a masturbator who wanted to contribute to the Open Zipper Project audio interviews contributed this instead:

Call me Happy Jack. Not my real name, of course, but it certainly describes my attitude toward masturbation; totally positive. I’ve seen a lot of use of the word chronic regarding self-pleasure, and to me, that just has too much negative connotation. There are other sensual activities humans engage in that are habitual, but we certainly wouldn’t think of as negative – breathing, eating, listening to music, smelling flowers, etc. Masturbation is no less natural than these activities.

I’ve been pleasuring myself for 48 years and have matured from a furtive teen jacker to a master edger. As teens, many of us probably whacked-off for about 5-10 minutes per session, several times a day, every day. It was more about quantity than quality. But for several decades, I’ve been engaging in 1-2 hour sessions, once or twice a week, allowing the desire and anticipation to build in between.

Can you get too much of a good thing? A: possibly. Now, I love a good piece of rare prime rib, but I don’t think I’d enjoy it quite as much if I ate it on a daily basis. It would still be delicious, but there’s nothing wrong with building a little hunger in between treats.

Over the years, I’ve varied my masturbation patterns greatly, and have had several periods where I had the opportunity to indulge on a daily basis. All orgasms are good orgasms, but I think those you hunger for can be a bit more intense and satisfying. Plus, I find that I have greater volume of ejaculate after 2 or 3 days.

But, masturbation, for me, is more than just sexual pleasure; it’s also a great form of mental therapy. It relieves stress. The endorphins released during masturbation are good for you, and I cannot imagine that any serious masturbator would allow him or herself to be distracted by any of the usual sources of stress while loving themselves. You certainly wouldn’t think about work issues or current news affairs or money problems while masturbating. I certainly wouldn’t want to ruin the moment with such thoughts. One of the joys of masturbation is being able to shut out a lot of negative thoughts and emotions and concentrate on pure pleasure.

I enjoy both private masturbation and shared, with my wife. We’ve been doing that for many years and it’s a very liberating experience. Masturbation is possibly the most personal, private activity we engage in, other than bathroom functions, and when you share your most intimate forms of pleasure with your partner, it opens up many doors. It brings self-pleasure out in the open and confirms that it’s not something to feel guilt over, nor that it’s some form of second-hand, inferior pleasure. Masturbation between couples is as valid and beautiful as any other form they share. Those who don’t share it don’t know what they’re missing.

It’s also enjoyable to share masturbation activity (real, virtual, textual, photographic) with others, especially those of the same gender. It gives you a sense of community and the opportunity to share so many feelings, opinions and ideas about a mutual joy.

So, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. Masturbation is something to celebrate and feel positive about. I’m convinced that those of us who enjoy loving ourselves are mentally healthier than those who have hang-ups about it.

I intend to go on indulging, celebrating and sharing till the day I die.