Is hugging yourself/something else... bad?

[webmasterteen]

I've had the desire sometimes to want a hug from someone, like my friends. However, they aren't always around, so I started to (this was usually when I'm sleeping and I have a dream with them so I wake up in the middle of the night) hug myself while thinking of them. There is almost no sexual thought, just the desire to hug them and physically doing so to myself while thinking of doing so to them.

Is this considered "masturbating" or what? It's really not a habit... yet.

[Vort]

No. But if you're whispering sweet nothings into your own ear, you have some anatomical weirdness going on.

[Dravin]

If we concluded hugging yourself was masturbation then wouldn't hugging your friends be having sex with them (or at least be violating the Law of Chastity with them)?

Edited June 7, 2011 by Dravin

[webmasterteen]

Well then explain the difference between giving yourself sexual pleasure and giving yourself... emotional? pleasure...

[Dravin]

Well then explain the difference between giving yourself sexual pleasure and giving yourself... emotional? pleasure...

The adjective.

[webmasterteen]

Or better yet, what would you say would break the law of Chasity? Obviously having sex before married, or (subjective) making out before married are two. Masturbating is another. But what would masturbating be considered then?

[Gwen]

We all crave to be touched or have physical contact. Not sexual, just contact. Touch deprivation is very real. There is also nothing wrong with giving yourself that touch anymore than it is wrong to give that touch to others. Some may even say it's healthy to own your emotional needs (and in many ways it's a real physical need) and meet them rather than waiting for and expecting others to meet that need for us.

[MarginOfError]

Or better yet, what would you say would break the law of Chasity?

"Strongly tied to the sacred, private parts of the body are powerful emotions.... These emotions are not to be stimulated or used for personal gratification outside of the covenant of marriage." (Richard G. Scott, The Power of Righteousness)

So it's pretty simple. Any attempt to stimulate the emotions tied to your sexual anatomy, whether by mental or physical means, is a violation of the law of chastity when done outside the marriage covenant.

[MsMagnolia]

I have often heard we all need three hugs a day to stay sane

Sounds like you might be behind in your quota lol

[MorningStar]

Yes, hugging yourself is bad and so is holding your own hand.

[slamjet]

How could it be called "hugging myself" if I'm not willing to hug someone else in the same way? This is just weird. Just another justification to make masturbation sound OK.

[Vort]

how could it be called "hugging myself" if i'm not willing to hug someone else in the same way? This is just weird. Just another justification to make masturbation sound ok.

bwahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!

[Backroads]

I'm confused... are you really just hugging yourself?

[prophetofdoom]

Is this thread a joke? Why would someone hug them self for comfort? That is silly.

[lizzy16]

There is almost no sexual thought, just the desire to hug them and physically doing so to myself while thinking of doing so to them.

Is this considered "masturbating" or what? It's really not a habit... yet.

Emphasis added.

ALMOST.

Almost no sexual thoughts could turn into something more. Easily.

I suggest getting your hug dosage from friends during the school day.

I know what you mean. Sometimes, I just want a hug. Luckily, my friends are very huggy and touchy feely. Sometimes if your friends aren't 'huggy' its hard to break that touch barrier. I find tragic events help in that. Or just randomly run up really fast and attack them with hugs.

Oh, I'll miss high school :)

[slamjet]

You could buy one of these pillows:

[classylady]

You could buy one of these pillows:

Where's my laugh button?

[Gwen]

Is this thread a joke? Why would someone hug them self for comfort? That is silly.

People naturally comfort themselves through touch all the time. The problem is most don't do it consciously so it sounds weird to say it. Any basic search on body language will include self comfort movements (even touching your arm in a self hugging type motion). If I recall correctly self touch is also talked about in the book "and they were not ashamed". She talks about the intense need for non sexual touch and self touch.

Side note. My comments are based on accepting the op is in fact talking about hugs and is accurately describing things and not using it as a way to avoid calling a spade a spade.

[FunkyTown]

Yeah. As long as 'Hugging yourself or hugging something else' is just you crossing your arms in front of yourself, it's fine.

Or... I guess if you hugged your knees to your chest?

I dunno. I'm having trouble visualizing what you're talking about. What body part are we talking about 'hugging'? I get the feeling that knowing this would make whatever it is you're talking about painfully obvious.

The problem is that we've heard too many euphemisms for masturbatory actions on this website for me to know. Chances are, you know the answer to your question already.

[Blackmarch]

I've had the desire sometimes to want a hug from someone, like my friends. However, they aren't always around, so I started to (this was usually when I'm sleeping and I have a dream with them so I wake up in the middle of the night) hug myself while thinking of them. There is almost no sexual thought, just the desire to hug them and physically doing so to myself while thinking of doing so to them.

Is this considered "masturbating" or what? It's really not a habit... yet.

I dont see how its any more bad than talking to yourself.

[Origen]

I've had the desire sometimes to want a hug from someone, like my friends. However, they aren't always around, so I started to (this was usually when I'm sleeping and I have a dream with them so I wake up in the middle of the night) hug myself while thinking of them. There is almost no sexual thought, just the desire to hug them and physically doing so to myself while thinking of doing so to them.

Is this considered "masturbating" or what? It's really not a habit... yet.

Even if you are slightly turned on I don't see how this could qualify as masturbation. Also, if you are male and, especially if you are young, having an erection does not necessarily imply sexual feelings. I once got one while petting my cat but I don't consider myself a zoophile. You mentioned that you had a dream before this happened. Scientific studies have shown that BOTH sexes naturally experience increased blow flow to their genitals when in REM sleep.

[Backroads]

I figure you're either hugging yourself or participating in some form of masturbation. One or the other. Unless you're using a euphemism for masturbation or doing this primarily to satisfy sexual urges, I think you're fine.

[mordorbund]

I dont see how its any more bad than talking to yourself.

Ah, so talking to yourself is fine then.

No, he says it's not "more bad" then talking to yourself. So it's bad.

But it's good to talk to us. We're good conversationalists.

And good company too. Of course it's good to talk to us. But we don't want to get banned like the penguin.

The penguin?

Yes, it used to talk to itself all the time just before getting banned.

But no one will ban us for talking to ourselves. We're more loved than the penguin was.

Almost certainly.

What are you doing?

Giving us a hug.

Oh.... Ok... I guess it's no worse.

What?

Nothing.

[webmasterteen]

Okay so it's usually after I have a dream involving my friends. Sometimes I hug them in my dream.

Anyway I wake up and without even thinking will often times try to replicate the feelings I got. Usually it's nothing sexual, rather that friendship feeling, I suppose you could call it.

Of course the whole guys and their hormones going off is natural. So are wet dreams. The Bishop said those were okay because it's part of the way we are built. however would trying to imitate being hugged, be bad?

Think of patting yourself on the back, only holding that 'position'. Plus I'm usually lying in bed with covers on so it's usually just one arm.

[slamjet]

The only thing I can come up with is "to each their own."