Sociology

This paper seeks to accomplish the following
Give a discussion on the meaning of masturbation. Here the author also talks about the various forms of masturbation.

Discuss the effects of masturbation in the family. Of importance here are the positive and negative impacts that masturbation has in a marriage relationship.

Effects of masturbation on an individuals social behavior. This section talks about how masturbation can impact on an individuals view of relationships as well as how the society reactions can affect their social life.

Introduction
The practice of masturbation is quite common especially among teenagers in the community. The question on whether masturbation serves any good to the sexuality of the victim remains a subject of controversy. It has been claimed by some medical scientists that masturbation leads to increased self-esteem and elimination of depression in an individual (Philips, 2008). Another benefit is that it can function in resolving marital problems such as insatiable sexual desires by one spouse (Zastrow  Kirst-Ashman, 2010). In such a situation, masturbation serves to satisfy such high sexual desires thus ensuring harmony in the marriage relationship.

Mutual masturbation on the other side is claimed to be important in promoting sexual relationships between couples (Wiederman  Clark, 2000). However, masturbation has been established as a major risk for dangerous lowering of blood pressure of the victims (Philips, 2008). This means that depending on the technique used it can lead to unconsciousness or even death. Such could also be attributed to the fact that masturbation can result into extreme changes in the functioning of hormones and neurotransmitters (Zastrow  Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Masturbation can develop into a compulsive sexual behavior thus greatly compromising the victims social and marital life.

Definition of masturbation
Masturbation can be defined as a form of sexual stimulation to orgasm. The practice mainly involves either manual simulation of an individuals genitals without having intercourse or by using assisting tools to sustain orgasm (Philips, 2008). Masturbation can be self or mutual. Self masturbation is defined as the act of self stimulation into orgasm while mutual masturbation involves sexual stimulation with a partner.

There are many techniques used for masturbation in the society. However, common for both men and women is the practice of pressing or rubbing ones genitals with fingers of an object. Masturbators tend to touch or rub erogenous body zones while contacting the masturbation act. The use of lubricating substances, viewing of pornography or sexy pictures is quite common as it serves to increase sensation.

However, some forms of masturbation such as autoerotic asphyxiation and self-bondage as quite dangerous and can result into death of the individual (Philips, 2008). This type of masturbation involves a self-induced cutting of oxygen supply into the brain for the purposes of maximizing sexual pleasure. Such results into death as after failure of the individual to succeed in self-rescue after orgasm. Acute blockage of oxygen flow into the brain leads to mental confusion, unconsciousness, or severe brain tissue damage thus risking death.


Effects of masturbation on the family andor marriage
Masturbation has a number of negative effects in a marriage. First, the practice has been established as a potential cause of premature ejaculation in men. Such have been closely attributed to the fact that masturbation as a way of gaining sexual pleasures involves mental influence to achieve orgasm without intercourse. Just to be stated is the fact that getting used to this feeling of orgasm can greatly compromise the individuals ability to avoid premature ejaculation when exposed to a sexually suggestive environment. This thus means inability of the victim to sexually satisfy the other spouse sexual desires (Wiederman  Clark, 2000).

Another effect is that masturbation can lead to the breakdown of sexual relationship between couples. It has been rightly claimed that most victims of excessive masturbation tend to neglect their couples sexual feelings as they feel contents with their sexual satisfaction (Wiederman  Clark, 2000). Indeed, this problem can leads to divorce or infidelity if the couples failure to communicate effectively. Still, masturbation leads to fatigue and week erection. This has the direct result that masturbation can potentially lead to sexual relationship failure between spouses.

Still, acts of masturbation are perceived by many in the society as being unethical and immoral behaviors (Wiederman  Clark, 2000). It is indeed due to this reason why most victims of masturbation do such acts in secrecy. In a relationship the realization that one spouse is a masturbator can result into a family conflict. Other negative complications associated with masturbation that can affect a family or marriage include lower back pains, groin pain and pain in the pelvic cavity. All these effects have a negative impact in the sexual relationship between spouses.

However, masturbation can have some advantages in a relationship. According to available scientific findings, masturbation can give the individual emotional pleasure (Philips, 2008). This has been found to play a special role in reducing or eliminating depression problems in the victims. Still on emotional pleasure is that masturbation can thus significantly aid in improving the self-esteem of the individual. In other words, masturbation is seen as a deep sexual action. Indeed, this is why it results into lower blood pressure than any other sexual activity.

Another important effect of masturbation is that it serves as a way of gaining sexual satisfaction for a spouse with insatiable sexual desires (Wiederman  Clark, 2000). According to statistic on family conflicts, it is quite evident that most cases of conflicts between couples stem for sexual dissatisfaction or un-appreciation by one couple of the sexual behavior of the other. Masturbation has been established to be used by the spouses to satisfy their sexual desires individual thus respecting the decisions of their spouse on sexual matters.

Also, mutual masturbation between couples leads to increased sexual satisfaction and appreciation in a marriage used as a preparation to other sexual activity (Philips, 2008). It has been claimed by some members that mutual masturbations helps in building strong relationships by enabling partners to identify when gives their spouse pleasure during sex. Still, masturbation keeps the trust for each other alive even when one spouse is ill or away. Based on all these, masturbation can be appreciated as a source of sexual satisfaction that acts to harmonize marriage relationships.

Masturbation has been identified as a way of family planning in some families. Pregnancy is never conceived unless semen enters the vulva. Still in masturbation such contacts are not present, and then masturbation can be a crucial tool for family planning. Lastly, it is increasing becoming a common practice to have artificial insemination during fertility treatment practices, a factor which benefit from masturbation.

Effects of masturbation on an individuals social behavior
According to the norms and expectations of the society, masturbation is at its least an immoral act (Harvey, 2000). This makes it an act that can easily tarnish the victims social life if revealed in the general public. This is because such lead to stigmatization in the society. Masturbation has been established to be more common among teenagers. Just to be noted here is the fact that during this stage of human development, individuals are easily affected by any negation of their expectations.
Due to such a reason masturbation among teenagers can result into stress andor depressive moods for the individual in the community, a factor which negatively affects their social life (Wiederman  Clark, 2000). Another effect of masturbation is that it can easily negate once appreciation for having a sexual relationship with others. Compulsive masturbation has been identified to have the ability of making the victim an addict of masturbation. This implies that the individual will never engage in a serious sexual relationship in the society.

On the contrary masturbation can result into abnormal sexual desires in an individual. Excessive masturbation is dangerous and addictive (Wiederman  Clark, 2000). By excessive masturbation, the individual is highly used to frequent feelings of sexual pleasures. Based on such reasoning, it could be logical to conclude that victims of excessive masturbation face many difficulties in trying to control their sexual desire. Therefore, when exposed, such victims are more likely to engage in risky sex behaviors than their counterparts. This is despite the fact that they have soft erections as well as the problems of premature ejaculation.

Conclusion
It has been established that masturbation has both positive and negative effects on the individuals social behavior as well as on the family or marriage. On the positive side, masturbation proponents see it as a way of ensuring sexual satisfaction for couples with insatiable sexual desire (Wiederman  Clark, 2000). Through this it aids in keeping a strong marriage relationship between couples. However, masturbation can lead to weak erection, fatigue and premature ejaculation problems, major factors which contribute to poor sexual relationships among many couples. Also established is the fact that some forms of masturbation such as autoerotic asphyxiation and self-bondage can lead to death due to suffocation after losing consciousness in the masturbation process.