# What are the adverse effects of not having sex? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 10, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275 "2009-02-10T20:51:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/21 "2009-02-10T23:14:13Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > If oral sex and mutual masturbation were included in the OP’s definition of sex, I’d agree with this. > [@ITR\_champion](#): > > I meant sex by the sixth grade sex ed class definition, not by the Bill Clinton definition. Oral sex is sex, masturbation is not. Helps if you read the whole thread. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/22 "2009-02-10T23:14:49Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Well, maybe not. Do water sports count as sex? Refer to your sixth grade handouts for the answer. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/23 "2009-02-10T23:14:58Z")
I was once on a prescription medication that, as a side effect, deadened the sex drive. My testicles became uncomfortably, even painfully bloated unless I jerked off at least weekly, which required extraordinary effort. (Fortunately I had no woman in my life at the time.) ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/24 "2009-02-10T23:18:23Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Intimate contact with a partner. But is that physical? I would think of that as having more psychological results. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/25 "2009-02-10T23:21:59Z")
I hear it leads to excessive posting on message boards. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/26 "2009-02-10T23:37:25Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Helps if you read the whole thread. Oops, I thought ‘sixth grade sex ed’ and 'Bill Clinton’s definitions were one and the same. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/27 "2009-02-10T23:40:59Z")
Bad moods, wandering eyes, depression, bitter feelings towards partner, etc. ---
**Author:** ![New\_Beginning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@New\_Beginning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Beginning)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/28 "2009-02-10T23:43:09Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > I assumed that no one believed in bad physical effects striking those who abstain, so they would have to mean bad psychological effects. I was just wondering what those psychological effects were supposed to be. I’ve never seen anyone name them specifically or give evidence for them. My own personal anecdote is that sex is quite important for me psychologically. I won’t go into details, but I believe that regular, passionate sex, greatly affects my mood and energy level. That said, someone with a good imagination and a good hand might be able to accomplish the same, so obviously there’s no absolute _requirement_ for sex. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/29 "2009-02-10T23:55:51Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > I assumed that no one believed in bad physical effects striking those who abstain, so they would have to mean bad psychological effects. I was just wondering what those psychological effects were supposed to be. I’ve never seen anyone name them specifically or give evidence for them. I can’t help with this too much, not being qualified in the strictest sense. But it does seem like people who never get laid often have vaguely repressed, uptight, difficult personalities. Orgasms in and of themselves are surely not a cure, but sex might help: you know, actually sharing intimacy with another human. Being able to do that seems important for socialization reasons. I’m not at all sure how one would determine cause and effect here, but I have known people who went from being uptight and difficult to being far better socially after finding a sexual partner. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/30 "2009-02-11T00:11:43Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > I meant sex by the sixth grade sex ed class definition, not by the Bill Clinton definition. Oral sex is sex, masturbation is not. Waitaminute, in order for your OP to receive any kind of worthwhile discussion, shouldn’t we be using the definition of sex that’s used by the person who made the asserton that the lack of it results in adverse effects? ETA: What YOU mean by “sex” is pretty irrelevant in evaluating that other doper’s assertion. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/31 "2009-02-11T00:21:23Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally Posted by **ultrafilter** > > Intimate contact with a partner. > > But is that physical? I would think of that as having more psychological results. The assertion referenced in the OP simply says “adverse effects.” It doesn’t specify physical or psychological. **ITR Champion** , could you spare us a minute and delimit the parameters of the discussion, please? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/32 "2009-02-11T01:31:00Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I have read somewhere that regular sex helps ward against prostate cancer. And a new study claim that too much sex/masturbation (either or both) in one’s 20s and 30s _causes_ men to get prostate cancer. Google “prostate cancer too much sex” and you can find links from Jan 27th, 2009 discussing the study. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/33 "2009-02-11T05:38:55Z")
The only adverse effect I can think of (besides the psychological ones from having to repress one’s sex drive, assuming we are talking about a normal human) would be no passing one’s genes on to the next generation. That’s what sex is FOR after all… -XT ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/34 "2009-02-11T05:40:43Z")
The first thing I thought of was Catholic priests. They (in theory) swear off sex, and then get into all these horrible abuse situations. Is there a connection? I don’t know, but maybe they go into the priesthood because they think it will keep them celibate, but then the celibacy itself drives them to do these things. I suppose it would not be entirely not having sex, and would include the social component of being a priest who can’t have sex. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/35 "2009-02-11T06:15:27Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > If oral sex and mutual masturbation were included in the OP’s definition of sex, I’d agree with this. But they’re not. So unless gay couples can’t achieve the level of intimacy of straight couples, this doesn’t cut it. What makes you think that gay couples are limited to oral sex and mutual masturbation? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/36 "2009-02-11T07:12:47Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > What makes you think that gay couples are limited to oral sex and mutual masturbation? I don’t. But I know some gay males who choose not to have anal sex, and that some people don’t consider lesbian sex (even fisting) ‘real’ sex, so if sex is defined as penis-in-vagina and said to provide otherwise-unobtainable physical and emotional benefits, it’d mean that some gay people are missing out. (I do think that some people harbor this idea that gay couples will never reach the same level of intimacy as heteros.) ---
**Author:** ![Caveat\_lector\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@Caveat\_lector\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caveat_lector_1)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/37 "2009-02-11T16:04:43Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > The first thing I thought of was Catholic priests. They (in theory) swear off sex, and then get into all these horrible abuse situations. Is there a connection? I don’t know, but maybe they go into the priesthood because they think it will keep them celibate, but then the celibacy itself drives them to do these things. > > I suppose it would not be entirely not having sex, and would include the social component of being a priest who can’t have sex. Celibacy does not cause child molestation. I’ve never seen any evidence demonstrating this. Also, if this was a cause we should see a huge percentage of priests of that are molesters, but if I recall my reading correctly (I can’t find the cite) they have no higher rates than occupations like teachers. And while I still consider this bad it does not lend it self to the notion that celibacy causes molestation. Also what do you mean by " the social component of being a priest who can’t have sex"? I’d be willing to be we had abusive priests for one of two reasons. One they entered into the priesthood in order to be in a position to abuse children or two they thought their vow would somehow magically keep them from acting on their desires. ---
**Author:** ![Sacrilegium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f05b48/32.png) [@Sacrilegium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sacrilegium)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/38 "2009-02-11T16:36:19Z")
Now I’m curious - what about people who can no longer reach orgasm or have “traditional” sex because of genital injuries? How do they cope with the lack of it? Does the drive tend to go away eventually? ---
**Author:** ![Atomicflea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58956e/32.png) [@Atomicflea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomicflea)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/39 "2009-02-11T16:50:22Z")
I would think that the inability to release stress sexually might lead to high blood pressure and such, but it would be indirect at best. ---
**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275/40 "2009-02-11T17:20:55Z")
> [@Sacrilegium](#): > > Now I’m curious - what about people who can no longer reach orgasm or have “traditional” sex because of genital injuries? How do they cope with the lack of it? Does the drive tend to go away eventually? I knew a man once who had been castrated, and he still had the strong drive to be sexually intimate with a partner even though his physical sex drive was all but gone. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-adverse-effects-of-not-having-sex/485275.md?page=3)