My doctor told me Masturbation is healthy, normal and good

[EasterJoy]

Migraines are primarily a vascular disorder. They’re caused by the blood vessels in your brain either dilating or constricting in a way they shouldn’t be. Since sexual arousal has a major effect on blood flow, it is actually an incredibly effective treatment for many people.

So given the choice between taking high doses of artificial drugs – usually a cocktail of aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine – and waiting up to 30 minutes for relief, or turning to a drug-free, all-natural and almost instant cure, yes, I’m choosing the latter whenever possible.

How is that any different than treating PCOS with the pill since there are alternate ways of managing those symptoms as well?

Let’s just say that the Mayo Clinic doesn’t list masturbation as one of the lifestyle treatments for migraines. There are lots of physical things to do that have a “major effect on blood flow” and facilitate relaxation other than masturbation.

Taking hormones that have infertility as a possible unintended side effect is one thing. Patients do that when they are not sexually active all the time. Being asked to find an exercise that increases blood flow and choosing masturbation from among the many possibilities is something else again. It is hard to believe that anyone is going to choose masturbation as their “cure” if the “unintended side effect” is a sexual climax pursued outside of the marital act. That’s ridiculous. If that is not exactly what the patient wants an excuse to do, the patient is not going to say, “Well, I don’t like doing it, but it makes the headaches stop” and have their doctor say, “Well, do it, anyway. Doctor’s orders.” That’s not going to happen.

IOW, the intention is to achieve climax. It is not an unintended side-effect, but a sought-after end. Even if other ends are achieved at the same time, that doesn’t make the “side effect” into something unintended that would be avoided if the same treatment could be had without that side effect.

For instance, what if a doctor said, “Here, masturbate this way, and you’ll get all the benefits for your migraines without the sexual experience, since the sexual gratification is an unintended side effect of this treatmet.” Who’s going to choose that form of self-stimulation as their “treatment”? Nobody.

 

[EmeraldOak]

Our Lady appeared at Fatima, she showed the 3 children hell and said: ‘More souls go to hell for sins of the flesh than for any other reason.’

Thank you for the sobering reminder!

 

[Tomdstone]

If you die with unconfessed mortal sin on your soul you cannot get into Heaven and end up in Hell.

Would that include Catholic women who are taking the pill or using some other form of contraception? I heard that this number is rather high.

 

[Viki63]

Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Now it may be, as some commentators suggest, that this is not to be taken literally, and the saints in heaven are not spectators of our lives as we run the race. But since we can ask their intercession, it 's possible that they are actually observing us, and cheering us on.
I don’t know about you, but the thought that the Virgin Mary and “a cloud of witnesses” are watching and praying for me, is enough to keep me from quite a few sins.
And if it’s not a sin, why do we feel guilty, even when no one has ever told us it was sinful, even when we are young?

I spoke with a patient today who says she complained to her doctor that checking her blood glucose makes her feel bad, because she can’t get it under control. The doctor’s response: “then don’t check it!”
Doctors are not all knowing, and some of them are kooks.

 

[pensmama87]

Would that include Catholic women who are taking the pill or using some other form of contraception? I heard that this number is rather high.

Using contraception is grave matter, yes.

But a few of us are trying to highlight on this thread that there are medicines that are frequently used as contraceptives that can serve other legitimate medical purposes. If a person is prescribed such medication for such a purpose, and NOT to avoid conception, then they are doing nothing wrong. Taking the medication is morally neutral. It’s the intention that matters.

Not all contraception is used by women, though, and for many women, they use contraception with the knowledge and approval of their partner - which makes him at least partially culpable as well. And if she’s not married to said partner, there’s another sin as well.

Most importantly, though, no matter what sins people engage in,** there is always the option for repentance and forgiveness through reconciliation**. I used contraceptives for about six years. Three of those years I was on the Pill, the other three used primarily barrier methods. Over time, I came to understand that what I was doing was wrong, went to confession, and never looked back. I did have to deal with some long-term side effects from Pill use, but thankfully I overcame them (some women don’t), as well as some bad attitudes that had developed (a really selfish attitude about sex, for example, and not exactly setting myself for healthy marriage habits), but I know now I could always be forgiven, if I really wanted to be. I am never going to be “so bad” that God will stop loving me. That is a lie of Satan to not seek God’s mercy. (It’s also not a “get out of jail free” card to just keep sinning and then get out of it on a technicality. That’s another game we try to play that God is not interested in. He knows if we really love Him or are just trying to use Him. We don’t use people that we love.)

Freedom from hell is always just a visit to the confessional away. If a person wants to avoid the pains of Hell, they can. God does not play “gotcha!” with His children.

 

[pensmama87]

Masturbation is a sin because it turns the gift of sexuality inward. It makes sex selfish instead of giving, makes it all about you, instead of what you give to another person in marriage.

We tend to be very, very good about justifying selfishness to ourselves because of perceived benefits. But there aren’t benefits to being selfish people in the long run. Selfish people may get what they want in the moment, but they tend to only want shallow, superficial things, and drive away loving relationships, which is what we need most.

There are so many threads here on CAF and elsewhere where people despair because they feel like they can’t connect sexually with their spouse because their spouse has “fine-tuned” their sexual preferences through years of masturbation and/or pornography use. Their spouse can never compare, especially because to connect with the spouse requires a gift or sacrifice. If you’re used to sex just how you want it, with no communication about needs or wants, no vulnerability, no sacrifice - you’re missing out on one of the best aspects of sexuality.

 

[Scottgun]

But you left out the rest of it:

Yes. Because culpability for doing an act is a separate (albeit related) subject from the immorality of the act itself.

Masturbation is always wrong no matter one’s subjective culpability or relative circumstances.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

Yes. Because culpability for doing an act is a separate (albeit related) subject from the immorality of the act itself.

Masturbation is always wrong no matter one’s subjective culpability or relative circumstances.

So maybe some of us here can lighten up on all the Hell talk.

 

[bisco]

hell is an important aspect of Christianity. avoiding the talk doesn’t change the reality. get to confession, everyday if necessary.

 

[Scottgun]

So maybe some of us here can lighten up on all the Hell talk.

Remember that masturbation is both intrinsically disordered and gravely disordered. That is, it is a material component for mortal sin: 1. grave matter 2. knowledge. 3. chosen.
Unrepented mortal sin leads to Hell.

It would be wildly irresponsible for good Catholics to be dismissive and gamble with eternal souls on the conditions not being bet.

Rather, we must tell the truth: masturbation is gravely wrong. Habitual masturbation may be a hard to kick, but instead of making excuses, pick up the cross and follow Him.

 

[truetofaith]

I have suffered most of my life, even when I was in my late teens with enlarged prostate problems. In my 20s I went to a Urologist who treated my Uncle with the same problem. He told me that I needed to maintain the same number of “experiences” a week, not more not less. Not following this advice led to Prostatitis. This meant that I had to take an antibiotic to cure the condition.

Prostatitis, which I suffer from even today off and on has an embarrassing result, and that is loss of the ability to empty my bladder completely, and the possibility of a urine stream after I have “zipped up” and left the bathroom. I have been given comments about this from co-workers and others.

All of this has left me with a fear of prostate cancer. I have even gone as far as to consider adult diapers, which is a bit depressing and slightly humiliating.

I have discussed this with a Priest, and they have said they are not sure how to advise me. So I have opted to masturbate VERY infrequently, and to be on the safe side, I confess it. I am not married as I have a slight touch of aspergers syndrome. I would drive my wife slowly crazy if I got married.

Now here are my thoughts on masturbation. It is a slippery slope. When I was a child and did this, I felt guilty afterwards. I grew up as an Episcopalian, so there was no guilt imposed on me, yet I felt it. No one told me it was wrong, yet I knew somehow it was.

To do this act, you often have to conjure up images that are very impure. This is the conundrum if you will. I pray that God takes all of this under consideration. Till I receive satisfactory dispensation for this, I have no choice but to treat this situation as mortal sin, and hope that I do not die between confession and the act, which I keep to a minimum, which is not so hard to do at the age of 52.

I don’t mean to hijack this thread, but if you have some thoughts on this, please share.

Blessings,
-E

I see you started this discussion under another Topic Heading…Do you get your kicks from this

 

[Michael_Mayo]

Remember that masturbation is both intrinsically disordered and gravely disordered. That is, it is a material component for mortal sin: 1. grave matter 2. knowledge. 3. chosen.
Unrepented mortal sin leads to Hell.

It would be wildly irresponsible for good Catholics to be dismissive and gamble with eternal souls on the conditions not being bet.

Rather, we must tell the truth: masturbation is gravely wrong. Habitual masturbation may be a hard to kick, but instead of making excuses, pick up the cross and follow Him.

I am just pointing out what the Catholic Church actually teaches about masturbation and culpability/Hell. For a teenager, say, to panic for fear of Hell because of a slip in chasity, is an unfortunate exaggerated anxiety. And that is quite often the case for Catholic young men. Meanwhile other more social sins are off the radar.

 

[Scottgun]

I am just pointing out what the Catholic Church actually teaches about masturbation and culpability/Hell. For a teenager, say, to panic for fear of Hell because of a slip in chasity, is an unfortunate exaggerated anxiety. And that is quite often the case for Catholic young men. Meanwhile other more social sins are off the radar.

Well I’ll “lighten up” when there isn’t a chorus of people insisting there’s nothing wrong with it.

 

[QuasiCatholic]

Being asked to find an exercise that increases blood flow and choosing masturbation from among the many possibilities is something else again. It is hard to believe that anyone is going to choose masturbation as their “cure” if the “unintended side effect” is a sexual climax pursued outside of the marital act…

a) Since you clearly have never had a migraine, go find someone who suffers – yes, SUFFERS – from migraines and suggest that they try to exercise while they have one. See how well that goes over. When I have a migraine, I cannot open my eyes. I cannot roll over. I am nauseous. I’m dizzy. My head feels like it’s in a vise. And I am not about to go do pilates.

b) the climax is not an unintended side effect. The climax IS the cure. This has been scientifically studied, and about 1/3 of migraine sufferers can reliably find instant relief through orgasm. If I take Excedrin Migraine (which seems to work best for me in the drug category), it will be at least 30 min. before the pain stops, and at least 2 hours minimum before I can get out of bed again.

c) the study I’m thinking of that showed this was based on couples having sex, but the researchers noted that most people had absolutely no interest in having sex when they have a migraine because they’re in so much pain. So if you’re one of those people, or if you’re single, there’s really only one other way to reach orgasm. And trust me, your first thought afterward is not “oh that felt good,” it’s “thank God that freaking headache is gone!” The act itself really loses all sexual nature because of the circumstances.

 

[Mulligan2]

…and I do see his point. Could this be a bridge to unite Catholics and other religions from reconsidering this as a sin? I do think so. From logical points:

1. All polls I researched show 90-98% of boys/young men masturbate.
   from WebMD:

Is Masturbation Harmful?

In general, the medical community considers masturbation to be a natural and harmless expression of sexuality for both men and women. It does not cause any physical injury or harm to the body, and can be performed in moderation throughout a person’s lifetime as a part of normal sexual behavior. Some cultures and religions oppose masturbation or even label it as sinful. This can lead to guilt or shame about the behavior.

Some experts suggest that masturbation can actually improve sexual health and relationships. By exploring your own body through masturbation, you can determine what is erotically pleasing to you and can share this with your partner. Some partners use mutual masturbation to discover techniques for a more satisfying sexual relationship and to add to their mutual intimacy.

so my question is, why do so many NonCatholics and now even Catholics consider masturbation normal and not a sin?

I ask this is all honesty, and really do want to engage in a debate. However, I feel this thread will be erased and myself banned. I ask for compassion and dialogue.
thank you.

The role of your doctor is not to provide religious advice. It is to provide medical information.

 

[bisco]

for those who claim any medical relief from orgasm, please post links to the clinical trials.

 

[EasterJoy]

a) Since you clearly have never had a migraine, go find someone who suffers – yes, SUFFERS – from migraines and suggest that they try to exercise while they have one. See how well that goes over. When I have a migraine, I cannot open my eyes. I cannot roll over. I am nauseous. I’m dizzy. My head feels like it’s in a vise. And I am not about to go do pilates.

b) the climax is not an unintended side effect. The climax IS the cure. This has been scientifically studied, and about 1/3 of migraine sufferers can reliably find instant relief through orgasm. If I take Excedrin Migraine (which seems to work best for me in the drug category), it will be at least 30 min. before the pain stops, and at least 2 hours minimum before I can get out of bed again.

c) the study I’m thinking of that showed this was based on couples having sex, but the researchers noted that most people had absolutely no interest in having sex when they have a migraine because they’re in so much pain. So if you’re one of those people, or if you’re single, there’s really only one other way to reach orgasm. And trust me, your first thought afterward is not “oh that felt good,” it’s “thank God that freaking headache is gone!” The act itself really loses all sexual nature because of the circumstances.

Oh, really? I don’t believe that masturbation is a necessary part of the migraine-treatment arsenal, and therefore I’ve never had a migraine? That would be a rash conclusion on your part. You, of all people, have to appreciate that a great many people suffering from a migraine would put the idea of engaging in anything sexual during a migraine right up there with the idea of pilates.

Having said that, you are right that if there can be compelling pressures that lesson the culpability that goes with choosing an act that has the seriousness of a mortal sin. I hope you will not resist the idea, however, that it is preferable to find a treatment that does not involve making that kind of a choice.

 

[bisco]

my financial analyst (bernie madoff) told me that stealing would really feather my retirement nest.

 

[Tomdstone]

I am just pointing out what the Catholic Church actually teaches about masturbation and culpability/Hell. For a teenager, say, to panic for fear of Hell because of a slip in chasity, is an unfortunate exaggerated anxiety. And that is quite often the case for Catholic young men. Meanwhile other more social sins are off the radar.

Shouldn’t Catholics be afraid of Hell? After all, to be in hell means that you are punished by fire for all eternity with no hope of ever reaching heaven?

 

[Scottgun]

my financial analyst (bernie madoff) told me that stealing would really feather my retirement nest.

Brilliant point. If one applies the logic of immoral acts yielding a benefit (or at least not causing an immediate tangible harm) to just about any other sphere of life, the absurdity is readily apparent. When people start thinking with their genetalia however, they become oblivious to the stupidity.