There is a controversy about the role of masturbation in sexual recovery circles. The folks at Sexaholics Anonymous (SA) and Sexual Recovery Anonymous (SRA) take the position that if you identify yourself as a sex addict, then you are fooling yourself if you think that you can masturbate successfully.
What they mean by "successfully" is when you masturbate as a self-nurturing activity, without compromising your intimate relationships, and unaccompanied by degrading sexual fantasies.
SA/SRA members take the stand that sex addicts need to abstain from masturbation altogether and instead seek for sexual expression within marriage or a committed relationship.
Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA), Sexual Compulsives Anonymous (SCA), and Sex and Love Anonymous (SLAA) all take the position that abstention from masturbation is a personal decision.
However, most of these latter group members would also agree that abstaining from masturbation is a good idea in early recovery (in order to break self-destructive patterns).
Abstinence is different for each sex addict - depending on what behaviors are compulsive and lead to demoralization.
For some sex and love addicts masturbation is a truly harmless, risk-free release of built-up sexual tension. For others it is the start of a rapid slide down into shame, depression, and acting out in other, more dangerous ways. Clearly the latter group must put masturbation on their Bottom Lines (Inner Circle).
Some addicts can engage in sexual behaviors from which other addicts find they must abstain.
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