Masturbation triggers a distressing mental health issue in TWO-THIRDS of men, experts discover – but it occurs in only half of women

Two thirds of men experience ‘post-sex blues’ after a self-love session, a study suggests.

While half of women also experience similar feelings post-masturbation, casual sex is the most common trigger for a curious psychological phenomenon known  as postcoital dysphoria.

This refers to a series of negative emotions in the aftermath of an otherwise satisfactory sex act — including sadness, anxiety, agitation or aggression.

While the condition has been explored in the context of sex in committed relationships, a study by Nottingham Trent University set out to explore if Brits experience the same feelings when they engage in self-pleasure, or sex with a ‘casual’ partner.

A survey of 156 people, recruited online, found over three quarters of men who masturbate report experiencing postcoital dysphoria.

For women, who accounted for two thirds of the total study group, rates of post-masturbation dysphoria were lower, with only half (51 per cent) reporting such feelings.

However, women reported far higher rates (77 per cent) of the sensation after casual sex.

In contrast only half of men (49 per cent) reported postcoital dysphoria during or following a fling.

Publishing their findings in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, researchers said the results for masturbation were likely linked to feelings guilt and shame.

Sole author of the study Darcie Raftery, from Nottingham Trent’s school of social sciences, suggested that if Brits thought of self-pleasure more positively, the phenomenon may not be as prevalent. 

‘If one’s attitudes toward masturbation can become more positive, and masturbation acts be further normalized within society, it could reduce the likelihood of experiencing PCD (postcoital dysphoria),’ she wrote. 

She added however that the relationship between women having casual sex and postcoital dysphoria needed further research.

The survey also found sex in a committed relationship recorded the lowest rates of postcoital dysphoria for both men and women.

Only one in five and one in 10 women reporting suffering in these circumstances respectively. 

The study had a number of limitations, one being its small sample size and the fact it was conducted via an online survey, assuming that participants’ testimonies were truthful.

Ms Raftery said further, larger scale studies should be conducted to further explore postcoital dysphoria in non-committed relationships.

It comes as a leading GP warned excessive masturbation could be leading to men becoming flops in the bedroom.

In moderation, self-pleasure helps to reduce stress, improve sleep quality and mood, but it can become ‘an unhealthy habit’ and trigger a form of erectile dysfunction.

However, excessive masturbation particularly using pornography can lead to men suffering from desensitisation, both mentally and physically, leading to difficulty achieving and maintain an erection.

Masturbating too much can also be a symptom of other mental health conditions, such as depression, with people using it as an escape.