Actually, not having enough time is one reason I don't choose to masturbate. I don't like to rush my pleasure, and have felt that way for many years. Sure, I admit to cranking off an occasional quickie, just because I haven't ejaculated in a few days and feel like I need some release, but I generally like to take my time. I prefer at least an hour and frequently take two whenever I can. Having acquired considerable ejaculatory control over the years, I strive to keep myself on the edge of orgasm. I like having no real set time to reach orgasm; those sessions are among the best. But I find that at least an hour allows me sufficient time to achieve a handsome erection, to maintain it and caress it, and to finally release my juices in a very satisfying fashion.
- age 54, Wisconsin
This Week's Wackiest Response:
When my penis is barely attached and just hanging by a string.
- age 18, California
At my age, I don't always feel the urge, so I usually wait until it comes along. Of course, I'm often too tired because of work. If I have to get up early in the morning, I probably won't wank, nor on Saturday night before Sunday church – no particular reason for that, except that it's a special day set apart for something else. Other times, I'm just busy with other stuff. When I was younger, I'd take it every chance I would get.
- age 58, Illinois
I was sitting in my bed last week just after my cousin had died. He was pretty close to me, so I didn't feel like masturbating, but normally, I would. I tried to start, but I couldn't get stimulated. It stunk!
- age 13, Wisconsin
Masturbation always depends on the mood I am in. Sometimes it is difficult to get privacy; so when I do, I always use this time for masturbating. The other day, I was home alone for a few hours and hadn't masturbated in 3 days, so the time was perfect. But a friend had upset me earlier, so my mood was not into masturbating – a good opportunity missed.
- age 19, Wales, United Kingdom
If my mom is awake, I stay away from masturbation. I never know when she will decide to come into my room, and that's not too good.
- age 17, Sweden
The only real condition would be when I'm simply not in the mood (not horny, absorbed with something else more pressing, etc.) Generally speaking, if I'm feeling horny and have both the time and place to masturbate, then I probably will. Actually, there's one more condition I can think of: When I'm trying to hold off orgasm so that I can share it with someone else.
- age 47, Tennessee
Lube – if I don't have just the right stuff to stroke with, I don't do it at all...it just isn't worth it.
- age 15, Arizona
When I developed depression serious enough to need medication, the medication I started taking would prevent me from reaching orgasm. I could get hard, lube up, and stroke with no problem. However, I would get to a point in the buildup to orgasm where the feeling would plateau, and try as I might, I could not achieve release. This sort of situation was terribly frustrating – so much so that often I would decide not to masturbate because I knew that I would only get more frustrated. Eventually, I discovered an anti-depressant that doesn't have the side effect of limiting orgasm: Wellbutrin. Since starting to take it, I have been able to masturbate to orgasm successfully whenever I want, and I usually want to about once a day just before bedtime.
- age 62, New Jersey
Just last week, everyone in the house was gone and I had privacy for the next hour or so. I thought about masturbating, but I didn't want to just because I was feeling lazy and didn't want to do the cleanup at the end.
- age 15, Wisconsin
Sometimes I want to save myself, and my semen, for my wife. Otherwise I'd probably start to "beat the band" whenever I could. Before I was married, this wasn't much of an issue.
- age 42, Texas
If we have company over that is spending the night, I won't masturbate, just out of respect I guess – especially if it's my grandparents. Or, if I'm staying the night at someone's house, I won't.
- age 15, Oregon
A variety of reasons. Number one on the list is the chance I may be interrupted in my pursuit of a nice solo orgasm, either by children, relatives, or co-workers. Another is that I may be too tired to masturbate (yes, it does happen from time to time). A good recent example of this happened last week. My husband was away on business, and I came home from work tired and just a wee bit "in the mood." A good orgasm would have chased all the stress from work right out of my body. But I was so tired I barely had enough energy to get undressed and take a shower. It was tragic!
- age 46, California (female)
In bed late at night – erection pushing out the pants – hand to penis – OUCH! A spot is sore from overdoing it for the last week. I try hard to overcome the pain, spit on my hand, but that only makes it sorer. Eventually, I give up as the soreness is greater than the pleasure. I'll wait for a few days for a mega-wank.
- age 16, United Kingdom
I was sick for over a week and was very horny because I had not ejaculated since getting sick. I was in bed feeling horny, but just couldn't masturbate. However, I'll tell ya...as soon as I felt better, I exploded!
- age 40, Massachusetts
Sometimes, even when I'm completely alone and it's the perfect time to masturbate, I don't. Recently, I spoke with my girlfriend on the phone, which is rare because she lives in a different state. After that, I just wasn't in the mood to masturbate. I'm not sure if it's that I just can't orgasm to thinking of her or what, but I know that when I am thinking of her, it's just hard to masturbate. Also, when I'm just really tired from something, I won't masturbate.
- age 14, Maine
I recently moved to a new house that used to belong to my grandparents. The haunting feeling that they had left meant that I could not masturbate for two weeks. Eventually I got so desperate that I gave in and masturbated. There were plenty of opportunities, but I was just too scared!
- age 17, United Kingdom
A few months ago, I got hurt and my doctor prescribed a narcotic pain medication for me. I soon learned that this medication not only provided me with a feeling of euphoria and contentment, it also left me feeling aroused. However, I discovered much to my dismay that the medication also took away my ability to achieve orgasm. I read up on the medication and its side effects and found that it is a central nervous system depressant – I was aroused and could maintain an erection, but could only get close to an orgasm. I tried to defeat this effect by continuing to masturbate anyway, but after masturbating for close to an hour, the only results were a sore hand and arm, and some sweat-drenched sheets. I really like the sensation the medication gave me, but my desire to masturbate took priority. If I am faced with taking medications like this again, I may choose to endure the pain instead. Besides, narcotic pain meds are addicting.
- age 35, Indiana
Sometimes if I have a day filled to the brim with stress, I can barely get an erection, let alone build up the excitement I need to masturbate. Sometimes it's because I did not interact with any pretty girls. Or, in the case of last week, this girl I love was always on my mind. I was so elated just thinking of her, sexual urges never occurred to me!
- age 16, Colorado
When in my early teens, I would do it whenever the situation was right (no parents, total privacy, plenty of time); however, now I often think, "Maybe I should be doing my weights and workout rather than masturbating, as they'll do me more good" – so that is what I do. Since I turned 18 and started university, I often put my schoolwork and physical exercise above masturbation, so my masturbation frequency has plummeted.
- age 19, Australia
For me, there are 3 real masturbation killers: illness (assuming it's major or it's hurting a lot); heavy-duty worry, as when something major in life turns bad; and grief. I guess no one masturbates just after they have lost someone they love.
- age 38, United Kingdom
When things are tense between my parents, it's hard (no pun intended) to focus on having a session, even if I need to have one.
- age 16, Indiana
The scene is: I'm home early, alone, and have the whole house to myself. But my wife and I have sex scheduled that night. Of course, I'm not going to waste my "energy" in advance!
- age 42, Arizona
If I'm in bed, it's after midnight, and I'm really tired, I fight the urge and just drift off to sleep. However, I sometimes masturbate to help me sleep if it's around 2:00 a.m. and I can't get to sleep.
- age 17, North Carolina
I am a single graduate student and live alone in an apartment. When alone here, I'm pretty uninhibited, and I must confess to having masturbated in every room of my apartment. Recently, my mom and her husband were here for a visit and I gave them my bed. At the time, I was horny and sexually frustrated, but I could not bring myself to masturbate at all while they were here (not even in the shower) – simply because they were here. It must have been the prospect of being "caught" by my mom. I've been able to masturbate when other guests are here, but the mom factor completely changes things.
- age 24, Indiana
I won't masturbate if I just don't feel like it. A couple of days ago, my parents were away for few hours, and I would have been able to have a nice, long masturbation session, but I just didn't feel like it, so I watched a movie instead.
- age 17, Wisconsin
As I've matured, I no longer feel compelled to masturbate just because I have the time and the privacy. The desire to masturbate has become the major determinant in my decisions in my adult life. I may have no problem achieving an erection, but if I lack the desire to masturbate to orgasm, I simply do not continue. Recently, while chatting with fellow masturbators in a chat room devoted to "self expression," I coached a few others to enjoyable orgasms while I remained uninspired to follow suit. The next night, however, the desire was clearly present, leading to a lengthy session and a pleasurable orgasm.
- age 63, Michigan
Lately, I have been bringing my laptop into the bed with me, so I could surf the Web before going to sleep. (Actually, that is what I was just doing.) Often I get very aroused – you could see why. I often have the urge to unzip and masturbate, but I have my computer sitting on me, and I am just too lazy. Sometimes if I find a good "source" that is worth it, I will get over my laziness.
- age 16, Ohio
Sometimes after a hard day of work, I don't stay hard. I'll just be too pooped to pop my pud. Even my favorite videos drift in and out of my attention. So, I just take the hint, go to bed, and get off in the morning instead. On those times when I try to insist on getting a load off, I have fallen asleep in the chair, penis in hand – not a good position to sleep in for the back or the balls. I know how to take no for an answer, even from myself.
- age 39, Indiana
With the recent passing of my grandmother, I feel as if she is watching over me from heaven. I don't know if she would approve of my masturbating or how frequently I do it, so sometimes I stop myself from masturbating so that she will not be disappointed in me. However, I have lately come to realize that masturbation was a part of me when she was alive and she still loved me, so I think she wouldn't mind.
- age 13, Ohio
A lot of the time I am just too busy to masturbate, and by the time it is 10:00 or 11:00 at night I just am not in the mood and too tired. Sometimes when I feel guilty about something or my mind is occupied with other non-sexual thoughts I cannot masturbate. Last week, for an example, I had so many tests and practices for various things at school, I just had no energy to wank...it was pretty sad.
- age 16, Massachusetts
Normally I feel quite free to masturbate while I'm chatting online, especially if I'm with someone who is good company and can talk about how they masturbate too. But now and then the talk gets into subjects that are really important to me, such as my own relationships or issues in my life, and then the conversation starts to become more important. I may defer or stop masturbating altogether while we talk about the deeper issues. Usually the end result is that I masturbate before I sleep anyway, but I feel much more fulfilled after a good talk.
- age 32, Pennsylvania (female)
About a week ago in school, during lunch, I stayed in a classroom to study for a test and I was the only one in the room. The door was locked from the outside; I had about 20 minutes. I was really horny that day because I didn't have time to masturbate in the shower in the morning, so I was extremely tempted. I thought about it, but the test was more important. (I know, "More important than masturbation?") I tried not to think about it, studied my butt off, and I got an A on the test. Whoopie!
- age 15, Iowa
The simple condition that I like to do something else makes me do that instead of masturbating. This assures me that I'm not addicted to masturbation, although I masturbate often. For example, if the weather is inviting, I like to go biking in the early morning instead of being busy in bed, as I am most mornings.
- age 33, Germany
If I'm dog-tired when I go to bed, I tend not to bother, even if I'm aroused that night. Or, if I've spent time with my mom right before I go to bed, it takes some doing to transition from talking-to-mom mode into masturbation mode. For example, the other night I was watching TV with my mom right before bed, and as I got ready for sleep, I was thinking about various conversations she and I have had, rather than thinking arousing thoughts. And then, there's also that time of the month to contend with, and nobody likes bloody hands.
- age 15, Florida (female)
My wife has lost all interest in sex since her menopause; she no longer sleeps with me. However, she still regularly enters my bedroom without warning. I have to wait until all lights (particularly her bedroom light) are out before I dare masturbate. It's probably my own fault because I told her that I was masturbating regularly to try to shame her into giving me occasional sex. It's fairly obvious that she is trying to catch me with my penis in my hand.
- age 60, United Kingdom
Hot weather. I was in the mood to masturbating last Friday – my penis was erect and I had not ejaculated for 5 days. I needed to let my semen out. But the hot weather made me sweat so much that it turned me off.
- age 16, Singapore
My mood. For example, if I had just watched a very sad movie, then I would not be in the mood for any self-pleasure.
- age 18, Canada
If there's something bad happening in my life, I don't feel much like masturbating. For instance, if I found out that the guy I've been dating has another girlfriend, that might make me not terribly interested in giving myself pleasure. At least, not by masturbating – punching him in the face seems much more pleasurable than masturbating at moments like those!
- age 21, Iowa (female)
Lately, it has everything to do with being to exhausted. Coming home from school or work just makes me want to go to sleep or do something else, no matter how horny I am.
- age 17, Hawaii
High humidity kills my libido. Recent church-service attendance creates an absurd feeling of guilt. Eating high-fat foods (red meats like pepperoni, for example) seem to make my stomach feel upset if I try to masturbate shortly after their consumption. Intensely bright light makes me feel like I'm trying to masturbate in a doctor's office or performing onstage and makes me paranoid about who may be watching. Getting a paper cut while turning the page in my Penthouse Forum is probably the most unusual condition that's nixed a good masturbation session.
- age 35, Georgia
I was at a sleepover; everyone was asleep, I was so horny because we were talking about some hot girls in our school. I wanted to masturbate but I couldn't – I had two broken arms. Two weeks earlier, I had fallen off a trampoline and landed on both wrists. It was the worst month ever!
- age 16, Michigan