Sex is much like many other commodities. It satisfies some of our most basic wants and needs, can be sold by some, and plentiful supplies can sometimes dry up. So, what happens if you find yourself in a bit of a sexual drought? No hope of a naked romp in your immediate future. How do you satisfy those needs when you have no partner to get close to?
Some of you may remember that I have already penned a few words on lack of sex but, as it is a subject which keeps cropping up when I ask people what they'd like me to write about, I thought I'd tackle it again.
This time, however, I'll break it down into a list. A survival guide, if you will. Four fantastic ways to tickle your fancy without a significant other in sight. I should warn you though... this may not work for everyone!
Get a fuckbuddy
Friends with benefits would seem to be the perfect answer to a lack of sex, but it can be a tricky thing to get right. After all, we're programmed to react a certain way before, during and after sex, but that often doesn't involve straightforward communication.
This repressed society of ours teaches us to hide our true feelings and second guess our lovers but, let's face it, that's never going to work. Especially not here! What if your friend secretly fantasies about the two of you getting married? Remember to be 100% honest with each other and fuss free sexy fun times could be yours.
Masturbate
The self service option is even less hassle, especially with a gadget or two to provide a bit of assistance. Learn what your body wants and how you can provide this by yourself. Not everything will be doable on your own, but you don't know what feels good until you try, right?
There are sex toys for every erogenous zone and every type of orgasm and, if in doubt, there's always the tried and tested fingers-n-lube option. Take a bit of "me time" and you'll be surprised what you can discover once you start exploring.
Abstain
Join a gym, train for a marathon, read a book, take up a new hobby... there are loads of ways to distract yourself for long enough that your libido will turn the volume down. You don't have to become a nun, just look for another passion.
Sex really isn't all there is to life. Most people's libidos change throughout their lives and even during the course of a single relationship. Desire will come and go. Don't let anyone make you think that not wanting sex is a bad thing. After all, in this game, there really is no "normal".
Pay for it
OK, so this option is probably quite controversial, but I don't think that paying for sex is inherently wrong. You can pay someone to feed you, wax your pubes, massage aching shoulders, or scrub the hard skin off your feet, so why is it so strange to pay a person who knows how to satisfy another bodily requirement?
Why do people start to take the moral high ground just because sex is involved? As long as you have enough cash and make sure you shop ethically, this can be a great way to scratch the itch with no strings attached.
Lori Smith is passionate about fashion, feminism, BitchBuzz and Twitter. She's starting a postgraduate fashion course soon and will no doubt be claiming that all the window shopping she does is now research.
Image via Guilherme Jofili's Flickr