Each person must decide for himself or herself how much to masturbate. Professionals agree that there are no physical or mental implications for frequent masturbation, unless it is symptomatic of an obsessive/compulsive disorder (OCD). Symptoms of OCD are repeatedly performing a behavior to the extent that it interferes with daily functioning, professional responsibilities, or personal relationships.

Behaviors that are performed to reduce stress or alleviate tension, including masturbation, are not considered symptomatic of a disorder unless they interfere with a person’s daily personal or professional life or hinder a person from fulfilling their responsibilities and commitments.

A sign of a potential problem for men is if you find it difficult to become aroused or maintain an erection when with a woman, but you're fine alone. Sometimes men masturbate so much that they find it hard to climax during intercourse. But, just as you can teach yourself to last longer, you can also teach yourself to react to different levels of friction.


Are There Side Effects to Masturbating?

There are no harmful side effects of masturbation. The American medical community pronounced masturbation as normal in the 1972 publication Human Sexuality. Medical science has debunked many myths formally associated with masturbation, such as hair growing on the palms, insanity, or that masturbation will drain excessive energy from the body.

Some people report feeling guilty about masturbating. Negative feelings associated with any behavior can threaten a person’s health and well being.


What Percentage of Men and Women Masturbate?

Masturbation is a very common behavior.  Both men and women masturbate, even among people who have sexual relations with a partner.  Regardless of cultural attitudes and values, masturbation has been found in all societies, but finding out what percentage of them masturbate depends on which survey or study you read.

There have been many studies and surveys done over the years.  When all of the information is compiled and averaged, indications are that on average 72% of women masturbate and 95% of men masturbate. 

It's important to note that in study conducted by University of Chicago sociologists, during face-to-face interviews only 38% of women and 61% of men said they'd masturbated at all during the past year. Because most other studies have resulted in much higher numbers, it's possible that the face-to-face format suppressed response. Some people might not have admitted masturbating to an interviewer.