Conversations about sex are happening more freely and more often than they used to. But even now that we are more comfortable discussing certain topics, there are still some that are considered 'embarrassing'.
Sex experts have shared with HuffPost some of the seemingly "strange" or "embarrassing" questions they get asked all the time. If you, like many others, have thought about some of these things, you're definitely not alone - so there's no reason to be ashamed.
Below, sex experts reveal some common questions and their answers.
1. Am I masturbating too much?
Sex educator Francisco Ramirez often gets questions from people who want to know if their masturbation habits are "normal" or not. It reassures them that any masturbation—whether frequent, occasional, or never—is okay.
"Unfortunately, the long-standing shame around masturbation has made many of us somewhat skeptical, or uncomfortable, about frequent masturbation in particular," he said. "But there's nothing wrong with masturbating multiple times a day."
However, the warning is if your masturbation habits have started to interfere with your daily life: your relationships, your work or other responsibilities. If so, then it may be an issue worth addressing.
"But otherwise, it shouldn't be a problem," Ramirez added. "In addition to making you feel good, masturbation can improve sleep, reduce stress levels, ease menstrual cramps, etc."
2. Do my strange sexual fantasies mean there is something wrong with me?
People have a tendency to read into their own fantasies and judge themselves for what turns them on. Just because a person can create a certain erotic scenario in their head doesn't mean they have any interest in acting on it in real life.
"Having fantasies, no matter how strange they may seem, are safe avenues and do not necessarily represent a real-life desire to engage in X behavior," Siegel said. "Inside your head is for you and only you."
Sidoqoftë, nëse përmbajtja e fantazisë suaj është shqetësueseju, rekomandohet të flisni me një terapist seksi në mënyrë që të mos çojë në sjellje të padëshiruar.
3. Nëse më pëlqejnë ngacmimet në prapanicë, a do të thotë kjo se jam homoseksual?
Kjo është një pyetje që shpesh e bëhet nga burrat pasi u pëlqen ndjesia kur partnerja 'luan' me të pasmet e tyre.
Të marrësh kënaqësi nga një aktivitet specifik seksual nuk thotë asgjë për orientimin tënd seksual.
"Kultura jonë shpesh e lidh lojën anale me të qenit homoseksual," tha Milstein. “Të jesh homoseksual është një orientim. Do të thotë që ju tërhiqeni nga burrat".
4. Si mund ta kem penisin tim më të madh?
In a world dominated by pornography that has made extremely large penises seem like the norm, it's no wonder that men are constantly looking for ways to increase their size.
But none of the countless products that claim to enlarge a penis can actually make it bigger.
"My advice is simple: Don't do it! There is not one shred of scientific evidence to show that any of these things are effective," Siegel said.
Anxiety about penis size is common, but Siegel wants men to understand that the average length is probably not as big as they think it is. (A 2015 study of more than 15,000 men found that the average (erect) penis is just over 12cm.)
