COMMON CAUSES OF ANXIETY: MASTURBATION AS A CAUSE OF ANXIETY
Self-stimulation of the sexual parts is a common cause of anxiety in both men and women. The habit is almost universal in boys and young men before marriage, so much so that most
authorities assume it to be a normal practice, one that causes harm only when done with excessive frequency—several times a day—or when it is associated with guilt from the warnings of overzealous parents. When there is a certain feeling of guilt, as there often is, the nervous tension may be extremely severe. The unfortunate youth is so ashamed that he tends to suffer his distress rather than seek help; and his fears may become so acute that he comes to think the habit will lead him to the insane asylum, or at least ruin any chance of happy marriage. Such people are greatly relieved by the simple and truthful explanation that a certain amount of
self-stimulation seems to be a natural part of the ordinary process of growing up and leads to no harm of either body or mind.
However, in spite of the knowledge that a certain amount of self-stimulation is almost universal and quite harmless, it is my experience that some boys and young men still remain very disturbed by this practice.
There are two categories of youths who consistently remain disturbed by their masturbation. There are those who are very rigid and fixed in their attitudes, who lack the normal flexibility of mind to change their view according to available evidence. They are often rather perfectionistic, and are technically known in psychiatry as obsessives. The other group consists of young men who are taught by their church that masturbation is sinful, and I do not believe that it is in the province of the psychiatrist to challenge a patient’s religious beliefs except under very exceptional circumstances. Accordingly, these two groups—the very rigid and those motivated by religion—are unable to adjust themselves to occasional masturbation, and as a result they must stop it altogether.
A twenty-year-old student was in great distress of mind, worrying about his masturbation, which he seemed quite unable to control.
Religious convictions were not involved here. The young man was extremely rigid and inflexible in his personality, so much so that in ordinary conversation he would talk obsessively about some particular topic. I showed him how to do the relaxing mental exercises. His nervous tension was greatly reduced. Now that he is calmer, he is able to use his will power with real determination, and has found that he has been able to abandon the habit which had caused him so much distress.
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