Will masturbation affect the life of a couple (suggestions from a sex therapist)

　　For married life, harmony and happiness are the goals pursued by many partners. The potential impact of masturbation, a private act, should not be underestimated. Will masturbation affect the life of a couple? Let’s hear some professional advice from a sex therapist.

The normality of masturbation

　　Common phenomenon: Sex therapists point out that masturbation is a very common way of sexual behavior, and masturbation may occur in both men and women. When single, masturbation is a way to release sexual needs ； After having a partner, some people will retain the habit of masturbating. From a medical and psychological perspective, moderate masturbation is not harmful to the body, but helps relieve sexual stress and release sexual impulses.

　　Normal physiological and psychological reactions: Masturbation is a manifestation of human sexual instinct and a normal physical and psychological reaction. After puberty, with the secretion of sex hormones, sexual needs gradually arise, and masturbation becomes a way for some people to explore their sexual feelings and reactions. This kind of self-exploration helps, in part, to understand your own body and sexual preferences.

possible impact

　　Effects of excessive frequency: If the frequency of masturbation is too high, it may have a negative impact on the life of a couple. Sex therapists say that excessive masturbation may cause physical fatigue and increase sexual response threshold. When the sexual response threshold increases, more intense stimulation may be needed to reach orgasm in a couple's life, thereby reducing the satisfaction with the couple's sexual life. In addition, overindulgence in masturbation may cause individuals to focus more on the pleasure brought by masturbation and ignore emotional communication and sexual interaction with their partners.

　　Psychological impact: Some people may experience negative emotions such as guilt and self-blame after masturbating. If these emotions are not resolved in time, they may affect the individual's performance and mentality in the couple's life. For example, when you engage in marital life with a sense of guilt, you may not be able to devote yourself to it, thus affecting the quality of your marital life. In addition, if one party relies too much on masturbation to satisfy sexual needs, it may make the other party feel neglected, which will affect the relationship between the couple.

Advice from a sex therapist

　　Keep it moderate: Sex therapists stress that the key is to keep your masturbation frequency moderate. Generally speaking, it is appropriate not to affect daily life, work and marital life. For most people, the frequency of masturbating 1-2 times a week is more appropriate, but the specific situation varies from person to person.

　　Strengthen communication: Couples should communicate openly about masturbation issues. Understand each other’s thoughts and feelings and eliminate misunderstandings and suspicions. If one party is concerned or dissatisfied with the other party's masturbation behavior, they should express it in time and find a solution together. Through communication, trust and intimacy between couples can also be increased.

　　Enriching couple’s life: Husband and wife can explore and try new sexual experiences and techniques together to increase the freshness and interest of couple’s life. This can improve the quality of married life and reduce dependence on masturbation. For example, you could read together something about sex healthy and books on sexual skills, attend sexual health lectures, etc.