Compulsive Masturbation: Meaning, Signs, Causes & Treatment

Compulsive masturbation is less about how often someone masturbates than about losing the power to choose. Masturbation becomes compulsive when it stops being about pleasure and starts feeling like something you must do just to get through the day. 

Common signs of compulsive masturbation are: inability to stop or wait for a proper setting, lack of arousal, neglecting responsibilities, avoiding people, absorption with the act, emotional suffering, injuries, loss of interest in sex, and erectile dysfunction (ED).

Compulsive masturbation is often a result of a mix of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. Effective treatment options typically involve a combination of psychotherapy, behavioral strategies, joining support groups, or using apps like QUITTR.

Unlike porn addiction, which focuses on visual stimuli, compulsive masturbation is a behavioral compulsion focused on the physical act of masturbation. However, there is no formal definition of how many times masturbating is normal, since it depends on individual libido and lifestyles.

What Is Compulsive Masturbation?

Compulsive masturbation is a behavior where a person feels they cannot stop or control the urge to self-stimulate, even when they want to do so. Masturbation becomes compulsive when a person uses it as a way to hide from stress, depression, or boredom.

Compulsive masturbation becomes a problem when it starts taking up too much time, leading individuals to ignore work, friends, or health. It may also cause physical pain from the repetitive friction.

What Are The Signs You Are Addicted To Masturbation?

The signs that you are addicted to masturbation manifest as a loss of control, a high level of compulsiveness, and interference with daily life. Masturbation shifts from being your choice to something that’s necessary, it often signals that the "off switch" for masturbation is getting out of reach.

Because compulsive masturbation impacts emotional and psychological stability, it can manifest as masturbation becoming a way of coping with stress. Compulsive masturbation can also appear as intense feelings of guilt and shame that come after the act. This often creates a cycle where you use masturbation to escape the negative feelings it produces.

Below are the most common signs you are addicted to masturbation:

You Are Unable To Stop

You find yourself repeatedly trying to reduce or stop masturbating. You make firm resolutions to quit, then you find yourself back in the same cycle shortly after.

You Can't Wait For a Proper Setting

You feel you cannot wait for a private or safe space. You might find yourself masturbating in risky locations such as at work, in public restrooms, or in your car. This can happen because the high level of compulsiveness outweighs your concern for privacy or social consequences.

You Don't Have Enough Arousal

You find yourself masturbating even when you are not sexually aroused or don't actually feel like doing it. Because of a high level of compulsiveness, masturbation becomes habitual rather than a response to genuine desire.

You Neglect Responsibilities

You find yourself missing work, school, or important social meetings because of the time spent masturbating. For example, you may intend to finish a task quickly, only to end up masturbating, then realize that hours have passed and you have failed to meet your commitments.

You Avoid People

You begin to isolate yourself and turn down invitations from friends,distancing yourself from loved ones to prioritize masturbation. This loss of control is evident as masturbation starts to feel more rewarding than the effort required for real human connections.

You Are Absorbed With The Act 

You find your mental energy constantly hijacked by thoughts of masturbation, creating a high level of compulsiveness. This compulsiveness keeps you mentally tied to masturbating habits even when you aren't actively masturbating.

You Suffer Emotionally

You rely on masturbation as a universal fix for any difficult emotions. This act of turning masturbation into a coping mechanism often leaves you feeling trapped, resulting in regret, self-loathing, or distress after masturbating.

You Have Injuries

Because of this compulsive behavior, you might feel soreness, skin irritation, or more serious physical strain, yet find yourself unable to stop. Your physical safety and health end up becoming secondary to the overwhelming urge to masturbate.

You're Less Interested In Sex

You lose interest in sexual intimacy with a partner and prefer the predictability of masturbating compared to the emotional effort required for a shared experience. This loss of interest creates a wedge between you and your partner, where you are physically present but emotionally distant.

You Have ED

You may find that while you can achieve an erection during masturbation, you struggle to maintain it with a partner. Your brain has become conditioned to the stimulation of masturbation, making natural physical sex feel insufficient.

You Are Constantly Tired

You may feel lethargic or sluggish due to staying up late to engage in the behavior.

What Can Cause Compulsive Masturbation?

While the exact causes of compulsive masturbation are not fully clear, sex experts believe it stems from a complex combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. It is rarely the result of a single issue, but rather a combination of how your body, mind, and surroundings influence your behavior.

Below is a list of the factors that can combine to cause compulsive masturbation:

• Biological factors

  • Neurotransmitter Imbalance

  • Alteration of the brain's neural pathways

  • Genetics

  • Parkinson's disease

  • Dementia

  • Bipolar disorder

• Psychological factors

  • Stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, or boredom

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • Past physical or sexual abuse

• Environmental and social factors

  • Easy access to pornography

  • Relationships with parents

  • Cultural or religious shame

How To Treat Compulsive Masturbation Disorder?

You can treat compulsive masturbation with a multi-layered approach to address the underlying causes and physical habits that cause it. The treatment options we recommend include therapy and counseling, support groups and communities, and the porn addiction app QUITTR.

Therapy and counseling require you to work with a licensed professional to handle the loss of control over masturbation. They help you understand why you feel the urge to act out and offer practical ways to stop.

Support groups give you access to a community of people who are going through the same thing, and they can make a huge difference. Talking about it with others helps you realize you aren’t alone. Groups like SLAA provide a safe space to share and learn.

QUITTR is a porn addiction recovery app used by over 1.5 million people worldwide as one of the best self-treatment solutions.

If you feel that you have severe compulsive masturbation and you need immediate support, you can contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline. 

What Is Sex Rehab?

Sex rehab is a professional program where you can get intensive help for out-of-control sexual behaviors. It provides you with a safe, structured place to focus entirely on getting better, away from the stresses and triggers of everyday life.

For many, a specialized sex rehab program can be an effective option for treating compulsive masturbation. In sex rehab, you learn healthier ways to manage the emotional instability that can cause compulsive masturbation.

What Happens If a Masturbation Addict Tries To Stop The Compulsion?

If a masturbating addict tries to stop the compulsion, they may experience withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can appear as physical and emotional changes that can be quite uncomfortable. You might find yourself experiencing irritability, restlessness, or anxiety when attempting to stop masturbating.

The withdrawal from trying to stop masturbating occurs because your body has gotten accustomed to the rush of dopamine that masturbating creates. When you try to stop masturbating, your brain feels like something is missing and tries to make you masturbate again to feel "normal."

What Is The Difference Between Compulsive Masturbation And Porn Addiction?

While the terms are often used interchangeably, the main difference lies in what a person is compulsive about and how the brain processes the reward. Porn addiction is a compulsive behavior where users compulsively view pornographic material. The behavior is ruled by the "dopamine hit" caused by visual novelty. on the other hand, compulsive masturbation is a form of compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD) where users cannot help but masturbate.

Despite the differences between compulsive masturbation and porn addiction, both conditions care caused by an individual's high level of compulsiveness. In many cases, you may start with one and develop the other.

How Much Masturbation Is Normal?

There is no formal definition of the normal amount of masturbation. Everyone’s libido and lifestyles are different, and what is healthy for you might be entirely different for another. sex experts emphasize that it’s not about how much you do it, but how you do it. 

The focus of masturbation should be on the role it plays in your life rather than the frequency. For example, masturbation is healthy if you do it for pleasure or relaxation, and it doesn't stop you from finishing your work or seeing friends.

The most important red flag is masturbation is whether your loved ones suffer from your behavior. For example, if you choose to masturbate rather than spend time with your partner, it is no longer about frequency but the interference with your daily life.