Scarleteen

Hi, I'm sorry if these questions are silly. (This might be an uncomfortable topic so if you don't want to read turn away here.) I face a lot of anxiety and guilt around touching myself. I feel like I might have bottom dysphoria so I only masturbate with clothes on, using a blanket. Talking about this kind of stuff is unspokenly forbidden in my family, regarded as something super embarrassing and not okay to talk about. Basically, I'm worried I'm hurting myself. Sometimes I've bruised myself and even suffered heatstroke from it. Are there any basic guidelines about how to masturbate safely and enjoyably, or should I just not do it anymore? And what's probably an even sillier question, I should get up and hydrate and eat first, right? I usually feel sick/dizzy/breathless after, and it's usually because I do it before I get up. That probably means my blood sugar is just out of whack. What do you think I should do?

Hi confused30,

These questions aren't silly at all! If you're looking for a general guide to masturbation, this article might be super helpful: Going Solo: The Basics of Masturbation.

What you're describing isn't a sign you shouldn't masturbate anymore, but it may mean you need to adjust your approach. If you're bruising yourself, then you'll want to pay attention to any signals of discomfort or pain your body gives you while masturbating and stop or dial back the intensity of what you're doing if you notice them.

With the dizziness and feeling ill, does that only happen when you masturbate, or does it happen when you do other kinds of physical exertion as well?

Thank you so much, I'll check out that article and remember your advice!

The dizziness and feeling ill only happens when I masturbate, but no other physical exertion I do is as intense as that. I think it could stem from how anxious I feel about it too. If I feel anxious about something, I tend to get into my own head and it quickly makes me feel a lot worse. I think that will just take time and patience with myself to move on from.

You're welcome!

Okay, I just wanted to make sure the dizziness wasn't turning up other places, suggesting there might be another underlying cause. Having some water handy so you can at least hydrate a bit when you wake up might help some, and it's certainly worth a try to see if it makes the dizziness go away.