Masturbation

This is a method of sexual pleasure that is self-stimulated to achieve orgasm.

Genital self-stimulation or masturbation is a frequent practice during adolescence. Hormonal arousing occurs during this stage, and is accompanied with sexual impulses (sexual desire), and masturbation is a way to calm them.

When an adolescent becomes a young adult, this practice tends to diminish considerably. Any way, it’s not a problem, it’s something natural, it’s a way to discover sexual impulses and that’s why it should never be feared.    

In adolescence, girls spend more time in romantic fantasies; that’s they way they may express their sexual impulses. Boys masturbate more often. Either of them, fantasies and masturbation, is common. Half of teenage girls and two thirds of teenage boys masturbate.

This is the most common way teenagers achieve sexual satisfaction. It’s the way they express their sexual behaviours, and a way to express initial fantasies.

Why is masturbation so frequent in adolescents?

There are several reasons:

First, the sexual pleasure it carries; curiosity on obtaining a pleasure that, until then, has been unknown. When the person is older, it’s a way to discharge anxiety or everyday stress.

During these years, masturbation will be the way to discover sexuality, as a first step toward a much more mature relationship.

Does masturbation have any consequence?

From a medical point of view, masturbation does not cause any negative health effect. There are no studies or statistics that show that a teenager can masturbate too much. Some teenagers masturbate several times a day; others weekly or never.

Masturbation can be a problem if it’s done compulsively, and starts interfering with everyday life, instead of being just a pleasure moment. Compulsive masturbation is not harmful to the body, but it can be a symptom of other emotional disorders that need specific treatments.  

There are several myths about masturbation: promotes impotence, mental problems, the size and form of the penis will change, stimulates early ejaculations, or stimulates growing hair in your hands…., or any other physical manifestation. There is no scientific evidence for any of these.

Adapted from http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/expert/body/expert_masturbation.ht ml