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Masturbation: possible harms and its relationship with depression

Fahad AlmalikMedical review: Tatmeen team10 min read
مساحات تجريدية متداخلة من ضربات فرشاة عريضة بالأزرق الداكن والأصفر والأبيض.
Article contents
  1. What physical problems can happen?
  2. Does masturbation cause infertility or erectile dysfunction?
  3. What about feeling tired afterwards?
  4. Does masturbation cause depression?
  5. If you want to stop, start with what makes it difficult
  6. How can you start the conversation?
  7. Frequently Asked Questions
  8. Sources and references
  9. Writer and reviewer

Concerns about masturbation may start with pain, worry about fertility, or sadness afterwards. These questions need different answers: vigorous friction can cause irritation1 or injury, but repeated masturbation does not establish infertility3, and sadness afterwards is not enough to diagnose depression9.

Physical symptoms are only part of the picture. If the behavior is taking time away from sleep11 or responsibilities, or you repeatedly feel distressed, that deserves attention too8. Start with what is actually happening, rather than assuming masturbation explains every symptom.

What physical problems can happen?

Vigorous friction can cause chafing or soreness1. Stop what aggravates the irritation and allow the area to recover. See a doctor if pain is severe2, symptoms worsen, or they do not improve within a few days. Persistent or recurring pain needs assessment rather than an assumption that friction is the cause.

Some symptoms need more specific care:

  • Severe or recurring pain with ejaculation: arrange a medical appointment. It may relate to a health condition or medication4; do not treat it as an expected consequence of masturbation.
  • A penile injury followed by sudden severe pain: seek emergency care5, particularly with obvious swelling or bruising.

Does masturbation cause infertility or erectile dysfunction?

Frequent masturbation is unlikely to have a substantial effect on male fertility. If you are having difficulty conceiving, medical assessment can help identify the cause. Your history of masturbation cannot determine your fertility3.

Erectile difficulties cannot be explained simply14 by whether, or how often, you masturbate. Physical conditions, anxiety, depression and some medications can contribute15. If erection difficulties recur, see a doctor16 rather than assuming that stopping alone will resolve them.

What about feeling tired afterwards?

Some participants in a small study reported low energy after sexual activity6, including masturbation. Describing the feeling does not explain its cause for everyone or establish how long it should last.

Notice the pattern: does your energy return, or does the tiredness continue through the day and happen on other days too? Poor sleep, stress, depression and physical conditions can also cause fatigue. If it lasts for weeks without a clear explanation17 or affects daily life, see a doctor. Mention whether it repeatedly follows masturbation.

Does masturbation cause depression?

Available research does not establish that masturbation itself causes depression. Distress afterwards6, or struggling with the behavior7, still deserves attention.

A Finnish study involving more than 12,000 men and women found an association between masturbation they considered problematic7 and symptoms of anxiety and depression. It measured behavior and mood at the same time, so it could not determine which came first or whether other circumstances affected both.

Why might you feel sad afterwards?

What troubles you most may be returning to a behavior you had decided to stop. “Why did I do that when I didn't want to?” can become “I'll never be able to change.” Wanting to change a behavior and deciding you will never manage it are different conclusions. You can keep your goal of stopping and seek help with the sadness and self-blame8 accompanying it.

Distress may also come before the behavior. Someone going through loneliness or stress might use masturbation to step away from what is troubling them. When sadness returns, it can seem new even though it was already present. If this resembles your experience, notice what remains unresolved: loneliness, pressure, or low mood throughout the day. Changing the behavior alone may not address everything.

Sometimes distress follows sexual activity without obvious guilt or a reason you can identify. Research has described sadness after sexual activity6, including masturbation, in men and women. It cannot explain your individual experience, and guilt does not account for every case.

These possibilities can overlap. Notice when distress starts, how long it lasts, and your mood during the rest of the day and on days without masturbation. If it recurs or feels difficult to bear, discuss it with a professional even if it later passes.

When should sadness be assessed for depression?

Consider its effect on life. Have you lost interest in activities you enjoyed? Has sleep or appetite changed? Is concentration harder? Are you feeling hopeless?

If low mood or loss of interest and pleasure continues for most of the day, nearly every day, for two weeks or more, seek assessment from a doctor9 or mental health professional, particularly with these other changes. These are reasons for an assessment, not a self-diagnosis. Seek help sooner if symptoms are severe or disrupt daily life.

You might think, “I'll stop first, then see whether I need treatment.” You can work on stopping and care for your mood at the same time. Success in changing the behavior is not a condition for getting help. Depression has effective treatments9; you do not have to settle every question about its cause before seeking care.

If you have thoughts of harming yourself, contact a health professional today9, and a safe person if available. If you fear you may act now or cannot keep yourself safe, call 997 for an ambulance10 in Saudi Arabia or go to the nearest emergency department. Ask a trusted person to stay with you13.

Thinking of killing yourself now needs immediate professional assessment18, even without a plan; go to emergency care if unavailable or waiting is unsafe.

If you want to stop, start with what makes it difficult

Choose a recurring situation in which following your decision becomes difficult. What came before the behavior: stress after work, time alone, or something else? Understanding the situation helps you choose a practical response8.

If loneliness tends to come first, arrange contact with someone8 you feel comfortable with around that time, before distress builds. You do not need to share intimate details; you can simply ask for company. If stress comes first, choose an activity you know helps you settle and decide when to do it. This is a starting response to one situation. If you need broader help, discuss what worked and what did not.

If repeated attempts to stop leave you unable to control the behavior, also consider its impact. Is it displacing sleep or work? Do you continue despite clear problems? These details matter in assessing compulsive sexual behavior disorder, which involves a persistent difficulty controlling behavior11 with marked distress or significant impairment. Frequency alone does not establish the diagnosis.

Distress entirely due to violating religious or moral convictions11 is not, by itself, enough for this diagnosis. A values conflict and actual difficulty with control can also coexist. Tell the professional what your convictions mean to you, what you want to change, and what you have struggled to control. You can request support whether or not a diagnosis applies.

How can you start the conversation?

A family doctor can be a starting point for physical symptoms or uncertainty about where to seek care. A mental health professional may be appropriate when mood or control is your main concern. If speaking feels awkward, write a short note and bring it to the appointment:

“I'd like to ask about masturbation and my health. I have symptoms that worry me, and I want to understand them and what I can do.”

Adapt it to your experience. Include symptoms, duration, their effect on daily life, any pain or medication, and your goal if you want to stop. You can ask how your information is handled and about the limits of confidentiality8 before discussing details.

In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Health's 937 service provides round-the-clock medical advice from doctors12 if you need guidance about a next step.

You can also explore Tatmeen's care providers and choose someone whose support fits your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What physical harm can masturbation cause?

Vigorous friction can cause chafing or soreness. Stop what aggravates the irritation and allow the area to recover, and see a doctor if pain is severe, symptoms worsen, or they do not improve within a few days. Severe or recurring pain with ejaculation needs a medical appointment. A penile injury followed by sudden severe pain needs emergency care, particularly with obvious swelling or bruising.

Does masturbation cause infertility or erectile dysfunction?

Frequent masturbation is unlikely to have a substantial effect on male fertility, and your history of masturbation cannot determine your fertility. Erectile difficulties cannot be explained simply by whether, or how often, you masturbate; physical conditions, anxiety, depression and some medications can contribute. If you are having difficulty conceiving or erection difficulties recur, see a doctor; medical assessment can help identify the cause.

Does masturbation cause depression?

Available research does not establish that masturbation itself causes depression. A Finnish study found an association between masturbation people considered problematic and symptoms of anxiety and depression, but it could not determine which came first. Distress afterwards, or struggling with the behavior, still deserves attention. Sadness afterwards is not, on its own, enough to diagnose depression.

Why do I feel sad after masturbating?

It may come from returning to a behavior you had decided to stop, and self-blame can turn into “I'll never be able to change.” Distress may also come before the behavior, such as loneliness or stress, and seem new when it returns. Sometimes distress follows without obvious guilt or a reason you can identify. These possibilities can overlap; if it recurs or feels difficult to bear, discuss it with a professional.

When should sadness after masturbation be assessed for depression?

If low mood or loss of interest and pleasure continues for most of the day, nearly every day, for two weeks or more, seek assessment from a doctor or mental health professional. Seek help sooner if symptoms are severe or disrupt daily life.

If you have thoughts of harming yourself, contact a health professional today, and a safe person if available. If you fear you may act now or cannot keep yourself safe, call 997 for an ambulance in Saudi Arabia or go to the nearest emergency department. Ask a trusted person to stay with you. Thinking of killing yourself now needs immediate professional assessment, even without a plan; go to emergency care if it is unavailable or waiting is unsafe.

Writing and article review

Fahad AlmalikWritten byFahad Almalik

Content writer and researcher at Tatmeen, writing in Arabic and English about mental health and everyday life, from relationships and stress to work, habits, and family.

Tatmeen teamMedical reviewTatmeen team

Every Tatmeen article is reviewed by care providers licensed by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, so what you read is accurate and trustworthy.

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