The term chronic is not a medical or psychological diagnosis. There is no test or measure for what is considered too much masturbation. In fact, if you’re worried about masturbating too much, the first question you should ask yourself is why you’re worried and how you define too much. Some activities are more valued by society than others. Sexual activity and masturbation, in particular, are generally not considered very important or valued in society.
Most people want to engage in these activities, but few of us view them as legitimate or worthwhile. Many of us view our desires as a problem. There is reason to feel guilty or ashamed. Or at least, something to keep for ourselves.
What defines chronic masturbation?
Usually, chronic means something that lasts a long time, a condition that is not easy to resolve. And since most of us masturbate our entire lives, by at least one definition, we all engage in chronic masturbation. Another aspect of the definition of chronic is that it’s something that happens no matter what we do, and this is perhaps more relevant to people who are concerned about chronic masturbation.
In the vast majority of situations, masturbation is completely healthy and concerns about chronic masturbation are unwarranted (and more to do with guilt than anything else). But for some people, the frequency with which they masturbate causes significant distress, and in these cases the behavior could be considered chronic masturbation.
There is no specific diagnosis for chronic masturbation, so there is no simple test to do to tell if you are masturbating too much. But here are some questions you can ask yourself, and some circumstances where masturbation may, in fact, be a problem for you.
Does masturbation cause distress?
Like any behavior, we can use masturbation to avoid, to take risks, or to push our own limits outside of our comfort zone. If you constantly feel uncomfortable about your masturbation, either after masturbating or when you think about it, then you may want to take a break and find out why. By distress, we don’t mean feeling guilty, as that can be a completely normal reaction for those of us who have received negative messages about masturbation and are surrounded by so many myths about it. But if the frequency of your masturbation is causing you distress, it’s worth trying to understand what the source of the problem might be.
Does masturbation cause (unwanted) pain or physical harm?
If you masturbate to the point that you rub your skin raw or cause other pain or physical harm that you don’t want, you may be masturbating too much. There may be a simple or complicated solution to this (simple being something like using personal lubricant, complicated being something that involves therapy and more introspection). But if masturbation is causing pain or physical discomfort, it might be a good time to take a break and find out what’s wrong.
Does masturbation interfere with lifestyle?
You may be masturbating too much if you don’t have time to work, go to school, and see family and friends because of your masturbation frequency. Here is an example where masturbating once a day can be perfectly healthy and fine for a person, as they do it when it works best and does not interfere with other aspects of their life that are important.
But if you masturbate once a day exactly at the time you need to be at an important obligation, there may be something too much going on. If the rest of your life is constantly disrupted by your masturbation, it may be a situation where you masturbate too much.
Do you find yourself unable to stop masturbating?
Although there is nothing inherently harmful or dangerous about masturbation, it can become a compulsion or the focus of an obsession. If you feel pressured to masturbate and truly unable to stop masturbating, it’s likely that you’re overdoing it and need to find support to explore what compels you to masturbate so often. In this kind of situation, it may not make sense to stop masturbating, but it may be best to find support (family, friends, professionals) before you start changing your masturbation behavior.
The resources
Finding a resource depends on where you live, the type of health care you have, and how you want to participate in exploring your feelings. If you have access to free sexuality counseling services or from an organization for example, this may be enough. If you have a friend you can trust, you may want to talk to them. If you need help finding a certified sexuality professional in your area, you can visit websites where you can find good advice, personal experiences from a third party. Be aware that there are many religious groups and organizations that view all masturbation as unhealthy and may take advantage of people seeking true answers by imposing their own morals at any given time.
