Sep 4, 20205 min read

Don't Hate. Masturbate!

"Masturbation: the primary sexual activity of mankind. In the nineteenth century, it was a disease; in the twentieth, it's a cure." — Thomas Szasz (fellow of the American Psychiatric Association)"

Dear Reader,

A little self-love never hurt anybody...or did it? There are many myths that have and still do revolve around the self pleasurable act of masturbation. There’s a long history of why the world originally viewed this act as “evil” and “self polluting”; which did involve the spread of Christianity BUT had more to do with Physicians than we give credit. Dating back to the 1800s there arose a medical superstition about masturbation, declaring it as a disease that led people to insanity. With the development of asylums to treat the mentally ill, there was an increase in patients who openly and frequently masturbated. Unfortunately, because sexual arousal creates a sense of nervous excitation, physicians linked a correlation between the health of the brain & body to the act of masturbation.

Some of the most famous misconceptions and myths around masturbation were that one would go blind, become infertile or impotent, or even grow hair on their palms! In 1894, Swiss physician Samuel Auguste Tissot wrote the book, "Treatise on the Diseases Produced by Onanism", where he claimed that loss of semen under any condition outside of creating offspring would cause health hazards. Tissot believed that illness and insanity were results of “self-pollution.” Arount this time as well, John Harvey Kelloggs who was a leading sex scientist and-wait for it- the inventor of corn flakes, began to misinform soceity by spreading misconceptions based off of his his beliefs on sexuality. It was said that John also confidently expressed his pride in NEVER having sex with his wife of 40 years (a moment of silence for Mrs. Kelloggs).

Kelloggs recommended performing circumcisions on boys without anesthetics and applying carbolic acid to the clitoris of girls. Following, there were a number of devices that were invented in order to restrain people from participating in the act of masturbation, and unfortunately, circumcision mutilation is still a thing happening to this very day in some countries.

It wasn’t until the 20th century that physician Henry Havelock Ellis debunked Tissot’s theory on masturbation causing illness. He wrote that “sexuality is a healthy normal manifestation of human nature.” Fun fact about Mr. Ellis, he wrote the first textbook on homosexuality and published some of the very first works on transgenderism! Thanks to Ellis pushing the boundaries on the beliefs surrounding masturbation, over the years society has become more comfortable and less ashamed of the act of masturbating. Yay for progressive thinking!

I really had no true understanding of masturbation until I was around the age of 15. I feel like I was late compared to most of my friends and that’s probably because I did come from a Christian household. But now that I’ve learned to appreciate all its wonder and abundance of benefits, I can confidently let you in on all the tea as to why it’s good for you.

1. It contributes to a healthy immune system 😷

In 2003 researchers conducted an experiment with 11 volunteers who abstained from sex for 24 hours, watched porn, and masturbated immediately after. The controlled session watched a documentary and refrained from masturbating. The volunteers who did masturbate displayed increased levels of white blood cells. Obviously it’s not going to make you immune to COVID but this just shows that some health benefits can come out of this sexual activity, how’s that for “self-pollution” Samuel Tissot?

2. It may lower your risk for prostate cancer 💙

Researchers tracked almost 32,000 men over 18 years and found that those who ejaculated most often, at least 21 times a month, had 20% less of a chance of getting prostate cancer than those who only did 4-7 times a month. As of now, it’s looking like it might be a contributing factor. Yes, there’s so much more research left BUT there’s no loss in masturbating 21 times a month, is there boys?

3. Pelvic muscle workout 🧘

I bet your trainer forgot to tell you this one, so I will. The pelvic floor supports organs like the bladder and uterus, when contracted often they can help women avoid leaking pee when you sneeze, laugh, or cough. This can be especially helpful post-pregnancy! You can also work these muscles by doing Kegels, which are strengthening exercises for the pelvic muscles. Quickly put: you can do this when you’re peeing by stopping the stream or you can pretend literally anywhere you go, nobody’s gonna know...how would they know?

4. If you wanna be the tortoise and not the hare... ⏱

If you find that you’re having trouble lasting long in bed, maybe try masturbating an hour before a date. It might help you with having more control when it's time for you and your partner to get intimate. This way you are able to train and time yourself, pushing one more minute every time you get to your goal.

5. Increased libido 😻

Most often you’ll find that the more you stimulate yourself, the more you’re going to want to be stimulated. If you find that you’re having a low libido, maybe start out by slowly touching yourself and you might find that you now have an increased desire for getting sexual. Many people with vaginas experience low libidos because of mood changes, vaginal pain during sex, pregnancy, or fatigue. Definitely try some self-pleasing to help get yourself back to being sexually aroused.

6. Post orgasm glow ✨

We love a good skincare routine so what happens when you’re masturbating is that there’s an increase in blood flow to your skin. The blood vessels open up and oxytocin that’s released when you orgasm can reduce inflammation, making zits and rashes less prominent. Please make sure to still continue washing your face though!

7. Menstrual cramp Relief 🔪

Sometimes the banana’s don’t work and you’re all out of Advil. Prostaglandins are hormone-like chemicals that prompt your uterus to contract the release of unnecessary lining, causing the knife-like stabbing pains in your lower abdomen, AKA cramps. When you masturbate, endorphins may relieve stress and pain which is why I’ll do this when I’m not feeling well because a) it takes your mind off of the pain and b) the endorphins are there to help make things feel a little better.

8. Nighty Night 💤

If you find that you’re having trouble sleeping and you’ve counted over 100 sheep try having an orgasm before bed. Orgasms release prolactin, serotonin, and oxytocin which lead to happiness and relaxation. You’re guaranteed to fall asleep if you’re in a more relaxed state.

9. Getting to know your body 💖

Last but not least, get to know your own body. I love this one because it’s always important to get comfortable and familiar with your body. You want to discover what you enjoy and what you don’t particularly like, but you also want to learn how to please yourself so that when it’s time to experience this with someone else, you can help guide them.

Sex is great but so is getting to know your body in this intimate way. Next time you find yourself hesitant to do self-pleasing, remember all of these little benefits you can get from masturbating. There’s no need to be ashamed or feel guilty for bringing yourself pleasure, so find a comfortable and private place to give your body the extra love it needs!

Sincerely,

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