Five things that happen when you stop masturbating forever revealed

A former reality TV star has reignited debate around one of the most personal topics imaginable after revealing she gave up masturbation for a decade.

While health experts frequently talk about the upsides of self-pleasure, including research suggesting it may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, not everyone sees it as a harmless habit.

For Madison Prewett, known for her time on The Bachelor, the decision to stop was deeply personal and rooted in faith.

Speaking candidly on her Stay True podcast in 2025, Prewett opened up about her journey and what she described as a long battle with porn and masturbation.

"This has been a struggle," she said on her Stay True podcast in 2025. "This has been a huge part of my testimony, something I’ve struggled with since middle school.

"And thankfully, by the grace of God, and by the power of the Godly community and people around me, I have been free from porn and masturbation for... I don’t even know, 10 years?"

Her revelation has sparked fresh curiosity about what really happens when someone quits masturbating for good. Here are five key changes experts and personal accounts suggest you might experience.

What happens to your body when you stop masturbating

The first effects may show up physically, and not always in the way you might expect.

According to Dr Sharon Stills, writing for the Women's Health Network, orgasm plays a role in pelvic health for women. During climax, a woman's "uterus 'lifts' off the pelvic floor, increasing pelvic muscle tension and strengthening the entire region".

A 2015 study found that women who reported more frequent sexual activity tended to have stronger pelvic floors. That said, pelvic floor strength is not dependent on orgasm alone. There are other targeted exercises that can help maintain and build those muscles.

For men, the body may respond to long periods without ejaculation through wet dreams. Men who abstain for extended stretches are more likely to experience them as the body naturally releases built-up semen during sleep.

How quitting masturbation can affect your brain

The mental impact can vary widely.

Masturbation and orgasm trigger a release of dopamine, the neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and reward. Removing that stimulus can feel different depending on the person.

A 2022 study from Innsbruck University in Austria found that men who avoided masturbation and pornography for three weeks reported reduced fatigue and shyness, alongside increases in activity and self-control.

But the experience is not universally positive. An anonymous writer for InStyle documented her own attempt at abstinence and described some unexpected side effects.

She said she "developed a low-grade headache, felt an increase in my stress levels, and was so irritable that after a week of snapping at my co-workers, one of them finally yelled, 'WHY are you in such a BAD mood?'"

For some, clarity and control improve. For others, tension and irritability creep in.

The impact on dating and relationships

When it comes to intimacy, experiences also differ.

The same anonymous InStyle writer admitted that while skipping self-pleasure made her more short-tempered, it changed her experience with her partner for the better.

She said: "Because I was hornier, I was genuinely excited from the get-go during partner sex, instead of taking my usual 20 minutes to warm up and decide this was more fun than watching Project Runway after all."

On the other hand, some professionals argue that masturbation can actually enhance partnered sex. Sex therapist Melinda DeSeta wrote for Psychology Today: "Masturbation can help embrace body positivity. The more a person has a healthy experience exploring their erotic zones, and learning their pleasure principles, the healthier and sexier they will feel and appear to a partner."

In other words, abstinence may intensify desire for some people, while for others, self-exploration strengthens confidence and connection.

Does giving up masturbation improve focus and motivation

Supporters of abstinence often claim it sharpens concentration and builds discipline.

A male journalist writing for Vice said that going without masturbation for 21 days "turned my life around; I got work done, I kept my house clean, I finished off personal projects that procrastination had always forbid me from finishing."

However, Healthline reports there is no scientific evidence confirming that abstaining from masturbation directly leads to benefits like better focus or improved sleep.

Self-control is something that can be developed over time, but experts suggest it does not require eliminating pleasure entirely.

How abstinence can shift your view of sex

Stepping away from masturbation can also influence how someone relates to sex and intimacy more broadly.

Some people report feeling more in control of their urges. Others describe feeling disconnected, as though an important aspect of their identity has been dulled.

Not all health professionals believe abstinence is beneficial. Professor Jim Pfaus told Vice: "[Masturbation] is a great stress reducer - there’s evidence that having sex or masturbating can reduce our resting heart rate for up to 12 hours. Plus, it does our sex lives the world of good to learn our sexual rhythms.

"We connect [through masturbation] to the types of action that we see in erotic or pornographic visual stimuli. This feeds our sexual fantasies, which is an enrichment of our creative process.”

Ultimately, whether someone chooses to continue or quit masturbation is deeply personal. As Prewett’s story shows, for some it is tied to faith and community. For others, it is about physical health, mental clarity, or relationship dynamics.

The science suggests there is no universal outcome. The effects depend on the individual, their body, and their beliefs.

Featured image credit: Filmstax / Getty