Answer
Answer:
As-Salamu ‘Alaikum,
Thank you for writing to us to express your concern.
Masturbation addiction is a severe problem which needs to stop as soon as possible. Not only does it bring about anxiety and guilt, it also causes physiological problems to the individual, such as those you have mentioned in your question.
Allah (swt) tells us in the Quran:
“And they who guard their private parts, Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed -But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors. “ (23:5-7)
Through these verses, it can be seen that masturbation is an illegal sexual act, as it does not comply with the rules provided by Allah (swt). Therefore, as part of being a practicing young Muslim, it is your duty to seek cure.
However, before you can step out of your habits, you need to self-evaluate. In psychology, there are certain triggers. Such triggers release certain chemicals in your brain and result in the performance of certain activities. Therefore, you need to consider what triggers you are exposed to which result in masturbating. What causes you to masturbate? Are you constantly watching movies which show inappropriate scenes, or listening to music with inappropriate lyrics? Are you not adhering to the Sunnah of lowering your gaze?
Lowering your gaze does not generate any inappropriate feelings in you. It prevents desires which cannot be fulfilled. Lowering your gaze is of utmost importance given the hyper sexuality we are exposed to on an every basis. It is a well-known fact that an empty mind houses the devil. Hence, you absolutely must reduce the amount of time you spent watching movies or listening to music and invest time in other activities which are productive.
Also, high amount of testosterone in your blood causes high sexual urges, which make unmarried men resort to masturbation. However, to offset the effects of high testosterone levels, get active. Input your time and effort in exercising, weight lifting, sports, and running. Not only will these activities reduce your urges, but will also benefit your physical health in the short and long term.
In addition, there is, in fact, scientific evidence which suggests that working memory is altered with exposure to inappropriate material and masturbation, resulting in an inattention to important environmental information and unfavorable decision making.
Therefore, brother, you need to get your mind preoccupied if you want to stop your addiction. Also, limit the time you spent alone. This is because when we are alone, we resort to doing activities which we will not do when surrounded by others. If you commit such activities during the night time alone in your room, then try and sleep in the living room until you are able to successfully repress your actions. Or, if you browse the internet and watch movies alone, move your computer to a place where others can see what is on your screen. This will successfully inhibit the triggers from negatively impacting you.
In addittion, although back pain and loss of memory do root from overly masturbating, I highly recommend you to get yourself a physical checkup. It is dangerous considering ailments such as back pain and memory loss of no significance. If there are underlying health issues, they need to be taken care of before they progress. The same applies to any personal problems you feel with your reproductive help. You need to see a medical professional.
I personally feel that at your age, you need not worry about children. You need to focus on changing your habits and improving your overall health.
Lastly, you need to make tawbah for the past and ask Allah (swt) to help you towards attaining perfection in your religion and self-development. Make dhikr often and remember Allah (swt) as much as you can. Offer your daily prayers on time and spend time reading about Islam.
The motive to seek a cure for this problem should stem from your fear of Allah (swt) and love for Him and a desire to follow His instructions and guidelines on how to live. If you realize that it is hard for you to successfully stop yourself after sincere effort, seek help from close family and friends whom you trust. There is a solution for every problem, you just need to set your mind to it and never give up.
Salam,
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