Five Changes That Can Happen When You Stop Masturbating Long-Term As Reality Star Shares 10-Year Break

Here are five things that may happen if someone chooses to stop masturbating for good, after one reality TV star revealed she stepped away from the act for ten years.

People often hear about the possible health benefits of masturbation, including claims that it may lower the risk of prostate cancer.

That concern did not apply to former Bachelor contestant Madison Prewett, who has openly shared why she decided to stop masturbating.

In her case, she explained that her faith and the support of a religious community played a key role in what she described as overcoming an addiction to pornography and adult content.

"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?"

Madison Prewett has previously spoken about quitting masturbating Instagram/@madiprew

So what actually happens if a person stops masturbating for good?

Here are five areas where people say they notice changes.

Our bodies

One of the first areas where changes may show up is in the body, and not all of them are positive.

Writing for the Women’s Health Network, Dr. Sharon Stills explains that during orgasm, a woman’s uterus "lifts" off the pelvic floor, which increases pelvic muscle tension and strengthens that entire area.

A study published in 2015 found that women who reported higher levels of sexual activity often had stronger pelvic floor muscles.

There are other ways to build pelvic floor strength, such as targeted exercises. They may not feel as exciting as an orgasm, but they can still support physical health.

For men, the body may respond in a different way. Going long periods without ejaculation can increase the likelihood of experiencing wet dreams.

Our brains

Changes can also show up in the mind. Masturbation and orgasm release dopamine, which creates a sense of reward and pleasure. Taking a break may shift how that system feels.

A 2022 study from the University of Innsbruck in Austria found that men who abstained from masturbation and pornography for three weeks reported lower levels of fatigue and shyness, along with higher activity levels and improved self-control.

However, not everyone has a positive experience. A writer for InStyle who stopped masturbating shared that 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?"”.

You may feel more clear-headed by giving up masturbation Tim Robberts/Getty Images

Dating and relationships

The same anonymous InStyle writer admitted that while she felt more irritable overall, her sex life with her partner improved during that period.

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, 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 simple terms, avoiding masturbation may increase desire and intensity for some people, while continuing the practice can help others build sexual confidence and feel more connected during partnered intimacy.

Focus or frustration?

Some supporters of abstinence claim that quitting masturbation sharpens focus, increases motivation, and strengthens 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”.

Still, there is no solid research proving that stopping masturbation leads to benefits such as improved concentration or better sleep, according to Healthline.

You might find yourself more tightly-wound than usual Kathrin Ziegler/Getty Images

At the end of the day, self-discipline is something people can develop in many areas of life. It does not always require cutting out pleasure entirely.

Our view on sex

Choosing to abstain from masturbation can also influence how a person sees sex and intimacy.

Some people say they feel more in control of their urges. Others describe feeling disconnected or as though a part of their sexual identity has been muted.

Not all experts agree that 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."