How much is too much? Most mentioned individual variation that depends on factors such as age, situation, health, and attitude. Other responses distinguished between the relatively minor physical effects of too-frequent masturbation and more serious, less obvious social and emotional effects. These responses mentioned the goal of keeping balance and perspective in one's life. If masturbation begins to regularly cause you to miss work and assignments, avoid being with others, or be less interested and responsive in partner sex, it's time to restore some balance, which might include seeking professional help. And some pointed out that you could become so attuned to the feeling of your hand on your genitals that you become less responsive to a partner. (Using lubrication can help you avoid this problem.)
A few responses from teens reflected their fear of masturbation addiction, or a sense of being a "loser" because they couldn't find a sexual partner. Older respondents described how masturbation had helped them cope with a spouse's declining interest in sex, and how necessary it is to climax several times a week to keep one's sexual system "tuned up."
The following quotation seems to reflect the spirit of many responses: "Excess on occasion is exhilarating. It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of habit." W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965), British author. The Summing Up, (1938), ch. 15.]
I think it's possible to masturbate too much. I've done so before. The shaft of my penis would often become sore from too much masturbation when I first started at age 13. Even now, it still gets sore sometimes. I feel as if I have become somewhat of an addict, and that worries me somewhat. I masturbate at least 3 or 4 (often more) times a day, but I still can't seem to find satisfaction. I feel somewhat pathetic admitting this.
- age 20, Washington
Too much is when you're penis gets sore. I stop then. The actual number doesn't matter to me.
- age 17, Illinois
The answer to this is very personal and varies from woman to woman. For me, I find that more than 2 orgasms a day starts to take away from the power and release that masturbation provides.
- age 37, California (female)
Absolutely not — I am appalled to even think of it. My life depends on it. I fear that if I stop, the only sexual pleasure I would receive would be gained from violent rapes. I would hate to do that to anyone, so since I am such a loser and can't get laid on a regular basis (or at all), I constantly masturbate.
- age 18, Canada
Yes, you can masturbate too much, as I so eloquently demonstrated this past weekend. It seemed that no matter how much I masturbated, the more I wanted it. I was just *super horny* I guess. The end result for me was that I was extremely tired today and very ill-prepared for this morning's briefings. Physically I was not affected, as I masturbated again when I returned home. That amounted to 14 times in 2 days — not my record, but close!
- age 30, U.S. Military, Okinawa
I do think it is possible to masturbate too much. When I used to masturbate daily, I would not take advantage of my girlfriend's invitations to the "real thing." Also, I had become so used to the tightness of my right hand that it wasn't even the same when I was with her.
- age 15, California
"What one thinks about during masturbation is
more trouble than how frequent it is."
I think you can, but it really depends on your circumstances. Even you're masturbating more than once every day, it can't do much harm if the time spent would normally have been just watching TV or sitting there doing nothing. However, it is dangerous to isolate yourself for most of your time and turn to masturbation rather than fill other needs and obligations in your life. What one thinks about during masturbation is more trouble than how frequent it is. I remember a time when I isolated myself too much and always thought about whether other guys in school masturbated. Although I think this might have been normal in moderation, it was not good for me to be obsessed with the idea. I became nervous in public and felt uneasy and apart from my peers. Also, I found myself wishing I looked like other guys too much. Later, I learned to focus more on my own body and the sensations I got from masturbation rather than thinking of others masturbating. I also found it necessary to get involved in activities with other people to avoid constant isolation. I still masturbate at least every day, even when in a sexual relationship with a female, but it is no longer the only thing I do with my free time.
- age 24, Pennsylvania
I don't think it's possible to masturbate too much. I masturbate a few times daily to relieve stress in my life — from parents, school, and work. It's very therapeutic.
- age 18, Washington
Well, the old standby is that there can never be too much, provided it doesn't affect your ability to function as a normal member of society. That's how I gauge it. However, I have another sign: If I ejaculate several times in a row, I seem to run out of semen, and then I actually start to feel a little pain. I'm not sure if this is normal, but it is always a clear sign that I need to go read a book, watch a movie, or do some writing — which is a good thing, because there is more to life than orgasm.
- age 25, Florida
I do not think you can masturbate too much. I am masturbating right now, and I masturbate from 8 to 10 times a day. It feels great. Everyone should do it!
- age 15, Pennsylvania
Yes. Too much is when you just can't do it anymore without a day or two, or even longer, of laying off. If you do it just when you want to do it and not out of habit then it does not matter how often that is. My average is 4.9 times a week (measured over 10 years of records). That's enough at my age! By the way, I must say this: The overall frequencies given in your surveys seem unquestionably high compared with the whole population. This is because the people who regularly read JackinWorld are obviously not representative of the whole population. They are bound to masturbate more than average or they would not be reading JackinWorld. I know you know this but it makes your surveys pretty unrealistic. From memory I think Kinsey found an average of 3 per week at age 15 (the high point). [JackinWorld makes no claim that its surveys represent anything but readers who visited the site and responded to the survey. Since there has been no attempt to construct samples randomly, anyone who generalizes from a JackinWorld survey to the larger population must accept responsibility for doing so on their own. -Ed.]
- age 46, United Kingdom
I do think you can masturbate too much — like, if it becomes an addiction. I know of some people who have been late to school and work because of masturbation, and other people who have made it a daily ritual that could not, under any circumstances, be broken. Masturbation is a very good thing and I do it regularly, but it needs to be a flexible part of your life — and, toward the lower end of your priority list.
- age 17, North Carolina (female)
Not at all! I've been a compulsive masturbator since discovering the art at age 12, and it's brought me nothing but years of pleasure. (And, I might add, a large circle of terrific, intelligent friends who share my obsession!)
- age 47, New York
Good grief! Do you think it's possible for a girl to masturbate too long or too often? I don't think so — as long as you are discreet about noise and cleaning up wet spots. You should be able to enjoy masturbating anytime you are alone. I have masturbated before going to work and nobody was the wiser. Also, I remember taking a long afternoon to explore all the tingling sensations I could produce in my clitoris. Then I went out on a date that was fun but not particularly intimate, and aside from a few leftover tingles, I didn't space out or anything like that.
- age 23, Oregon (female)
"I took a masturbation vacation for a couple of months.
When I started up again, it was intense and great!"
Yes, you can masturbate too much. At one point I masturbated so much it became harder and harder for me to achieve an orgasm. So I took a masturbation vacation for a couple of months. It was the longest I had gone, but it worked. When I started up again, it was intense and great!
- age 16, Massachusetts
I don't think there is a limit outside of what your own body imposes on you. When I was 11 I could masturbate 5 or 6 times a day, which I do no longer. But, that's also because I have more occupations nowadays and I don't have the time to do it so often. When I'm not with my girlfriend (and that's most of the time since I moved to another city because of my job) I still masturbate every day, sometimes twice.
- age 24, Mexico
Nothing about masturbation is inherently damaging, and nothing about it becomes damaging even if it is very frequent. On the other hand, nothing about masturbation provides exemption from the physical laws that govern any other form of physical activity. You *can* masturbate too much in the same way that you could run too much, bike too much, or type too much. So, if your hand is cramping, or you are rubbing yourself raw, or your penis is starting to hurt, stop for a while. Most people are less likely to masturbate too much than they are to run too much or to work out too much or to play tennis too much. This is because most people will lose interest in masturbation (temporarily) after they have an orgasm.
- age 17, Indiana
You cannot really masturbate too much — that is, you won't use up all your sperm or semen. But you could become too dependent upon masturbation and then have problems reaching an orgasm with a partner
- age 28, Ohio
Yes, it is possible. For me, masturbating more than once a day can result in dry or chafed skin and physical weakness (feeling "drained," in more than one way). As I've heard from friends, more than 3 times in a day for them yields dry, chafed skin, tiredness, loss of libido, and sometimes even a bit of increased tenderness of sensitivity in the testicles. I think the definition of "too much" is whatever your body is not used to.
- age 17, Washington
Masturbating is really great, but I think that if you masturbate *too* much (we're talking, like, more than 6 times a day), you can lose interest in people of your sexual preference, and pursue only self-pleasure instead of trying to start relationships. That goes against nature too much. I'm not saying to have sex before you're ready instead of masturbating, but I am saying that masturbating to the exclusion of finding a partner is unhealthy.
- age 14, Canada (female)
Oh, you could probably masturbate too much on any given day if were to keep you from doing other stuff you really have to do, or if you then couldn't get an erection with your girlfriend when you wanted to. But in the long term, I don't believe you can masturbate too much. In particular, as I grow older and my wife just doesn't get "the urge" much and is very wrapped up in her work, I've re-discovered masturbation and do it as often as I like. I'd even go so far as to say that if you're not ejaculating at least 3 times a week, then you really need to masturbate more often just to keep your penis in shape!
- age 51, Oregon
I think it may be possible to masturbate too much. Once recently I masturbated to orgasm 3 times in an hour! And believe me, my arm hurt after that. So I guess that was my body's way of telling me, "Whoa — you've had enough!" So it seems one consequence of masturbating too much is a strained arm muscle!
- age 15, Ohio
Look, I mean, it's your body. There really are no set rules about how much is too much, but a few common-sense guidelines are required, as with almost anything in this world. If you get to the point where you masturbate so much that it loses its thrill (umm, is that possible?)...well, that might be one sign. If it gets in the way of a romantic relationship, well, sign 2. If it interferes with any other activities in your life — hmm, sign 3. That's the best I can do. Cheers!
- age 19, Canada
I think you can do it way too much. If masturbation becomes more than just a thing to relax or relieve sexual tensions and it turns into a habit, then it can be. If you feel you must do it just to feel good or normal, you're doing it too much. Moderation, fellas!
- age 16, Washington
"More masturbation without guilt would lead to less
drugs and violence amongst youth!"
No way. When your body has had enough, you just don't get an erection anymore. If you have done it too much in a day or a week you don't "produce" as much, or it's less pleasurable. Keep the number of times per day comfortable, and do it so it always feels good and everything's okay. If it gets in the way of your life balance, maybe you're doing too much. Yet I remember when I was 12-15, it was always on my mind and I still did well in school. I would have done even better if I had not had to keep my horniness a secret. More sex, especially masturbation sex without guilt, would lead to less drugs and violence amongst youth! More acceptance that masturbation was okay would let guys feel less that they had to "make it" with girls. Girls wouldn't feel they had to "go all the way" with a guy, but could comfortably masturbate him, so perhaps — fewer unwanted pregnancies?
- age 51, Hong Kong
I've masturbated "too much" only once, and it was a few weeks ago. My parents were at the beach and I decided to have a day full of masturbation whenever I got the urge. So I did. I think around the fifth time that day (in a short amount of time) I reached orgasm and nothing came out — not even a drop. I can't masturbate too much. That was just a one-time thing, and I'm fully recharged the next day ready to go at it again!
- age 15, Florida
Yes, it is possible. If it gets sore, it's time to stop (for the day). I know from personal experience. The only other time is if it clashes with *your* morals. If *you* feel that it is wrong, you need to decide — and don't let the "holier than thou" people tell you what's right and wrong. As if they never masturbated!
- age 24, Maryland
Yes, you can. Especially if you're so obsessed with it that it affects other areas of your life and takes up too much of your time. So maybe the phrase "too much of a good thing" might just ring true!
- age 15, Australia
Two possibilities come to mind concerning too much masturbation: If you don't use adequate lubrication, you could damage the skin and nerves; I sometimes feel rather raw and chafed after the second or third time in a day if I don't use something like Albolene. Second, having sex with another person seems to be much more exciting if you have *not* had an orgasm in the recent past. For me, several hours are not enough; I like to wait a day or two to be really ready for her. Other than those caveats, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend masturbation as often or as many times as you want it, for whatever reason.
- age 52, Texas
Yes, if you masturbate too hard at one time the shaft of your penis will swell some. It can take six hours or more for the swelling to go down. If you masturbate too often, the orgasm is less intense. If you do it too much you can become obsessed with it, and that's bad. I really hate it if I masturbate too much and my penis is so sore that it bothers me for a few days. So I say, limit yourself to maybe twice a day, and slow down. One long session is worth about 10 short, spur-of-the-moment ones. If it hurts, stop. These are rules to live by.
- age 15, Ohio
If you masturbate so much that you have to ask yourself if you're doing it too much, then you need to consider whether masturbation has become more of an obsession with you than a sexual gift. Are you beginning to lose work, skip school, or lose relationships? Is the desire so great that you begin to get involved in behavior that is legally or ethically irresponsible? I am all for mutual masturbation, even taking a chance with time and place now and then. But, masturbation is a gift one gives to oneself, usually alone. Exhibitionism or invading the sexual life of another person can bring consequences that are not only dangerous but also unethical. Masturbate every day, all day, alone or together, male or female. That's great. Just make sure that you are in control of masturbation and it does not control you.
- age 50, Ohio
I masturbate about once a day, but if I have an erection later that won't go down, I do it again. I think that masturbation, like candy bars and martinis, can be overdone. But it's completely normal, and an orgasmic high is better than that from any drug or other action.
- age 18, North Carolina
I'm gonna have to go with yes on this one because I did it once. I was really bored last summer, so I just started masturbating. I kept going for, like, 3 1/2 hours. What can I say? I was bored. But WOW! the next day, and for days after, my lips were *so* sore! It was almost not worth all the fun I had doing it. Be careful — that's what I learned.
- age 14, Kentucky (female)
A friend of mine snorted pure crystal methamphetamine and then spent 12 hours straight masturbating while looking at pornographic images on the Internet. He rubbed most of the skin off his penis and required hospitalization, followed by extensive and ongoing plastic surgery. So I would say yes, it is possible to masturbate too much. Of course, this was the pathological consequence of using an extremely dangerous drug. I would say that for sensible, healthy young men, your penis would quit when it's had enough.
- age 18, Connecticut
I think you can masturbate too much for a couple of reasons. One weekend I was home by myself and I tried to masturbate as much as I could. My belly and penis hurt, and it felt like I pulled a muscle behind my scrotum. Another reason is that I don't pay attention to girls nearly as much when I masturbate a lot. If I wait a while between sessions, I have all kinds of nice dreams and thoughts about girls.
- age 15, Texas
Sure signs of over-indulgence, written exclusively for JackinWorld [and supplemented by Assistant Editor Mike, who enthusiastically got into the spirit of things!]: 1. Your boss calls, wondering why you haven't been to work for days. 2. The little captain is too tired and sore to salute. 3. Your significant other thinks you're cheating with yourself. 4. Guinness is trying to put you in the record book for "most times masturbating," but you're too busy masturbating to answer the phone. 5. George Michael has a poster of YOU on his wall. 6. You begin to notice calluses on your palms. 7. You have to tie-dye your jeans to hide the stains. 8. You begin to awaken from a repeated nightmare where your hand can't find its penis. 9. You begin to qualify for quantity discounts from your baby oil supplier. 10. You miss out on $1,000,000 because when you open the door with your free hand (so as not to miss even one stroke), you scare away the Prize Patrol.
- age 35, New York