Ever wonder: Am I masturbating too much? Before you can determine whether you indulge in sexual self-pleasure too often, we need to define what masturbation exactly means. Masturbation refers to touching and rubbing parts of your body for sexual pleasure until a climax is reached. These erogenous zones include the penis, scrotum, vulva, clitoris, breasts and anus. Masturbation can involve a person exploring their own body but can also happen between two individuals. The latter is referred to as mutual masturbation.

The only time masturbation is considered excessive is when it interferes with your daily life. For example, when you are more interested in self-love than going to work or school or even participating in activities with your family and friends. Completely isolation yourself so that you can pleasure yourself can lead to psychological problems.

Masturbating too much can also result in physical injury. These injuries could be mild in the form of skin chafing or more serious such as the development of Peyronie's disease. Scar tissue can also build up in the penis shaft if there is too much pressure during the stroking action.

Your sex life with your partner can also begin to suffer if you pleasure yourself too often. If you are unable to get and keep an erection while being stimulated by your partner, you have a problem and need to cut back on masturbation.

It is very important to note that there is absolutely nothing unhealthy or problematic with masturbating but the moment you or your partner identifies it as becoming detrimental to your life, you should immediately start treating it like you would any other harmful habit.

You have two options: stop masturbating completely (which is not recommended) or set clear boundaries for yourself in terms of how frequently you indulge in self-love. If you are not able to stick to your rules and boundaries, it is recommended that you consult a doctor so that he can determine whether your problem is physical, psychological, or both.

There are however many benefits to masturbation including reducing your risk of developing prostate cancer, improving your sex life with your partner by making your penis harder, boosting your immunity, improving your mood, improving your snooze quality, reducing skin problems, improving your heart health and increasing your life expectancy.

For women the biggest benefit to masturbation is the zero risk of pregnancy. There is nothing like being sexuality stimulated and reaching an orgasm without the worry of conceiving.

Another huge advantage of masturbation for both men and women is the 0% risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD) such as HIV, HPV or Herpes.

The pros of masturbation outweigh the cons. It should however be done in moderation. Also remember to use a lot of lube as this will help make this sexual activity more fun and reduce the risk of injury. A water-based lube is easy to wash off and safe to use with sex toys. Just remember to re-apply it often as it dries quickly.