To overcome my depression,anxiety and stress,I started masturbating.I feel weak.

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 16 year old male. I have had a lot going on right now and usually I would just smoke to chill out. However, to overcome my depression, anxiety, stress etc., I started masturbating. I never did it much. After I started about a few weeks ago, I did it twice a day, then stopped for a while. Now I am worried. I am not too addicted, but it is urging. I am scared to do it because I am experiencing slight pain in the testes, rare fatigue, weak/no morning erections, and slight shaft aches. I know I should stop and I will. But, is there anything else I should do? Change in diet, sleep, more exercise or see a doctor etc? Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Masturbation is actually a normal behavior.

But it should not be excessive in frequency which may cause fatigue and back pain.

You need not see a doctor right now.

Just divert your thoughts into much important things in life like studying, enjoying outdoor sports, finding good friends etc.

Try to reduce the frequency of the practice to about twice or thrice a week.

This is the transient period in everyone's life, when urge to explore and also trying to experience new things especially sexual pleasure occurs.

As you are physically and mentally mature, the problems that you are facing now will resolve spontaneously.

Apart from this, as you said "proper diet and lifestyle changes" are to be followed:

Eat nutritious foods (encourage fruits, vegetable salads, nuts, cereal sprouts).

Limit processed and deep fried foods.

Indulge in outdoor sports which you are interested like swimming etc.

Sleep adequately at least 7-8 hours as it is much needed for your normal growth too.

Avoid smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages.

Just follow these for a month and let me know how do you feel.

Get back to a sexologist online for further follow up --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/sexologist