As the world evolves and our views become more progressive, new information pops up that rebukes old myths, especially those that relate to sex. Masturbation has existed for a long time, but it has always been shrouded in shame and secrecy, especially for women.
Self-love and positivity are on the rise now, so it’s a great time to rebuke those myths and prove why they’re not correct. Mashable compiled a list of masturbation myths that are completely untrue; check out 5 of our favorites:
Masturbating Leads To Blindness
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We’ve all heard of this incredibly weird myth that makes no sense whatsoever. Nope, masturbating doesn’t lead to blindness, and there’s no science to back this belief up at all. Susan Kellog-Spadt, a doctor from the Center for Pelvic Medicine, claims that beliefs such as this one stem from the times when “people believed sex was only meant for procreation.”
Only Men Masturbate
We see and listen to stories of men masturbating on a daily basis, on media, books and songs. They also have the ability of discussing their experiences openly without shame. Men masturbate and that’s a fact. While this is true, and there’s nothing wrong with it, there’s also a belief that women don’t masturbate and that they never feel the urge to do so, which is dumb and sexist. Women masturbate and, according to TENGA, nearly a third of them prefer it over actual sex.
There Are No Benefits To Masturbating
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There are tons of benefits that come from masturbating, including higher self-esteem, stress relief, and menstrual cramps and muscle tension relief. The process of masturbating releases endorphins which make you feel good, block pain, and help you sleep better.
It’s A Lonely Experience
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It really is up to you. Masturbating can be something that you do alone and that you enjoy, or it can be a new and exciting experience to share with someone. According to Jenny Block, author of The Ultimate Guide To Solo Sex, mutual masturbation can visually help men understand how women orgasm.
Masturbating Makes You Infertile
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While masturbating normally does no harm for you, excessive masturbation for men could lead to a decrease in thier sperm count. Excessive meaning that these men must be masturbating several times a day. Even on cases such as this one, their lowered sperm count is only temporary. According to Mayo Clinic, it’ll take men around 12 or 24 hours for their bodies to get back on track.
When it comes to women, masturbation “isn’t likely to have much effect on your fertility.”
