Skin problems
Acne is caused by excess sebum, which in turn is caused by elevated androgen levels. Therefore, to get rid of acne in adulthood, it’s not sex that’s needed, but a good endocrinologist.
Some believe that semen holds a special place in the arsenal of skin healing remedies. It’s often described as a universal rejuvenating and strengthening agent, recommended for use on the face and body, and in nourishing masks. Significantly, these recommendations are primarily aimed at women. In fact, semen is more likely to cause allergic dermatitis than to have a healing effect.
Problems with your figure
The popular belief that sex is a great workout is not without foundation. Many sexual practices involve movement and some form of exercise. However, the frequency and intensity of such “workouts” must be exorbitant to produce noticeable results.
For example, a man burns an average of 4 kcal per minute of sex, and 9 kcal per minute of running. For women, the figures are 3 kcal and 8 kcal, respectively. Sex won’t damage your figure, but expecting it to tone your butt or get six-pack abs is pointless.
Stress
Sex can be useful as a preventative measure. But it’s a different story when a person is already stressed. The idea of relieving stress with sex is good in theory. In practice, such a combination is either impossible or doesn’t lead to satisfaction.
As sex education expert Emily Nagoski notes in her book, Come As You Are, 80–90% of people lose interest in sex during times of stress. But a small percentage experience desire during this time. Moreover, severe and consistent stress can stimulate this desire, leading to its growth. This might seem like a great situation, but there’s a problem.
Stress and sex combined definitely don’t bring any pleasure.
Emily Nagoski, sex education expert, author of books and scientific publications
Satisfaction and relief do not come after such sex.
Risk of certain diseases
Popular wisdom predicts problems for men who neglect sex include erectile dysfunction, sperm quality issues, and prostatitis. Women who are sexless are also threatened by pelvic congestion, irregular periods, and the risk of developing a masculine appearance.
In their book, journalists Daria Varlamova and Elena Foer analyze and debunk these myths with evidence. They note that, by and large, these are “horror stories” that diverge from medical and scientific evidence.
What’s wrong with forced sex?
There is no pleasure
When attraction doesn’t work, sex is a waste of time. A lack of lubrication can be remedied with lubricant, but emotional well-being is no less important for satisfaction. Sex without a sense of intimacy and immersion is hardly good.
Exhaustion is increasing
Anyone can experience periods of psychological and physical overload. During these times, sex is often undesirable. Trying to have sex despite your current state is likely to lead to even greater impotence. But the good news is that abstaining from sex is safe for your health, so you don’t have to force yourself.
Additional risks appear
Sex on demand isn’t immune to problems, and protective measures are always necessary. But if you force yourself, intercourse becomes an unpleasant, risky process, with the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease, HIV, or experiencing an unplanned pregnancy quite high. Sex that doesn’t bring pleasure only carries risks.
Happiness levels are decreasing
Contrary to the persistent stereotype that more frequent sex improves mood, there is no such cause-and-effect relationship. In fact, scientists even conducted a study asking whether partners would be happier if they had sex twice as often. This was the question posed to participants in the three-month experiment.
The study resulted in a depressed mood in the subjects. They began to feel that forced sex was hard work, unlike spontaneous sex. A similar, but non-scientific, experiment was conducted by BuzzFeed. The participants’ findings were similar.
Why sex is not a panacea
Sex has certain benefits: it gives you energy, boosts your immunity, and reduces the incidence of colds, but it’s not a miracle cure that will solve all your problems.
If you don’t want to have sex because of stress, health issues, or simply because you don’t feel like it, that’s okay.
Moreover, there are a number of conditions and illnesses for which temporary abstinence is essential for a speedy recovery. And then there are asexuals—people who don’t need sex. Even the data on the health effects of sex in older people, previously considered exclusively positive, is a contradictory. So there’s no point in forcing yourself to have sex in an attempt to become more beautiful, successful, or avoid illness.
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