Hi BishoneninBloom You're right that there's a big difference between touching on your terms and having someone demand or force contact with you. With that in mind, what if you opted for being direct with your friend about what you want, while also making it clear that this is something they can say...

Hi smallowo79, While testosterone can cause certain changes, like an increase in vaginal dryness, that may make certain kinds of masturbation tricky, that doesn't mean your body is broken. It just means that it has certain things you need to be mindful of or work with. I find it can sometimes help t...

Hi GS_6, The short answer is no, it wouldn't. The main reason for that is that squirting in and of itself does not create an STI risk. It may help to read up on what squirting is and is not: Squirt: On Ejaculation . Too, if a condom is being used for all instances of sex, that in and of itself is do...

Hi Skylar7593, Given that you've had crushes in the past and that you want to have romantic relationships in the future, I suspect this may be less an indication of you being aromantic and more an indicator that there just hasn't been anyone "crush worthy" in your life lately. Even for peo...

Hi roygbiv,

It's sounds like this is causing you a lot of stress, so hopefully we can come up with some ways to address that.

To start, have you spoken about any of this with your partner? And are the fetishes you're describing things you could work into your sex life with her?

You're welcome!

Booking an appointment sounds like a great plan! If you know the exam was painful last time, I would let them know that ahead of time so they can take whatever steps possible to make it more comfortable.

That's totally understandable! No one ever really tells us how to have those kinds of conversations with a healthcare provider, which can make them feel awkward and intimidating. The simplest way to approach it may be to accept that it's going to feel awkward, but that awkwardness is likely to be wo...

Hi Skylar7593, In terms of putting a pause on masturbation, I really like the advice Mo gives in this column about treating the desire to masturbate like hunger: https://www.scarleteen.com/article/advice/i_feel_no_pleasure_with_orgasm_but_i_dont_really_want_to_masturbate_in_the_first. Do the suggest...

New advice from Ruby! https://www.scarleteen.com/article/advi ... _i_do_that

Hi Bmcc94, I moved your post to be it's on thread since it sounded like there were additional questions to talk about. With the worries about mess, are you able to set down a towel or something else on the bed, or masturbate in the shower or tub? That can make clean up way easier. Since you original...

Hi kindofannoying, It's quite possible that some or most of this is to do with he SSRIs you're taking, especially if you know sexual side effects are common. Have you ever spoken to a healthcare provider about your concerns, or your worries about the potential side effects of stopping this medicatio...

I think exploring options to find one that's right for you is a really good approach! Since it sounds like books (and workbooks) have been helpful to you, would it be helpful for us to recommend a few others you could look into?

You're welcome! Any thoughts on those other questions I asked?

Hi Hades,

We don't allow our boards to be used as a dating sight, so I'm going to go ahead and close this thread so we can continue our discussion in your previous one.

Yeesh, I'm so sorry people went out of their way to be cruel to you. Something I think might help, before you start thinking about ways to get into dating, is to take some time to build a little confidence around how you look or practice not echoing those negative messages about your appearance in y...

Can I ask where that sense that you're ugly is coming from? Is it from things people have said to you, or is it more coming from your own brain? One approach I'm going to recommend is to find some ways to interact with other people, both because that can bring you into the orbit of potential partner...

Hi hades375, I'm sorry your past attempts at relationships have left you feeling that way. Hopefully we can find some ways to help you be in relationships that make you feel good about yourself. Can you tell me a little more about how you usually try to meet potential romantic partners? And what's y...

Those both sound like excellent ways of taking care of yourself!

New advice from Siân! https://www.scarleteen.com/article/advi ... p_it_clean

Hi Aarushi257 I think one of the best ways you could take care of yourself right now is to stop reading or otherwise looking for information about pregnancy. It sounds like looking for that information, especially now that you know for a fact you're not pregnant, is keeping you trapped in an anxiety...

You're so welcome! If it's of interest, I really like how Heather talks about love, and the way our relationship to it and understanding of it can change through our lives in this article: Love Letter.

Hi fruityrumpus, It sounds like you're in a relationship that makes you both really happy, which is awesome! And while it's true that the "honeymoon" phase of relationships tends to fade over time, that doesn't automatically mean that this relationship will stop being fun or suddenly feel ...

Hi Borb,

Oof, that sounds uncomfortable. Since it sounds like this has been going on for awhile, have you ever spoken to a healthcare provider about it? And do the bumps themselves become itchy, or are they just located on the part of your labia that's most prone to itchiness?

That sounds like a good plan!