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 shows.

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

This refers to a range of negative emotions in the aftermath of an otherwise satisfying sexual act, including sadness, fear, excitement, or aggression.

Although the condition has been studied in the context of sex in committed relationships, a study from Nottingham Trent University wanted to investigate whether Britons experience the same feelings when they engage in self-pleasure, or have sex with a ‘casual’ partner.

A study of 156 people recruited online found that more than three-quarters of men who masturbated reported experiencing post-coital dysphoria.

The condition scientifically called post-coital dysphoria refers to a range of negative emotions in the aftermath of an otherwise satisfying sexual act, including sadness, anxiety, excitement or aggression.

In women, who made up two-thirds of the total study group, rates of post-masturbation dysphoria were lower, with only half (51 percent) reporting such feelings.

However, women reported much higher rates (77 percent) of sensation after casual sex.

In contrast, only half of men (49 percent) reported postcoital dysphoria during or after an affair.

Publishing their findings in the Journal of Sex & Marriage TherapyResearchers said the results of masturbation were likely linked to feelings of guilt and shame.

The study’s sole author, Darcie Raftery, from Nottingham Trent School of Social Sciences, suggested that if Britons felt more positively about complacency, the phenomenon might not be so widespread.

“If attitudes towards masturbation can become more positive and masturbation is further normalized in society, this could reduce the likelihood of experiencing PCD (post-coital dysphoria),” she wrote.

However, she added that the relationship between women having casual sex and post-coital dysphoria needs further research.

The research also showed sex in a committed relationship recorded the lowest rates of post-coital dysphoria for both men and women.

Only one in five and one in ten women report suffering from these conditions.

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

Ms Raftery went on to say that larger scale studies need to be carried out to further investigate post-coital dysphoria in uncommitted relationships.

It comes as a leading GP warned that excessive masturbation could cause men to become flops in the bedroom.

In moderation, self-pleasure helps reduce stress and improve sleep quality and mood, but it can become an “unhealthy habit” and cause a form of erectile dysfunction.

However, excessive masturbation, especially when using pornography, can cause men to suffer from desensitization both mentally and physically, making it difficult to get and maintain an erection.

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