Adolescent Dilemmas: Three Major Health Risks Faced by Young Men
**Safely Navigating Puberty: 3 Major Health Risks for Young Men**
Due to increased income, improved living standards, and higher protein intake, puberty is occurring much earlier among young people in my country. The earliest reported nocturnal emission in boys is around age 11, with 60% of boys experiencing it after age 13. The changes during puberty are not only physiological, such as the maturation of appearance and internal organs, but also psychological. Increased social skills, stronger independence and self-awareness, and developing sexual awareness are also observed. Young men experience many new psychological experiences, such as sexual dreams, fantasies, sexual urges, and masturbation. Influenced by traditional values, sex education in my country remains underdeveloped, leaving young people often feeling overwhelmed and deeply distressed by the dramatic physiological and psychological changes of puberty. On the one hand, they experience strong sexual urges; on the other hand, social norms, laws, and morals prevent them from expressing these urges. This widespread contradiction creates various hidden dangers to the physical and mental health of young men. Only by paying attention to and preventing three major health risks can young men successfully navigate puberty, grow into strong men, and live a happy life.
**The biggest health hazard: The fear caused by nocturnal emission**
Adolescence is a normal physiological stage that every young man must face and go through. If a boy doesn't experience nocturnal emissions during puberty, it's actually abnormal. Nocturnal emissions in boys are similar to menstruation in girls; both are signs of sexual maturity. However, due to improved living conditions and abundant nutrition, coupled with the unscrupulous practice of adding hormones to the cultivation and raising of vegetables, fruits, and meats to accelerate growth, these hormones can seep into the produce. Boys who consume these hormone-containing foods may experience precocious puberty. Now, boys as young as 10 or even 12 years old may experience nocturnal emissions. This necessitates parents promptly identifying the issue, explaining sex education to their children, alleviating their fears, helping them understand themselves correctly, and facilitating a smooth transition through puberty. One young man, after experiencing his first nocturnal emission, was terrified. He didn't know what was happening and speculated wildly: Was he sick, or was it pus? Was it a sexually transmitted disease? What kind of STI was it? He was afraid to ask his teachers, parents, or classmates. Finally, in desperation, he secretly went to the hospital and learned that it was normal nocturnal emission during puberty.
**Second major health hazard: Masturbation**
Nowadays, due to the influence of movies, television, newspapers, magazines, and especially internet cafes and pornography, some young people are aroused by these things and learn to masturbate. They experience pleasure the first time and then want to do it again. I want to clarify that it's normal for boys to masturbate occasionally during puberty to release pent-up emotions. However, once young people develop a masturbation habit, most find it difficult to break free. Some even masturbate daily, seeking pleasure, which damages both their physical and mental health. I have received tens of thousands of letters from all over the country seeking medical help, and 50% of these letters are from young people suffering from various illnesses caused by masturbation, requesting my treatment and intervention. This truly pains me!
One letter reads: "I am a 24-year-old man who has just started working. I developed a masturbation habit around the age of 10 and it continues to this day. In the past two years, I have developed chronic prostatitis, experiencing frequent urination, incomplete urination, weak urine stream, scrotal dampness, tinnitus, and difficulty concentrating. I am in the prime of my youth, yet this illness has caused me great distress and distress. Please help me get rid of this burden as soon as possible!"
Masturbation is a significant health issue that causes distress and confusion among young people. How to view masturbation is also a highly controversial topic. At the 10th World Congress of Sexual Science held in the Netherlands in June 1991, a consensus was reached that masturbation is harmless. It was considered a normal physiological phenomenon, a physiological manifestation of sexual maturation during puberty, and a way to relieve anxiety and restlessness caused by sexual tension. The "harm" of masturbation is precisely what is created by the propaganda surrounding it.
A correct understanding of masturbation can help dispel various misunderstandings about it and free one from anxiety and fear. However, everything has its limits; excess leads to negative consequences. For example, eating and playing sports are good, but in excess, they are detrimental to health. The same applies to masturbation. Young people have strong sexual desires, and masturbating two or three times a month is not harmful to health. However, long-term and frequent masturbation is detrimental to health. Our hospital has treated many patients with urological diseases caused by masturbation.
First, frequent masturbation easily causes inner conflict and ideological contradictions. Knowing it's bad but unable to break the habit, fearing harm to the body, leads to inner tension and anxiety. After each act of masturbation, regret, fear, and pessimism are inevitable. Constantly caught in the contradiction between sexual pleasure and its negative consequences can, over time, easily lead to symptoms such as depression, memory loss, poor concentration, decreased comprehension, insomnia, vivid dreams, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, and palpitations.
Secondly, excessive masturbation can cause various urogenital system disorders, such as frequent urination, post-micturition dribbling, lower abdominal and perineal discomfort, scrotal dampness and coldness, testicular pain, lower back pain, and weakness in the limbs. It can also cause a series of inflammations, such as chronic prostatitis, seminal vesiculitis, urethritis, chronic pelvic congestion, and varicocele. Long-term, frequent, and constant masturbation, like sexual intercourse, easily leads to overindulgence. Prolonged and frequent masturbation over-excites and fatigues the erection and ejaculation centers, eventually causing these two lower sexual centers to become "negatively active," shifting from excitation to inhibition, thus leading to impotence or weak erections.
In my reply to the young man who wrote for advice, I said: "For your health, I suggest you establish confidence that masturbation can definitely be overcome, and correctly and scientifically understand the negative impact of frequent masturbation on work, study, and physical and mental health. Actively and enthusiastically participate in proper cultural and recreational activities and sports, cultivate broad interests and hobbies, foster a spirit of collectivism, and make your spirit cheerful and your will stronger. Maintain a regular lifestyle, going to bed and waking up on time. Avoid stimulating foods such as tobacco, alcohol, and spicy foods. Do not read 'pornographic' novels, read obscene magazines, or watch pornographic movies. Do not be overly excited before sleep, do not eat too much at dinner, and do not use overly warm or heavy bedding. Pay attention to the cleanliness of your genitals, washing them frequently to remove accumulated dirt and irritation. If a man has phimosis, he should seek medical treatment and have surgery. In addition, underwear and shirts should be changed and washed frequently, and should ideally be made of soft fabric, avoiding anything too tight. In short, overcoming your 'mental ailment' also requires your own strong will and a positive and open-minded attitude."
**The third major health hazard: Early romantic relationships**
Young people often start dating as early as 17 or 18, or even 12 or 13. Early dating can lead to several problems: it can interfere with studies and affect future prospects, and it can also cause premature sexual activity. Before the age of 22, a man's reproductive organs are not fully developed, and premature sexual activity can damage his vital energy, deplete his kidney essence, and harm his health. In my clinical practice at the hospital, I have encountered many young men with erectile dysfunction caused by excessive indulgence in sexual activity, starting too early and too frequently.
In order for young people to successfully navigate adolescence and lay the foundation for a healthy and happy life for over a hundred years, it is crucial to pay attention to preventing these three potential health risks.