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Topics: Health, Sex and Relationships
Tom Earnshaw
Seeking help for intimate problems is something many find tough to do given how personal an issue it can be. But it's necessary, especially when things get a little too much.
And that couldn't be more apt for men who find it a little too hard to stop fooling around with, well, themselves.
Yep, we're on about masturbation.
It's something most men do and while it's completely natural, doing it a little too much can lead to health issues for yourself.
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Masturbation itself is proven to help manage stress levels and even improve your quality of sleep. But if you're doing it too often, you could land yourself with an issue that you might find problematic.
We're talking about erectile dysfunction, and in particular, a form of this that is linked to going at it too much - especially if you're looking at pornography while doing the deed.
GP and senior clinical advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, Dr Donald Grant, has said there is a worry that watching porn too much is linked to a rise of porn-induced erectile dysfunction (PIED).
While erectile dysfunction is more common as you get older, with it linked to high blood pressure or cholesterol, diabetes, depression or anxiety and hormone problems, online porn is making the issue come to light earlier in life, with men under the age of 40 suffering.
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Porn-induced erectile dysfunction is where you've gone at it too much while watching porn, meaning you find it harder to achieve sexual pleasure or be physically stimulated.
There's a physical side to it, with nerve endings damaged from too much activity down there. You literally can't feel it.
"Compulsive masturbation can lead to reduced sensitivity in the genital area, making it more difficult to achieve sexual pleasure or stimulation. It can occur when nerve endings become damaged from too much activity, creating a loss of sensitivity," Dr Grant said.
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Experts at HealthMatch, working with GP Dr. Chuck Yong Kong, have said there are things you should do if you think you're suffering with PIED.
"One way to effectively treat PIED is to stop watching pornographic material completely," they say.
"This is believed to help return the brain to its normal function regarding sexual interest and reverse the negative effects of excessive pornography use.
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"Once this is achieved, it’s thought the person will be able to become aroused by real-life sexual stimuli once again and subsequently have erections."
On top of this, you should stop and think about why you're craving to go again so soon, saying: "When trying to give up porn, people have found that cognitive behavioural strategies can be helpful with managing cravings and other struggles associated with overcoming addiction."
You might want to think about taking up more exercise, looking at meditation, socialising more, or finding new hobbies in general.