Question:
I get addicted to masturbation like 2-3 times in a day so is it harmful and how can I get out of addiction? And one more thing is whenever I feel depressed or nervous, then I feel masturbation is the only option to overcome that mood swing and anxiety. Is it right or wrong?
Answer:
One can masturbate as many times in a day/week/month they want. There is no magic number and there is no normal or abnormal either. Usually, professionals label masturbation as an “addiction” only when it hinders your participation and/or execution of essential activities of daily living in which case, I’d suggest you seek professional help (Psychologist, Mental Health Occupational Therapist, Psychiatrist, Sex Therapist/Counselor/Educator, or a Counselor).
Addressing the other aspect of your concern, anxiety isn’t always pathological, sometimes it is protective. Anxiety can act like a protective messenger asking us to be careful or take a step back before we react to a situation. Masturbation releases feel-good hormones that can efficiently reduce this protective anxiety and help in grounding you. There is absolutely nothing wrong about however, there are other ways to reduce and channelize this anxiety. This could include mindfulness, journaling, meditation, reaching out to a close one or a mental health professional or any physical activity (dancing, stretching, walking, running, exercising) that stimulates the brain in the same way masturbation does and helps you in managing your anxiety in other ways.