Masturbation and porn are oftentimes brought up in the same sentence. That makes sense considering the fact that 78 percent of people worldwide masturbate and 200,000 Americans alone fall into the category of being a porn addict.
But why is it that so many people rely on porn to masturbate? For instance, one study revealed that 3 out of 4 male college students who admitted to masturbating also said that they viewed pornography while they did it (only 1 in 4 women said the same). The same study shared that those who watch porn tend to masturbate more often than those who don’t.
When you also factor in the reality that some researchers state that porn affects the brain, much in the way that alcohol does, and you add to that the fact that more experts are starting to recognize masturbation addiction is an actual concern — it’s important to ponder the true relationship that porn and masturbation have with one another.
Beyond that, it’s also interesting to learn about how many people choose to masturbate without the use of pornographic material and if it affects them, mentally, in the same way whenever they do. If you’re curious about these intriguing points, please read on.
A Lot of People Masturbate. Why Do They Do It?
There is a myriad of reasons why people choose to masturbate. According to many experts, the release of sexual tension tops the list. Other reasons include — using it as a tool to reduce stress; implementing it as a form of foreplay; relying on it to build up one’s stamina and endurance and preferring it over having sex with a partner.
As far as sexual tension goes, because men can climax within five minutes (it usually takes women around 20-25), many guys opt to masturbate if they’re simply looking for a way to orgasm without taking out the time to engage in an all-out performance. If that is their preference, porn is what helps to “speed the process along”.
A Lot of People Watch Porn. Why and What Kind?
It probably comes as no surprise that porn remains popular. Reportedly, 40 million Americans regularly visit porn sites and 35 percent of internet downloads contain graphic pornographic images. In the UK, half of the adults living there watch porn with their favorite site being Pornhub.
What kind of porn is preferred by viewers?
Heterosexual men enjoy (in this order):
- Amateur porn
- Oral sex
- Big breasts
- Threesomes
- Anal sex
Heterosexual women (in this order):
- Threesomes
- Oral sex
- Softcore porn
- Gangbangs
- Porn featuring large penises
Interestingly enough, lesbian sex is viewed more by women than men. So are threesomes, gangbangs, and double penetration. It’s also been reported that women are currently watching more pornography than men are.
How Many People Combine Masturbation and Porn?
Now that you know more about why people masturbate and the kind of porn that they enjoy, you might be curious about how the two things work together. The reality is that, on average, Americans masturbate 12 times a month (men from the UK do it as much as eight times a week). Since the top reason for masturbation is to release sexual tension, sexual fantasies are oftentimes a part of the masturbation process.
Since porn “triggers” a high amount of dopamine to the brain and dopamine is what helps us to feel good and experience feelings of pleasure. That is a part of the reason why they choose to watch porn whenever they masturbate. However, fantasizing about porn stars (or porn scenes) isn’t the only — or even main — thing that people choose to think about when they’re in the process of masturbating.
While around 28 percent of individuals think about porn stars, others far more prefer to fantasize about celebrities (34.4 percent), exes (33.6 percent), and even their friends (33 percent). Something else that might surprise you is many individuals don’t use a sex toy when masturbating. Only around eight percent do every time and about 50 percent of people never do.
Is It Possible to Masturbate Without Porn?
The fascinating thing about the data that’s been revealed so far is it points to one main point: although masturbation and porn oftentimes do transpire simultaneously, it’s not fair or accurate to assume that they always do. As you’ve seen from the information that’s been cited, it’s quite possible to masturbate without the use of pornography; in fact, many individuals prefer it.
What the bigger question may be is if you can masturbate without fantasizing (or as church culture would put it “lusting”) about something or someone at all. The answer is layered.
Since it does only take men a few moments to climax from sexual stimulation (of any kind), it’s quite possible that a release can come from masturbating without the “need” for porn or fantasies. The other side to this is since a dopamine release is one of the biggest benefits of orgasm, many would probably prefer to have something to fantasize about; that way, they can get more of a dopamine feel.
Therefore, the question isn’t so much if people are physically capable of a physical release of porn or fantasies, but would they even want to masturbate without the assistance of those things?
Do People Mostly Masturbate for Sexual Reasons?
It was shared earlier that there are several reasons why individuals opt to masturbate. Of the reasons shared, only one had nothing to do with sex. This means that, for the most part, people engage in masturbation for some sort of sexual purpose. If it’s not to release sexual tension, in their minds, it’s to learn how to improve their sexual performance.
That doesn’t mean that masturbating to release stress should be overlooked. With 3 out of 4 Americans saying that many of them are at their breaking point when it comes to stress and stress being tied to health-related issues including obesity, asthma, diabetes, heart disease and several other ailments, people are constantly looking for ways to cope. For many, masturbation may not be so much about pleasure as it is a “crutch” — a way to deal with anxiety, worry and pressure.
Whether It’s Sexual Tension or Stress, Can Masturbation Become Addictive?
If after reading all of this, you recognize yourself in some of the content, you might be wondering if you’re addicted to masturbation or not. The reality is that the American Psychological Association (APA) does not currently recognize masturbation as something that is addictive. However, pretty much anything has the potential to become an addiction in your life.
Some signs that point to something being potential addictive include:
- Being consumed with a certain behavior
- Allowing an activity to affect your daily schedule and obligations
- Doing something that alters your sleep patterns
- Participating in something that causes your moods to become erratic
- Doing things that affect your relationships with other people in a negative way
- Doing things that cause you to withdraw from activities that you typically enjoy
- Lying or sneaking around to cover up your habit
- Experiencing extreme highs while doing the activity and then having extreme lows afterward
- Not being able to stop
- Finding excuses to justify why you shouldn’t stop
If three or more of these things are directly tied to why you masturbate, you very well could be caught up in an addictive behavior whether you use porn to masturbate or not.
Don’t Be Afraid to Speak with Someone About What You’re Experiencing
The interesting thing about masturbation is, that no matter how common the act itself may be, it’s still not something that many people are comfortable openly discussing. That’s a part of the reason why it can easily become an addictive behavior whether it’s with or without the use of pornography.
Addiction is never good, healthy, or wise because it can cause your life to lack balance. So, if you’re wondering if you do have an addiction on some level (whether it’s to masturbation, porn, or both), don’t hesitate to speak with a trusted friend or (even better) a reputable counselor or therapist. They can help you to get to the root of your need for a sexual tension release or help you to learn other ways to cope with the stress in your life. That way, you won’t need to rely on masturbation or porn on any level.
