Of the answers concerning orgasm, most specified the intense feeling just before ejaculation, describing it as a tickle, an itch, or a tingle. A few mentioned the good feeling after masturbation has begun, but before reaching the "point of no return." Some mentioned the feeling of helpless inevitability after passing the point of no return. Others mentioned the feeling of ejaculation, as the semen spurts out of the penis. Still others mentioned the feeling of release from tension after an orgasm – feeling relaxed, relieved, satisfied, full, or drained of tension.
Of the answers that mentioned feelings of controlling or focusing on their sexuality, some mentioned being able to focus on their own bodies and genitals, particularly males feeling their erect penises. Others described the feeling of taking care of themselves and satisfying themselves as only they know best, without having to worry about pleasing another. Still others mentioned the pleasure of being able to control their situations in order to achieve maximum sexual pleasure.]
I like the pleasurable feeling that occurs a few minutes into a masturbation session – usually accompanied by a deep sigh – when stroking stops being conscious and goes into autopilot. Your mind drifts into the fantasy of the moment. Orgasms are great, but the groove leading to it is what I find the most gratifying.
- age 51, New York
The part where it feels like I'm going to pee all over the place and I'm, like, freaking out – right before ejaculation.
- age 13, New Jersey
Words seem useless here, but I'll try: Autonomy. I have no one to please but myself. It's a great feeling of power and pleasure. Mix power with sexual pleasure, and you've got the makings of a great time.
- age 30, Ohio
To me, masturbation is like an enormous sneeze. However, instead of blowing out air and saliva, you are releasing your tension and stress. That is what I love most about masturbation.
- age 13, Texas
The quick answer is, of course, orgasm, but it's also a way of getting in touch with my body. I read for my mind, I exercise for my heart and muscles, and I masturbate for my penis. It's all healthy.
- age 32, California
*Feeling* my penis!
- age 17, Canada
It's that slow building up of tension that gradually transforms itself into a deep tingling that then expands into the intense sensation of climax. All that is a single, long, mutating, glorious feeling.
- age 59, Washington
It's that hot, smooth, almost glowing feeling radiating from the center of my body with the release of tension.
- age 16, Massachusetts (female)
The single greatest feeling is the "trip-line" between the "point of no return" and the first bursts of semen. This is the feeling I wish I could prolong. The "brink of the explosion" is another way to describe this point.
- age 48, Tennessee
The moment when your body begins to tense up – not right before orgasm but after you become erect and have been masturbating a while, and you feel every pump of your hand move with your entire body. It's like getting a full-body massage, but you have to work only one part of the body. And this massage has a great finish!
- age 20, Georgia
The best part is having my penis rock hard and feeling as though it's going to crack into a million pieces. That feels great!
- age 47, Texas
More than anything, I get satisfaction from taking time for myself to do something nice for my own enjoyment and not have to worry about anyone else. I guess it is the simplicity and naturalness of masturbating that gives me the most pleasure beyond the obvious physical sensations.
- age 26, Ohio
That burning, hot sensation I feel right before I ejaculate. You know, the feeling that you can't hold it back much longer. It happens when you start to pump harder and you just want to scream.
- age 22, Oklahoma
It has to be the one you get while you are in the middle of masturbating. Not the feeling you get when you climax, but everything before that. That's what makes it gratifying for me.
- age 17, Texas
I like the feeling right before you climax, where you know that whatever you do, you're going to have an orgasm. It's great!
- age 18, Florida (female)
When I'm lying there on my back, thrusting up and down, and right before I'm about to blow, I stop and then start up again. I do that a few times. Then, on the last time, I finally blow on my belly. I love the feeling of every muscle in my body tightening and relaxing as I smile and moan. There's nothing better!
- age 15, Washington
It's that feeling just before the moment of orgasm when I want to ejaculate but don't want to stop – when my hand no longer belongs to me and all the energy in my body seems to be centered on my penis.
- age 28, New Zealand
The best feeling for me is the incredible tension in my clitoris and a sensation that I may burst at any moment.
- age 18, New York (female)
I like feeling the buildup of semen before I ejaculate along with the tingling sensation in my nipple. I massage the nipple with one hand at the same time I massage the penis with the other hand. I do both at the same time. It is fantastic! It gives me an intense pleasure all the way down from my chest to my penis.
- age 49, New Mexico
The feeling of absolute euphoria that I get after a good masturbation session.
- age 20, Oklahoma
When the semen spurts out of my penis, the feeling is like a release of anything that is bothering me. That one feeling makes everything bad go away.
- age 18, Arizona
The best feeling for me is the total, euphoric "itch-that-was-just-scratched" feeling I get as I reach orgasm. Second to that is the indescribable feeling on the skin of my penis as I stroke it with varied rhythms and pace.
- age 44, Illinois
I'd have to say it's the feeling of giving myself pleasure. Knowing I can make myself feel incredibly good simply by touching my genitals and breasts (and a few other body parts as well!) is what makes masturbation so gratifying.
- age 36, California (female)
The single most gratifying feeling is when, near orgasm, I start to hold my breath unconsciously. While my penis is feeling great, a sort of pressure builds up in my chest. I enjoy this more than the actual orgasm because I can do it again and again.
- age 13, New Jersey
The release! I love to hold off as long as possible to experience a stronger release. The feeling of my penis swelling in my hand is definitely right up there, too.
- age 45, New York
It feels so good when I haven't masturbated maybe for a week and then do it and have the best orgasm ever. I shoot so hard and so long that I feel wiped out and extremely satisfied. It's even better when I do it with a friend.
- age 15, Pennsylvania
My erection – I love feeling my erection in my hand.
- age 33, Holland
I like the feeling when my penis isn't even hard and I'm trying to get an erection. It feels better when your penis is soft.
- age 13, North Carolina
It gives me a fullness no other person can give me.
- age 19, California
It's not climax for me; rather, it's the buildup. After I've been going at it for 10 minutes and am getting near "the edge" – that feeling of buildup is the best.
- age 17, Kentucky
The electrifying, tingling, uncontrollable muscle spasms you get all over from ejaculation are *awesome!* All of it seems to be interconnected and makes it that much more enjoyable. I also like the feeling of first touching my penis with lube – the slick feeling when you first touch your glans sends your senses through the roof!
- age 25, Oklahoma
It's the chills that go through my body like I'm on a roller coaster, or when you feel your eyes are going to roll up inside your head because it feels so good.
- age 16, New York (female)
The pure euphoria that takes over my body as I am about to ejaculate and lasts until I've finished my session. That's what lulls me off to a peaceful night's rest.
- age 45, Connecticut
The glorious feeling of self-worth you can get that makes masturbation so gratifying afterwards (if you do it lots and overcome the guilt). I always feel fulfilled, and I even learn to like myself more.
- age 16, Canada
I mostly like the feeling of spending time with myself. Listening to my heavy breathing and feeling my body respond to my own touch. I like the way I respond to sexual stimulation. It makes me feel in touch with myself.
- age 18, Tennessee
For me, the whole act of masturbation is most gratifying when I can share it with someone. When my boyfriend moved away to college we discovered the art of phone sex. Mind you, the long-distance phone bills are a pain, but the feeling I get when I know he's satisfied and I can fall asleep thinking of us makes it all worth it. It's the ultimate relaxation.
- age 16, Wisconsin (female)
The feeling of control it gives me over my total body. I find it very satisfying to be able to have such random access to my body and to be able to pleasure not only my penis but my whole body during the experience. I like the feel of my penis in my hand and the way it swells and grows and the way I can control my orgasm and the time I invest in it.
- age 25, North Carolina
It would have to be the feeling you get just before orgasm – the intense "whoah" that makes it all worth it.
- age 15, Scotland
It's the euphoria from ejaculating! Getting there is great, but the release is definitely worth the time.
- age 44, Ohio
The best is that feeling after I ejaculate. My heart is pounding, sweat is dripping on my forehead, I'm getting my breath back, and most of all I feel released! It takes me a while to recover after a really good, hard masturbation session.
- age 18, Texas
When I'm about to ejaculate, especially when the orgasm hits. There is no other feeling like it in the world.
- age 15, California
Its like making love to someone and there are no regrets because you wake up to yourself. Masturbation is better then sex because you can't get pregnant. It's better then being with a man in many ways because you can find your own g-spot, you can climax many times, and last, he isn't there to be "spent" before you. You can do it at your own pace.
- age 23, Alaska (female)
It's like being more alive than when you are doing other things; its intensity makes the 5 minutes or so it takes to climax the most authentic time you have all day. The fact that it feels so good from start to finish makes it even better.
- age 19, California
It's self-pleasure without harming anyone – all natural.
- age 35, India
I could sum it all up in one word: Love – for yourself, and for your significant other as well.
- age 17, New Jersey
I like the total release of all my muscles when I reach orgasm. It is the greatest relaxation trance I ever can be in. After that I feel like I can take on the world. It is my own type of "power nap."
- age 19, Connecticut
That moment when I reach "the point of no return," the physical thrill I get that tells me orgasm and ejaculation are now inevitable. In many ways it's the most intense moment of the entire masturbation experience.
- age 42, Tennessee
My favorite thing has to be that second just before you ejaculate. You can feel the pressure growing inside you, and you know what's about to happen – you just can't stop.
- age 16, Canada
The final squirt of semen and the release is what makes masturbating gratifying – also the pleasurable feeling of tickling my scrotum and playing with my nipples. It's a really cool experience to rub yourself and then climax with an explosive load of semen. Although cleanup is a hassle, it's all worth it for the final calmness and release that comes from masturbating.
- age 15, North Carolina
The immediate draining of accumulated stress in my body upon climax.
- age 41, Mississippi
It's mainly the feeling of being a "detachment" from real life. It lets me get away easily from a hard day. To me, masturbation is definitely a stress-reliever, and not so much for sexual release.
- age 17, United Kingdom
The whole jolt of energy that goes through my body. I love the feeling of ejaculating in general. It is the single most indescribable feeling a man can have except for love, but this feeling is a little different. Also, the feeling of an intense orgasm I get because of the different stimulating techniques I read on this site.
- age 16, New Jersey
It's the tingling of your penis when your hand glides up and down on the underside of the head!
- age 42, California
The orgasm is the best part – when you ejaculate and your semen goes everywhere and you have that great tingly feeling all over.
- age 14, Nevada
The tightness that occurs in my breasts and thighs. It feels *so* great! As soon as I start to stimulate my clitoris, I feel a tingling in my thighs – it is totally awesome!
- age 16, California (female)
Knowing I'm able to please myself sexually and ultimately will be able to please my sexual partner.
- age 25, Trinidad
The great pleasure of having my girlfriend masturbate me, which leads to a great orgasm.
- age 16, Maine
I like the ability to control when I want to ejaculate. I can do it how I want and when I want without all the strings of emotional bonding.
- age 42, Ohio
The semen rushing through my penis at the orgasm is the best part. It feels like a relief, like when I stretch or yawn, and it feels really good and strong.
- age 14, California
The oneness with myself, I guess – being able to please myself without the worry of how my partner is feeling, likes what I am doing, etc. After all, who knows better how to please me than me?
- age 45, Texas
Those feelings of a "jerk" or a "thrust" during the course of masturbation. Of course, the orgasm is great, too, but the aforementioned feelings make you want to keep going and going and going!
- age 15, Oklahoma
The feeling I get just before I ejaculate. I love to bring myself to this point and then stop so I can bring myself back to this point over and over again. When I finally ejaculate it is tremendous!
- age 35, Maryland
The warm, full, throbbing feeling I get afterwards.
- age 19, Tennessee (female)
I enjoy masturbating because it not only relaxes my entire body but also lets me feel good about my penis. After masturbating, I usually feel confident with a sense of assurance.
- age 15, California
Out of all the different joys of masturbating, the most gratifying one is the feeling I get when, just as I'm about to climax, I squeeze tightly as if I have a full bladder yet am 5 miles away from a toilet. The longer I hold it, the more intense the feeling gets and the harder it becomes to hold it – yet that one feeling makes the whole session.
- age 16, Nevada
I like the high it gives me when I "give" myself permission to love myself!
- age 33, Connecticut (female)
I like the feeling of something penetrating my anus the best!
- age 17, Canada
Masturbating makes me feel male – maleness – my maleness – in an exciting, altered state. I feel wonderful about myself. This sense has not changed over the years. Masturbating can provide a variety of different states of consciousness that are not always the same. But whether I feel the pleasure of touches, psychological thrill, states of floating high, or the intensity of orgasm, they all seem to clarify, heighten, and celebrate being a male self.
- age 62, Pennsylvania