Here's what happens when you fap too much

#1

What's your number? Whether you masturbate twice a week or twice a day, you probably have a set figure in your head when it comes to your favorite pastime.

Match or exceed that mark, and you start wondering whether you're doing it too much.

Here's the good news: There's no magic number when it comes to a healthy masturbation habit, says Dan Drake, a certified sex addiction therapist and clinical counselor.

"However often you masturbate, it's not a problem until it starts affecting your life in negative ways," Drake explains.

#1 You Hurt Yourself

Yes, some guys beat off to the point of injury, says Tobias Köhler, M.D., a urologist at Southern Illinois University.

That injury could be something as mild as skin chaffing, or a more serious condition like Peyronie's diseasea buildup of plaque in the shaft of your penis that can result from using too much pressure while stroking it, Dr. Köhler explains. If you're hurting yourself, you need to cut back, he warns.

#2 Your Job Suffers

Maybe you stay in on Friday nights to flog instead of meeting up with friends. Or you've been late to meetings because you were giving yourself a hand in the men's room.

If you find your habit is harming your social life or your jobor preventing you from getting out and finding a partnerthose are signs you need to adjust your routine, Drake says.

#3 You Can’t Ejaculate

Some guys who masturbate a lot using specific types of stimulisay, certain categories of porn coupled with specific hand movementsfind that they can't recreate the same type of excitement during sex, Dr. Köhler explains.

Basically, rubbing it out teaches your brain and body to get off only in response to your solo act, and you experience problems getting it up or finishing with a real-life partner. "If that happens, you have a problem that needs to be addressed," says Dr. Köhler

#4 You Always Think About It

If you often feel distracted by thoughts of when or how you're going to yank it next, that's a strong indication you're dealing with a serious behavior, Drake says.

#5 You Try to Cut Back, but Fail

"One of the major criteria of any type of addiction is a loss of control," Drake explains. Just like a problem smoker or gambler, if you can't manage to curb your habit when you recognize it's out of control, that's an issue.

On top of all this, there are some times when masturbating just isn't a great idea.

For example, Dr. Köhler and his colleagues have found that diddling every day for 2 weeks depletes a man's sperm count by nearly 50 percent.

"If you and a partner are trying to get pregnant, masturbating could be hurting your chances," he explains.