I have a question that I can't ask anyone face-to-face without blushing, so I'll present it here. My husband has always given me the impression that sex is an utter physiological need for all men.

Without regular sex, men have physical pain that is tough to endure. According to what he has told me, men can't control the urge to want to have sex and if they don't get the sex they need they need to masturbate in order to relieve the pressure brought on by lack of sex. One time shortly after my baby was born I accidently walked in on my husband as he was "getting busy" by himself in the shower, and his immediate response was, "I gotta get it somewhere!"

For the record, I'm blushing while I'm typing this.

Because of this apparent physical need, I have always had sex with my husband whenever he expressed a desire to get intimate. During those times when I didn't feel like having sex I still did, because I didn't want to be the person standing between my husband and physical comfort. He needed it and I could give it to him, so it seemed like a logical solution. Nevermind that there have been times when I felt like I was absolutely betraying myself for getting intimate with him...at least I was still performing my wifely duty.

What I have been wondering about lately is this: Have I been duped? Is sex truly an absolute physical need for men? I think about the celibate men in the world, and I wonder if they spend their days in sheer agony from pent-up sexual frustration.

In my days as a single gal there were certainly times when I would think to myself, "Sure would be nice to have some sex right now," but it never was a physical ache. I also recognize, however, that men and women are different and I can't really compare my sexual needs with those of my husbands. I can't help but wonder, though, if my husband's claims are real or if I've fallen for some line men use to make sure their wives give them sex regularly.