Q: After "do I masturbate too much?" this has got to be the next most asked question about masturbation.

Again, it can take a number of different forms. At its most basic, some guys just want to know if the act of masturbation is normal. Taken a little further, other men want to know more specifically if a certain technique or toy they use is normal, while other guys want to know if that special thing they like to think about is normal.

A: Again, the answer to any of the questions is, in almost all cases, yeah, it's normal. If it's something you do, there's guaranteed to be plenty of other guys out there who do it, too. If it's something you think about, I guarantee you there are other guys who also like to think about it.

For the most part, whatever it is that's the issue, it's generally okay. There's just a very few guidelines to keep in mind, to make sure your approach remains healthy:

1. Make sure you're not hurting anybody else.

2. Make sure you're not hurting yourself. (Or if pain is your thing, at least be careful you're not doing any serious damage to yourself.)

3. If we're talking about a particular technique or fixation, try to keep it from becoming a requirement for masturbation. Liking something because you find it arousing is one thing, but you don't want to forever tie you sexual enjoyment to one specific object or thought. So be sure to mix things up now and then. That's the difference between a preference and a fetish. With a preference, you can enjoy a thing or enjoy sex and masturbation without it. In the case of a fetish, you're permanently glued to some other object or idea, and without it sex and masturbation is meaningless.

Here's one basic (and surprisingly common) example. A lot of young guys get started masturbating on just one position—most often on their back. If they do this long enough before trying other positions, sometimes they find that it's initially difficult or impossible to orgasm from a different position (for instance, while having intercourse in the missionary position). Sometimes it can take a little practice for these guys to learn to come some way other than on their back. Obviously this particular example isn't too serious, but if it goes on long enough it could become an issue.