When Did Masturbation Become Taboo?

There’s something strangely contradictory about masturbation. Almost everyone knows about it. Most people have done it. It exists across cultures, genders, ages, and even throughout the animal kingdom. Yet somehow, it became one of society’s most whispered-about subjects — tucked behind shame, awkward jokes, and moral panic.

So… when exactly did masturbation become taboo?

The answer is surprisingly complicated.

 

Religion Changed the Conversation

Much of the taboo surrounding masturbation grew from religious interpretations, particularly in parts of Christianity during the Middle Ages and beyond.

Sex increasingly became framed around one main purpose: reproduction.

Anything outside that purpose — including masturbation — was often labelled sinful, wasteful, or morally dangerous. Over time, pleasure itself became suspicious. Desire became something to control rather than understand.

And once shame becomes attached to something deeply human, it tends to stick around for generations.

The 1700s Turned Fear Into “Science”

Then things got weird.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, masturbation became the target of full-blown medical hysteria. Doctors and writers began claiming it caused blindness, insanity, weakness, infertility, memory loss, depression, and basically every imaginable illness.

None of it was scientifically true.

But fear sells.

Books warned parents to watch their children constantly. Strange devices were invented to stop people touching themselves while sleeping. Some foods were even promoted as “anti-masturbation” diets.

What started as moral concern evolved into pseudo-scientific panic — and society absorbed it deeply.

 

The Shame Never Fully Left

Even today, we still inherit pieces of that history.

You can see it in the way people joke about masturbation but rarely discuss it honestly. You see it in education systems that avoid the topic entirely. You see it in the embarrassment many people still carry around perfectly normal sexual feelings.

What’s fascinating is that modern science largely agrees masturbation is a normal part of human sexuality. It’s linked to stress relief, sleep, mood regulation, and self-understanding.

Yet culturally, the discomfort lingers.

Because taboos don’t disappear overnight — especially ones reinforced for centuries through religion, medicine, parenting, and social norms.

The Rise of the “No Masturbation = Success” Movement

In recent years, a different kind of message has exploded online — especially across podcasts, TikTok, YouTube, and “self-improvement” spaces aimed at young men.

You’ve probably seen it before:

• “Stop masturbating and become unstoppable.”
• “Retention creates power.”
• “Real men control themselves.”
• “Masturbation is draining your ambition.”

A lot of these ideas are heavily pushed within parts of the online manosphere — communities centred around masculinity, dominance, discipline, and status. Influencers such as Andrew Tate have helped popularise the idea that masturbation is not just unhealthy, but something that weakens men mentally, physically, or financially.

The message often frames masturbation as:

• A distraction from success
• A waste of masculine energy
• A sign of weakness or lack of discipline
• Something preventing men from achieving their goals

Now, discipline itself isn’t a bad thing. Reducing unhealthy habits, excessive porn consumption, or compulsive behaviour can absolutely improve focus and wellbeing for some people.

But the problem is when normal human behaviour gets turned into fear-based ideology.

There’s currently very little scientific evidence proving masturbation alone destroys motivation, ruins ambition, or stops people from becoming successful.

What’s interesting is how this modern messaging echoes older historical fears. For centuries, society claimed masturbation caused weakness, illness, and personal decline. Today, some online influencers have simply repackaged that same anxiety into modern “grind culture.”

Instead of:

“Masturbation will make you sick.”

The message becomes:

“Masturbation will make you unsuccessful.”

Different era. Similar fear.

What Happens If You Don’t Masturbate?

Honestly… for most people, not much.

The human body doesn’t require masturbation to survive or function. Some people masturbate regularly, some occasionally, and some not at all — and all can still live healthy lives.

However, depending on the person, going long periods without sexual release can affect things like:

• Stress levels
• Mood
• Sleep quality
• Sexual frustration or tension
• Libido
• Emotional wellbeing

For men, the body may naturally release built-up semen during sleep through nocturnal emissions (“wet dreams”). For women, sexual tension may simply come and go naturally without any physical harm.

The important thing is this: not masturbating is not dangerous. But neither is masturbation itself when done in a healthy, balanced way.

What Happens to Your Body When You Do Masturbate?

Masturbation triggers a mix of physical and chemical responses in the body.

During and after orgasm, the brain releases chemicals such as:

• Dopamine — linked to pleasure and reward
• Oxytocin — associated with relaxation and bonding
• Endorphins — natural feel-good chemicals
• Prolactin — often linked to post-orgasm relaxation and sleepiness

Because of this, many people report benefits such as:

• Reduced stress
• Better sleep
• Temporary pain relief
• Mood improvement
• Relaxation
• Better understanding of their own body and sexual preferences

Some research has also suggested regular ejaculation may support prostate health in men, although studies are still ongoing.

Final Thought

The real question may not be why people masturbate.

The real question is why something so common became loaded with so much shame in the first place.

History shows the taboo wasn’t inevitable. It was built — slowly, culturally, and deliberately.

Which means it can also be questioned.