventual blindess due to the eyes' repetative exposure to seminal fluids, low self esteem from the constant teasing of your older siblings/friends, carpal tunnel syndrome from the constant up and down motion that increases with speed during ejaculation, the list goes on... If you masturbate every day STOP! You may rid your body of all its sperm and will not be able to father children to carry on your legacy!
300079
nothing harmful about having it.  It just means your sac is full.  Are you having sex or mastur*ting.  If not that is why you have it.  If you are it is still no problem
433993
Masturbating does not cause the body to become weak or you to become blind. It keeps you safe until the right person comes along.
986233
There is a strong taboo against masturbation and a lot of myths have been spread. But actually masturbation is very healty. It's good for both genders but especially for males - it is good for our prostate to have a "release" at least once a day.
524458
Nothing, Masturbation isn't nessary. In fact 93% of men mastrtubate nothing bad happens to the other 7 pecent
36685
Depends on who you ask. In some religious circles, it's considered sinful. Many psychologists, doctors, and researchers say it helps relieve tension. No medical research has proved any link to mastrubation and blindness. A recent bit of medical research indicated that it may help prevent prostate cancer. In the end, it's what you are willing to believe, I suppose
479760
Not harmful.  Recent studies have shown that men who "exercise" their reproductive organs on a regular basis have a healthier prostate gland and urinary tracts.  It needs exercise like the rest of the body.  Additionally, pre-ejaculant fluid contain components that cleanse the urinary tract of bacteria, so as to minimize the destruction of sperm.  However, if you m-bate quite often, you may not be able to have an orgasm without "flogging your bishop" yourself.  So make sure you "exercise" that area in other ways besides just m-bating.