Billions of people to it everyday and its origins have been traced back to primates 40 million years ago.
Yet, a small group of men who have never masturbated have stepped forward to tell their stories.
Speaking out about anonymously on Reddit, the men address the topic and share why they haven’t explored pleasuring themselves.
One man, aged 27, says he has never felt the urge to masturbate, as he always ‘keeps himself busy’ and exercises a lot.
The idea of ‘doing it with hands’ is another turn off, he says, and he also considers masturbation as a form of cheating.
He explains: ‘In terms of not having sex, there were moments of weakness but I stayed firm with the belief that if I had sex with someone, my mind will consider [masturbation] as cheating with my future wife… I believe in sex after marriage.’
Similarly, another man aged 19, reveals that his strict religious upbringing is behind his reluctance to self pleasure.
He explains: ‘I have never once masturbated in my life.
In a 2023 study out of Indiana University, the most frequently endorsed reasons for not masturbating were lack of interest, being in a committed relationship, conflict with morals or values, or being against one’s religion
‘My incredibly conservative Christian parents stigmatized the idea of any kind of sexual activity, so I spent most of my life not even knowing how to masturbate.’
While he said he kept his ‘streak of no masturbation going for no other reason than apathy,’ he says going to college has put pressure on him to try it.
He adds: ‘Masturbation is a frequent topic in the dorms, and it is incredibly awkward for me. I’ve been thinking about trying it for the first time, if only to stymy the awkwardness.’
According to a 2018 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, an estimated 92 percent of men report engaging in masturbation at least once in their lifetime.
In terms of frequency, in a study conducted by the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, about a quarter of men surveyed aged between 18 and 59 said they masturbated a few times per month to weekly.
Meanwhile, around 20 percent said they masturbated two to three time a week, and less than 20 percent masturbated more than four times a week.
Older men were more likely to report no masturbation during the previous year.
Experts from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia say that boys generally start masturbating around the age of 9 to 11.
One college-aged Redditor says he refrained from masturbating because he was religious growing up and he came to see it as ‘dirty’ and ‘undignified.’
Then, as time went on, he said he developed a ‘weird sense of pride knowing that I’m like, one of the very few heterosexual males that has never masturbated.’
He also says he is fearful of developing a masturbation addiction, as he has no willpower.
In a 2023 study out of Indiana University, the most frequently endorsed reasons for not masturbating were lack of interest, being in a committed relationship, conflict with morals or values, or being against one’s religion.
While some men talk about their abstinence, others reveal how they masturbate daily and sometimes multiple times a day in separate Reddit threads.
One Redditor reveals that he is worried that he has a masturbation addiction.
He explains that he started self pleasuring regularly and watching porn 10 years ago as a teenager and now he masturbates daily.
When his addiction was at its worst point, he said he would pleasure himself up to five times a day.
Experts from telehealth company Hims say that there are obvious ways for men to tell if they’ve been masturbating too much with ‘visible symptoms like skin irritation and injury’.
Some of the signs they highlight include raw skin on the penis, redness or bleeding and painful erections.
The Redditor who talks about his masturbation addiction says for him, it has always been ‘a coping mechanism to try and drum up some cheap dopamine to combat health issues including anxiety and depression.’
He says he has tried to stop a few times, but his urges have been too strong.
An expert from men’s sexual health site Maximus told DailyMail.com that self pleasuring can potentially improve erectile function but ‘excessive masturbation or pornography use could potentially lead to issues like decreased sexual desire with partners’
Along the same lines, a 22-year-old man from India says he started masturbating as a 12-year-old and now he self pleasures up to three times a day.
He says the addiction has meant his college work has suffered and it has been hard to maintain romantic relationships.
An expert from men’s sexual health site Maximus told DailyMail.com that masturbation can have both negative and positive impacts.
They explained: ‘On the positive side, it can help maintain sexual function and potentially improve erectile function.
‘Regular sexual activity, including masturbation, may help keep the sexual response system active and healthy.
‘However, excessive masturbation or pornography use could potentially lead to issues like decreased sexual desire with partners or difficulties with arousal and orgasm during partnered sex. It’s important to maintain a balance and listen to one’s body’s needs.’
In terms of frequency, they say that there is ‘no universally ‘ideal’ frequency for masturbation, as it varies from person to person’.
They conclude: ‘What’s most important is that masturbation habits don’t interfere with daily life or sexual relationships.
‘It’s worth noting that testosterone levels can play a role in sexual health and function.
‘Some studies have shown that optimizing testosterone levels can lead to improvements in libido, erectile function, and overall sexual satisfaction.’
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
