OK, TMI: Can You Masturbate Too Much?

We’re all for the act of self-love and masturbation has quite a few benefits when it comes to emotional, mental, and physical health. Not to mention, it’s also a great way to learn about what turns you on and what doesn’t. However, like all things that feel good, there’s always the risk of indulging a little too much. Can you masturbate too much? What constitutes too much? And when is it a problem worth seeking help for?

“Masturbation is generally quite a healthy practice and provides lots of mental health benefits and can even improve physical health and your sex life,” says Lyons. “However, there’s a tipping point where masturbation can become more of a detriment and it’s important to watch out for the signs,” Lyons adds. “Masturbation, if done too frequently, can become an addiction,” she says.

“Masturbation, if done too frequently, can become an addiction,” —Vicki Lyons, sexual wellness expert and chief editor at Bodyjoys

While there are definite benefits of masturbation, chronic masturbation can definitely have negative impacts on your quality of life, including relationships and both mental and physical health. We asked the experts to explain if it’s possible to masturbate too much, signs you’re masturbating too much, and what to do about it.

Signs You’re Masturbating Too Much

1. Masturbation starts to feel like a need

If masturbation begins to feel like a need and not something you do for enjoyment, it may be a sign you’re masturbating too much, sex educator Emma Hewitt, CSE, expert at adulttoymegastore.com explains. If, for example, trying out new masturbation ideas becomes compulsive and like something you have to do, rather than want, you might have a problem on your hands.

2. Masturbation begins to take over your life

Not literally, but if you find that you’re bailing on plans to stay home and masturbate or choosing masturbation over other activities like seeing friends, going to work, or going on dates, this might be yet another sign you’re masturbating too much, Hewitt says. While taking time to masturbate is great for discovering what you’re into and not into, planning your life (like your career, your social life, etc) around doing so may not be the healthiest way to spend your time.

3. You masturbate to deal with negative emotions

Hewitt also adds that In the case “you find yourself masturbating to deal with negative emotions or feel overwhelmed with negative emotions like guilt, anxiety, or depression following masturbation,” this might be yet another sign that masturbation has begun to veer into unhealthy territory.

Board-certified physician Farhan Malik, MD, and owner and Senior Medical Director at Prometheus by Dr. Malik agrees that if you find yourself using masturbation as a means of escaping negative emotions, boredom, or stress, “it may signal an unhealthy dependence.” Instead, he recommends developing “alternative coping strategies for stress and [making] sure to maintain an active social and work life outside of masturbation.

4. You notice your genitals are irritated

“Masturbating multiple times a day can lead to overstimulation of sensitive areas,” adds Dr. Malik. If you notice any signs of physical irritation such as chafing or soreness, he recommends “[giving] your body adequate time to rest in between sessions.” Go for a walk, get really into a new show to stream, or hang out with some friends. Anything to give yourself a break is helpful here.

5. You find it harder to achieve orgasm from regular sexual activity with a partner

“Over time, frequent masturbation may condition your body to only respond to certain sensations, pressures, or rhythms that a partner cannot replicate,” Dr. Malik adds. If this is the case, pull back a bit on the masturbation and you might find an increase in sensitivity that makes partnered sex more satisfying again, he explains.

Complications of Masturbating Too Frequently

1. Problems in your relationship

Is masturbation good for relationships? It can be! However, one potential complication of masturbating too frequently is that doing so may cause sexual problems in your relationship, Hewitt explains. If you’re in a relationship and you find yourself choosing to masturbate instead of having sex with your partner, you may need to reassess your relationship to self-love.

2. Desensitization

“Frequent rough or intense masturbation can desensitize the nerves in the genitals over time, making it more difficult to get aroused or reach orgasm from regular sexual stimulation,” says Dr. Malik. If you find that you’re using your vibrator too much to the point of desensitization, giving yourself a break may help you feel better and regain your sensitivity.

3. Death grip

For penis havers, death grip refers to “gripping the penis too tightly during masturbation, [which] can decrease sensitivity,” Dr. Malik explains. This decrease in sensitivity can translate into more difficulty orgasming from partnered sex.

4. Chafing and soreness

“Excessive masturbation can cause friction and irritation of the genital skin, leading to redness, swelling, and discomfort,” Dr. Malik adds. Hint: this is why proper lubrication is so important!

5. It’s harder to respond to other sexual stimuli

“Your body can get used to responding to sexual pleasure and orgasming,” when it comes to masturbating a certain way, adds sex expert Shamyra Howard LCSW, CST, DSW, sexologist for Womanizer. “For example, if you always masturbate with ice, in the bed, on your back, while listening to rain sounds, your body might have a harder time responding to sexual stimuli outside of that,” Dr. Howard explains.

When to Seek Help for Frequent Masturbation

If you’re wondering if you can masturbate too much, here are a few tips from the experts to help you gauge whether it’s an issue you should seek help for.

1. It’s interfering with your life

“Chronic masturbation is usually defined by the impact to someone’s life, rather than the actual number of times that masturbation occurs over a set period of time,” explains Lyons. Instead, she notes that if frequent masturbation begins to interfere with relationships, with your work life, or social life, this is the time to get help. Hewitt adds that another sign to get help is if you find yourself skipping work or canceling on prior plans to masturbate instead.

2. You start to feel bothered by your habits

If you start to have a feeling that you’re bothered by your habits (such as them interfering with your life) or otherwise thinking that it may be getting compulsive, Dr. Howard suggests seeking help in these instances by contacting an AASECT-certified sex therapist. “These sex therapists will not diagnose you with masturbation addiction or sex addiction, as there are no current diagnostic guidelines or research…instead [they] will whelp you figure out if your behavior is out of control or compulsive and help you identify sex-positive ways to manage it based on your goals.

3. You’re unable to stop

If you notice that masturbation is interfering with your life, you feel bothered by your habits, and despite these signs and reasons to take a break, you are still unable to stop or scale back, it may be time to call in a pro. “If you find yourself unable to cut back, even though it’s causing problems in your life, it might be helpful to talk to someone.” says relationship and sex therapist Michelle Herzog, LMFT, CST, founder at The Center for Modern Relationships.

Can you masturbate too much and give yourself carpal tunnel syndrome?

It might sound made up, but according to the pros, yes, it’s totally possible to hurt yourself while getting busy with…yourself. Carpal tunnel syndrome, which can happen when the nerve that runs from your palm through your forearm becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist, potentially causing numbness, weakness, and pain in the hand and wrist. “Like pretty much every single intense motion of any body part, you can theoretically injure or sprain a wrist during masturbation,” says certified sex coach Gigi Engle, author of All The F*cking Mistakes.

The good news, says OB/GYN and fertility specialist Lucky Sekhon, MD, is that in order for that to happen, you would have to be getting busy—a lot. We’re talking four to five hours a day. “Repetitive activity can lead to inflammation and swelling of the tendons of the carpal tunnel in the wrist, which can lead to pressure on the nerve,” Dr. Sekhon says. “The likelihood of getting carpal tunnel syndrome is directly related to the frequency and duration of the repetitive activity.”

But, if you’re pairing your masturbation routine with other hand-heavy activities throughout the day, you may be upping your risk of injury. “It is possible that other repetitive activities, such as typing on a keyboard, texting, or gaming, could have additive effects, which make an individual more prone to developing symptoms of carpal tunnel when engaging in other activities, such as masturbating,” Dr. Sekhon says.

If you sense you may be showing symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, make an appointment to see your doctor, who can examine you and develop a treatment plan, which depending on your case may involve a splint, medication, carpal tunnel exercises, or surgery, among other lifestyle shifts. Because Dr. Sekhon says carpal tunnel syndrome is associated with repetitive stress, using the same toys or hand positions every time may be more likely to aggravate symptoms. If you sense a wrist cramp and want to take a break, Engle suggests reaching for a clitoral-sucking sex toy, like the Womanizer Premium ($199) or the Tracy’s Dog Clitoral Sucking Vibrator ($37), to do the work for you. And when in doubt? “Try switching hands,” says Dr. Sekhon.