First let me say, there is NOTHING harmful about masturbating. It is one of the safest and healthy way of expressing our sexual feelings. Even when someone has a partner to enjoy sex with, they often continue to masturbate because masturbation is a very different type of sex act. There is no pressure on you to perform for the sake of the partner.

I know that you said in your writing that you believe it affects your relationship with God, yet there is nothing written in the Bible or that God has purported to say that indicates that masturbation is bad. Many holy people use masturbation as a way of self expression when their religion expects celibacy. The Bible only refers to masturbation for men in relation to "spilling the seed" which was a worry in old times since reproduction and carrying on the species was so important before there were millions of people in the world. It says nothing about it for women.

Having an outlet for your sexual feelings (which by the way are natural and blessed by God) is healthy and important. Masturbating once or twice a week is a healthy way to release these feelings. I hope that you can find a way to see masturbation as a valuable part of your life rather than one you want to remove.

Please feel free to write back if you have more thoughts or questions on this.

Reviewed by: Scott Gross M. Ed.