Q&A: Does Frequent Masturbation Lead to Premature Ejaculation?
Question:
Does frequent male masturbation lead to premature ejaculation during sex?
Answer:
While I don't know how often you're masturbating, regular masturbation doesn't necessarily increase the chance of coming more quickly than you'd like ("premature" or "rapid" ejaculation). In fact, two popular methods for men who want to learn to delay ejaculation involve masturbation - the "stop-start" and "squeeze" techniques.
Although we still have much to learn about ejaculation and its timing, it appears that premature ejaculation is sometimes related to things like anxiety and "dry spells" (e.g. having gone a long time without ejaculating, or without certain kinds of stimulation like intercourse).
That said, some sex researchers, educators and therapists wonder if our societal taboo around masturbation is related to premature ejaculation in the sense that some guys, while growing up or even in college, get in the habit of speeding up their masturbation and coming quickly so that family members, friends or roommates don't "catch them" masturbating.
Men can still masturbate frequently (monthly, weekly, daily, twice daily, etc), if they want to, but perhaps the goal shouldn't be to come as fast as is humanly possible. The stop-start and squeeze techniques help guys to "re-train" their masturbation and learn to control their ejaculation such that they can come quickly if they want to or need to (like if your roommate's about to return from class), but they can also develop the skills to delay ejaculation and last longer when they prefer.
Originally published February 2, 2005
Kinsey Confidential
