The facts about masturbation are simple. Masturbation is not only normal, it is healthy. It is a milestone in sexual development and discovery and it is an essential part of understanding how to enjoy your body. Guys masturbate, girls masturbate, and safe sex advocates swear that "mutual masturbation" is both a pleasurable and intimate expression of love. Many a virgin will tell you that masturbation keeps them "pure" and almost every guy (and maybe even girls, I don't know) will tell you that it keeps them sane when teenage hormones take over their body. Everyone who does it develops their own technique, and with all the subtle differences in how to do it, no technique is exactly the same. Sure, the basic form (rugby lingo there) is pretty much set, but the little things that make it personal are almost as distinguishing as fingerprints or DNA.

This is why it is almost impossible for somebody to tell you how to do it (so don't e-mail me for instructions). Others can point you in the right direction and give you some pointers, but how (and if) it will work for you is totally a trial and error type thing. And there is nothing sinful or bad about the trial and error process. Rest assured that in giving it a go you will be doing what teens have done for decades, maybe even centuries, you will be getting to know your own body. This is always a good thing. You will be learning what makes you tick sexually speaking, and you will be doing it in the safest way possible. No worries about STDs, unwanted babies, or unexpected bad reps, masturbation is almost risk free. I say almost because there are a few caveats about masturbation that you should be aware of.

The most important thing to remember is that masturbation really is a personal thing. Unless it is part of a safer sex relationship, masturbation is best done alone. It is a little bit weird if you do it in a group and extremely weird if you ONLY do it in a group. It is definitely NOT cool to do it in a public place (like a movie theatre washroom, or under the bleachers at school), and although it may be funny, it is really strange to do it with a pie or any other food product. Talking about masturbation as a general topic is fine, constantly talking to everyone and anyone who will listen about your successful foray in to the world of self pleasure is not fine. Doing it frequently is not a problem, doing it so much that you don't do anything else, that you lose interest in real people, or that you start to chafe, may require medical attention (psychiatric and physical). If masturbation becomes your life rather than a small part of it, you should seek help, since obsessively doing it it can be a sign of depression or an anti-social personality disorder. If you need deviant material such as hard core porn or violence to get aroused enough to masturbate, you should see a therapist to talk out the reasons behind your unusual tastes. But all things said, if you do it enough to enjoy it but not so much that it is the ONLY thing you enjoy, you are normal.

Masturbation can help you relax, it can de-stress you and it can help you stay focused by alleviating any hormonal pressure that may be keeping you dazed and confused. This is not to suggest that there is something wrong with you if you don't masturbate, only to reassure you that there is nothing wrong with you if you do. Not masturbating, like masturbating, is a personal choice and only you can know if it is the right choice for you. Try it if you want, and be confident that you won't be struck blind or branded a perve by those tell-tale hairy palms. If you don't want to masturbate, don't, and be confident that you will grow in to a normal adult with a normal sex drive and that you will come to learn what pleasures you in other, just as healthy ways. You are not sexually frustrated or strange if you don't masturbate any more than you are a deviant or pervert if you do. You are you, and only you can know for sure if you want to explore your body in this fashion. Whatever you decide will be normal because whatever you decide will be what is best for you.