For men without partners, masturbation is often an integral part of sex therapy, although those with lovers can benefit from it also. Attitudes about masturbation have changed a lot, but many people still regard it as sinful, selfish, dirty or distasteful—even if they don’t believe that masturbation will cause blindness, warts or hairy palms. In fact, most people engage in self-pleasuring; one study found that almost all men and more than 80 percent of women masturbate. But just because everybody does it doesn’t mean we all accept it as normal and healthy.
So, someone who feels uncomfortable with masturbation will need to examine his attitudes before beginning any exercises. A good sex therapist should be able to help him do that.
Self-stimulation is an important part of sex therapy for erection problems. Learning that a lost erection can be restored is reassuring. A man may be instructed to stimulate himself until he is aroused, then to let his penis become flaccid. Once he is no longer erect, he begins self-pleasuring again. Learning how to do this when he’s alone will help him accomplish the same thing when he is with his lover.
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