Women masturbate as a coping mechanism and way to relieve stress, rather than out of a desire for sex, according to a new study.
Researchers in Switzerland surveyed 370 women aged 18 to 56 about how often they masturbate and the reasons behind it.
In total, the entire group only masturbated nine times a month.
But those who were psychologically distressed (usually anxious or stressed) masturbated more frequently than those who were not.
Previous research has suggested that activity may help relieve stress because it stimulates the release of dopamine, the feel-good hormone, in the brain.
Half of women masturbate to relax, while a quarter do so to reduce stress, according to a study involving 425 German women (file image)
One woman wrote in response to the survey: “For me, it’s also an outlet for stress. I’ve noticed that I masturbate more often during exam periods, for example.”
A second said: “(Masturbation) distracts me and relieves stress,” while a third added: “It brings me back to the here and now and makes me forget about everything else for a moment.”
In the study, Published online, The scientists recruited 370 women who had masturbated at least once in the past three months through Facebook, Instagram and university mailing lists.
Each completed a 35-minute survey in January 2021 about their masturbation frequency, habits and a questionnaire determining whether they were psychologically distressed.
The results were then adjusted for factors such as marital status, age and educational level.
Of the total people who completed the survey, 85 percent were heterosexual, while 64 percent were in a relationship and about half had a college degree.
In general, Twelve percent of women (or 44 participants) said they masturbated as a coping mechanism to relieve stress.
But the top reason women masturbated, according to the survey, was to promote calm and relaxation, with 64 percent saying that was the reason they did the activity.
An additional 55 percent also said they masturbated because it brought them feelings of joy.
Few women said they masturbated for reasons such as helping them fall asleep or to relieve physical pain.
In the article, they wrote: ‘According to the women in our study, masturbation serves as a strategy to induce positive emotions and promote relaxation when experiencing stress.
‘These findings are consistent with previous research that has highlighted the role of masturbation as a coping strategy for psychological stress and as a means of relaxation.’
In the initial group of 800 women, 15 were excluded because they said they had never masturbated, while another 53 were excluded because they said they had not masturbated in the past three months.
Participants taking psychiatric medication or who reported using anal stimulation were also excluded from the study.