How often is normal to masturbate?

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As long as it isn’t interfering with your life, flick that bean. It’s not hurting anyone.

You don’t need to compare yourself to others. They’re not you. Twice a day doesn’t sound excessive to me. 20 times a day might, but twice? It’s your body.

Also keep in mind female masturbation has, until recently, been discouraged by western culture as deviant. It may be that some of your friends are downplaying their own regularity for social pressure (you already mentioned you vocally agree with what they say – others are probably doing that, too).

I do it every month or so for the dopamine, but I’m asexual. I’d say even a few times every day is fine. If you think it’s disruptive to your life, I’d recommend therapy, but that’s like if you can’t focus in a meeting because you haven’t done it for an hour and that’s all you can think about. Otherwise, just enjoy yourself. You’re fine.

Have you considered that the friends might be insincere about their own frequency too? In many societies masturbation is considered shameful. Even when people admit they do it, they might not want you to think they do it "too much".

As a married man, more than I would like to. My wife has wonky hormones and she's only in the mood right after her period. The doctor has me on bi-weekly testosterone shots that I stretch out into 4 weeks because they make me all horned up. It sucks when you can't get somewhere to take care of that distracting urge.

Working with attractive young women doesn't help either. Dear God I don't know what happened. Suddenly I feel like that creepy old dude.

I'm grossing myself out.

40's female. every day or every other day for me. and sometimes multiple times per day.

i feel that I didn't really take off until I was in my 30s, honestly. and after then its been like I am now.

but I feel quite normal. so I'm sure its normal for you too, Miss Curator!🙏

As much as you want to is normal. Suppressing your libido to fit in is not normal.

From what I gathered, it's weird if you don't stop for food, or in public. Other than that it's more or less normal.

Well, if you mean normal as a synonym for typical or common, then a couple of times a week is where most adult, premenopausal women sit. Or, those that were willing to take part in surveys, which could skew things.

If you mean normal as a synonym for healthy, then normal is whatever frequency meets your sexual needs without interfering with the rest of your life.

Women tend to masturbate more as an enhancement of their sex life, supposedly (I didn't do the studies, so I can only say so much). Which means that you might masturbate more often when having a satisfying sex life with partners. Men tend to have an upper limit to ejaculation frequency that tops out with a couple of times a day for most men before they can't get an erection; the body just says nope and takes a rest. Three, maybe four ejaculations is where the average guy can crank some out, and most can't sustain that every day.

Mind you, men can orgasm without ejaculation! But it ain't easy to learn.

Women tend to be limited more by sensitivity and friction. The tissues of vulvae, vaginas, and clitorises gets abraded at some point, and with the elevated sensitivity brought on by orgasm, the typical woman is going to hit a similar limit as men in terms of sessions, but a higher number of orgasms may be involved per session. But! Those tissues recover quickly, so women are usually able to sustain their preferred frequency no matter how many a day it is, as the next day will have things back to typical conditions (again, on average).

So, if you're an every day kinda gal, don't worry. You're within known boundaries of frequency. As long as it isn't messing with the rest of your life, have fun and let the other people think what they will.

29 year old woman. A few times a week, on average, I'd say. Potentially multiple times in a day.

When I have a partner, I tend to do it way less though, because I find that the sex is way better if I refrain from masturbating. Orgasms from masturbation aren't particularly satisfying for me unless I try to do a whole build up that I rarely have the time or energy for.

Worth mentioning that autism makes my general sensory experience pretty weird — I'm hypersensitive to most stimuli, and that also affects touch. This feeds into my above preferences in complex ways.

I also have a few physical disabilities that mean I'm less likely to be able to enjoy sexual pleasure as much unless I'm in the right mindset (i.e. chronic pain can distract from the physical pleasure).

It's possible that you're ahead of the curve when it comes to knowing what you like. I had a friend who was capable of reaching orgasm through masturbation, but it took so much effort that she rarely did it. Then she had a partner who helped her to figure out her own idiosyncratic preferences in terms of what she needed to reach orgasm, and that sparked a period where she "felt like a teenage boy" with how often she was masturbating. She was 32 at this point.

I have another friend who didn't even orgasm until she was 31 due to only having dated guys who were stereotypical straight dudes, which had calibrated her bar of what to expect super low (not just in what she expected from partners, but in terms of what sexual pleasure could feel like in general).

Another friend didn't masturbate at all until she was 28 (with the exception of some occasional pillow humping that she would feel tremendous shame about) due to religious trauma.

Unfortunately, the society we live in doesn't really equip women well to be able to come to understand our bodies and communicate our sexual needs. A lot of my friends in their 30s (especially the women) have said that they're loving their 30s way more than their 20s because of this kind of thing. 30 is still relatively young, so maybe (likely in addition to a naturally higher libido) you just have figured out what you like sooner than your friends have. Maybe some of them are yet to have an awakening of some sort, and the average rate of masturbation will be higher in a few years.

I don't think "normal" is a helpful frame of mind here. Maybe "healthy" is a better way to see it : does it make you feel good ? Does it feel like a healthy part of your life ? I don't want to decide for you, but from your other comments it seems like it probably is.

I would call it a problem if it becomes an obsession, if it takes time away from other things you want to do, if you do it so much you hurt yourself... Etc.

If it does not interfere with your life, then it's not a problem.

Might be a hot take, but:

• Sex is completely normal and natural.
• Most of the sex addiction discourse is astroturfed by christian fundamentalists.
• Most of the sex addiction stories I've read so far is just people wishing their life back before they had those weird urges, that came at a time they're way too immature for them mentally.
• Unless you're some variant of asexual, you will have sexual needs. They're hardwired into you. Please them as long as
  • the way of pleasing them won't harm you,
  • it doesn't violate someone's consent.
• The "grindset" is toxic, people should work less than 40 hours/week by this point, not 100 hours. The problem isn't too much time for sex but rather not enough time for it.

I'm pooped if I do it more than once every 2-3 days. Sometimes go for weeks without. Guy btw. But then, we have to reload. Seems fair that people without a reload timeout should masturbate more often.

I'm a guy, but yeah, often several times per day. Occasionally none. I'd say you're fairly normal.

Mid 30s, Male. Usually 1 or 2 times a day, more often 1.

Enough to take the edge off, not so often it interfers with your life. The number will be different for every person and different at every stage of life for a person.

Once a day on average, early 30s male. Has been that way forever for me.

30 something guy here.

I oscillate. Usually somewhere between once every 2 days and 3x/day.

However, I've noticed that I feel almost no urge to masturbate when I spend a lot of time in nature - eg, on long backpacking trips. My theory is that - while there is nothing really wrong with masturbation - what is actually happening is that I am masturbating to counteract the stress of modern life. If I feel tired or lonely or anxious or sad, my brain knows it can feel happy chemicals just by beatin' the ol' bishop.

In this way, it feels similar to hunger. Sometimes I eat because I need food. But the vast majority of the time, I eat because I feel a compulsion to make myself feel good by eating.

So it might be worth considering if your desire of masturbate is coming from actual horniness, or a desire for some form of enjoyable escape from the moment you are in.

I think it averages out to once a day, maybe once and a half.

On weekdays mostly in the evening, sometimes in the morning, some days not at all. On the weekends often twice a day. Sometimes three or even four a day, but that happens only if I'm using toys, just manually it feels a bit raw after two.

32, male, happily single.

When I was a teenager and early 20s, a few times a day, tbh. Holy shit, when I was a teenager, i was so fucking horny, like all the fucking time. then my twenties were the same, my thirties were very very different (next to no libido). these days? Almost never anymore. Just don't have a libido anymore :/ I am a bit of an old codger though. So maybe that explains it?

personally, 3-4 times a day.

that's mostly because the world is going to shit and I need that dopamine boost.

Middle aged male. Depends on what's going on in life. Usually once every couple of days. Sometimes go a couple of weeks or more without. Other times multiple shots per day.

20s male. Generally once per day but I find it's easier and easier to forget and I sometimes go a week without thinking about it. I rarely if ever do 2. I've gotta cool down for 20 minutes between, which gives a lot of time to realise I should be doing something else.

1-2 daily sounds totally within normal range.

Trans woman. My libido is less assertive when I'm on feminising hormones. I can kinda forget to and maybe only do it once every few days. Whenever I go off HRT for any reason and my T rises, my penis usually tells me what we're going to do first thing in the morning and before bed.

Some days I don't do it but im getting old. Admitadely you need some privacy unless you are intentionally sharing the experience. I have used it to reduce pain with medical things and then it was a lot as it does not last all that long.

30 something male, average is 1-2 times a day. Some days it's none, some days I get those demons in me. Down from 3-4 per day when I was younger, and some of those were deliberately prolonged sessions. Still do that now and then, but I've got shit to do most of the time.

I am married, but her libido only really spikes once or twice a week so that doesn't affect much. When I had multiple partners I almost never masturbated, but I was having sex multiple times per day, so.

Every day or every other day i would say is normal. Depending on time availability.

Do you have ADHD? If you do than you're probably just chasing dopamine. Doesn't mean you're doing it an unhealthy amount, but if you're doing it cuz you're 'bored' not, 'horny' than that's probably why.

Me personally it aches afterwards if I jack it too many times in one day. I don't know about women. I imagine uterine walls can only handle so much dildo friction while clits can only handle so much vibrator stim before they start complaining.

I also think what kind of porn you consume, if any, can be a factor. Like when I go long stints away from the wife watching porn I get desensitized mentally and seek out more intense content. I think depending on the person and the content it can have negative mental effects if overdone.

I mean, I'm an asexual and sex-repulsed person, so I don't get horny, let alone masturbate, ever.

However, there are also men and women in this world that do that shit constantly.

So I don't know, anything between "never" and "constantly," inclusive, is a normal amount.

cis man here. I'd say everyone should either have sex or masturbate once a day. but the thought of multiple times a day feels exhausting. if you have the time and are happy with it though, don't let peer pressure make you feel any bad. actually I'd push against my friends and say once a day confidently. maybe that's what they're missing in their lives. act like they're the crazy ones. like why not?

32M single, at least once a week. But there are periods where I get super horny and do the deed several days in succession (once per day, probably 3 days a week), these usually happen every 1-2 months.

After seeing the replies here I wonder if my libido is lower than average.

could be ADHD and a lack of dopamine

Aside from what I would consider normal frequency, I feel like depression or stress can affect the weekly average as well.

fellow lady in her late 30's. Once a day for me, nearly everyday. It takes me about 60 seconds to climax, and I move on to my day. I dont think what youre doing is too much, even if there is such a thing. I can even make myself cum with just thoughts only, if im stoned enough late at night in bed. Ive had some radical climaxing from thoughts alone.

dont compare yourself to others, you good :)

The only "problem" with a high libido is if you have a mismatched libido compared to your partner. You and your partner seems perfectly matched. Also as a women you are theoretically insatiable because you don't have a refectory period like men. Go crazy girl.

If you want some perverted strangers advice about this come join you discussion at Savage Love. You will find a lot of people (including women) who have a similar libido as you. Or at least interested in sex and sex positivity

As long as it doesnt affect your daily life it doesnt, matter flick your bean till it falls off.

normal to do it a few times a day.

I'm a man in my 30s and I do around 5x per week.

It's a sin so never. /s

Guy in my 20s. I do it about 3-4 times a week sometimes less. Usually not 2 days in a row. I don't think my gf does it at all sadly.

I used to masturbate every day when I was going through T puberty, that really messes with your sex drive. Once I started E I started doing it like once or twice a week, once I started prog it made me more horny, but more of a tingly feeling all over my body. It was something that was nice to wallow in, so I didn't feel a pressure to masturbate so often either. And since i have a partner, I don't need to masturbate very often at all

30s male - Most days, sometimes multiple times. Lately it's been a lot. Not sure what that's about.

Currently with new partner and am not feeling the need hardly ever. It's been maybe two weeks. FYI she is 30something and is the same. We were both 'once a day occasionally twice' before we met. I feel my penis needs a bit of a break sometimes heh.

I'm a 48yo guy but for what it's worth, when I don't masturbate it's usually a sign of depression.
Once or twice a day sounds normal to me, like going to the toilets.

Satisfying sex will satiate me for much longer than a quick wank though.

I'd comment on my wife but I think her aphantasia and almost complete ignorance of porn makes her particularly uncommon, regarding masturbation.

Almost 30yo male here, usually once a day, rarely twice. Been like that since I was a teenager, to the best of my memory.

I'm a late 20's male and I can go three or four times a day. More often once or twice. I've been horny as fuck lately. I love your username btw.

Not only do people vary but individuals vary over time. I've been as frequent as you and now several decades later it's more like a couple of times a month. Hormones play a huge role. Women are often judged for having a libido, and also judged for being frigid, along with every other goddamn thing we do or don't do in life.

Guy nearing 60 here. Average of 1/day, sometimes a bit more.

Sadly married to someone who has absolutely zero sex drive or desire for me.

It’s a huge spectrum and as others have said, whatever is your normal is normal. 40 year old man here on the opposite end of the spectrum, maybe once or twice a month. Normal testosterone levels and healthy, always just had a lower sex drive.

It's more a question of why, and whether that represents something functional, or something that gets in the way of other things you want to do, or should be doing.

That's what defines addiction; whether it's stopping you from a lifestyle that would make your spirit happy. Basically does it get in the way or put you somewhere you don't enjoy being?

Because there's reason, the body, and the spirit... and they don't always agree. So making the right choice on who to listen to is important.

...for a lot of people masturbating is their primary cope (way of dealing with stress), and it limits them. They might get a fuller life if they diversified into coping via hobbies, exercise, meditation, social activities, or self-knowledge/mastery (eg. Why do I do this?).

This gets into the question of if/when, and how to change habits.

However, it's also perfectly possible what you do is just your jam, and you should just keep (literally) doing you.

At one point as a teen, 3 times if I had to time, but usually twice just because of lack of opportunity. In my 20's, usually once a day (and it just felt like a chore). Near 30, I started second puberty (HRT) and rarely did for a while (and sometimes only to make sure things kept working). Now probably a couple times a week (early 30's still). I don't think anything is weird about any of the various frequencies I've had over the years.

Depends on how often ThiccMoe drifts into the Top 6 Hours.

20s XY man here, 2-3 times a day is perfect, but sometimes down to 1

Gf (20s XX woman) can do anything from once a month to twice a day depending on the horniness

It varies for me based on stress and energy. When I'm in a low mood it's maybe once a day, if I'm feeling more turned on and energetic then probably two or three times in a day? Your frequency doesn't sound odd to me, but there can be a lot of variance person to person. If it's not interfering with your life and you aren't rubbing it raw go for it as much as you feel like, there's nothing wrong with it.

I can't imagine someone being so sex positive! Good for you guys. In America its largely "shameful".

That said I'd say youre not super weird just above normal some.

38 male. 1-3 times per day.

It's more commonly once per day as I get older, and the drop in libido is welcome. My partner only wants sex once per week, and she thinks I'm crazy (though she does come 1-4 times when we do have sex, and I only come 1-2 times, so that might explain it)

I wish I could find another partner with a higher libido, because it's a strain on our relationship.

I am same but, I am horny.

50 something guy here. Are you and your husband good? I’ve been married over 30 years, and obviously things ebb and flow. We recently tried having sex at least once a day for a solid year straight. We learned a lot about each other and found neither of us needed to masturbate.

TL;DR Why aren’t you two just fucking a lot?

This is so individual, but I still get off at least once a day by some means, we do have sex each day and sometimes I will still do me. And I am not twice your age but close.

ETA my 30s were literally the lowest point in my sex drive, so far. And like you I started early & am very quick usually, very glad I am not a man.

I’m married so very rarely plus early 40’s so that sex drive is much less then it used to be

40ish guy — once every two days usually, sometimes daily. Wife around same age and she does daily or more. HTH

60-year-old divorced male. Once a day, most days. I miss about two days a month, for various reasons.

When I was a teen, I'd rub myself raw.

Between about 20 to 40, it was two or three times a day. It's slowly petered off since then.

Lots of opinions here without a lot of actually answering the question.

Teens to 30s, at least once a day on average. 40s plus, less impetus so a few times per week. Definitely more in the summer.

I believe in studies it's been about once a month for women and once a week for men as the average.

I think 2 times a day is too much, like you might feel better if you do it less and make the masturbation a "bigger" event rather than a smaller more casual one. However, that's coming from my male perspective because i have also masturbated 2 times a day at times, sometimes more - i just found that it was a lot and actually draining on the energy levels.

I like to make sure i'm not influencing myself towards doing it in lieu of exercise, or because of external triggers on my dopamine or arousal (lots of coffee and chocolate for instance. Sometimes videogames, heightening dopamine whike reducing exercise, seem to insoire masturbation. Sometimes they help not masturbate.)

Many people also attest that it reduces creativity or willpower for some reason.

It does consume energy and small amounts of nutrients - water, selenium, zinc, and potassium i think.