Masturbation is a widespread and under-researched phenomenon of sexual living, usually defined in a very limited manner as a reaction to the biological sexual drive. It is a qualitative research that examines psychological, emotional, and situational antecedents of masturbation in young men of adult age, which preempts their self-perception of the reasons and time of masturbation. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 13 male students between the ages of 17-25 were carried out and analyzed through an interpretive thematic approach. The results indicate that emotional conditions like stress, anxiety, boredom, and emotional overload often provoke masturbation, and the situational factors comprise solitude, nighttime activities, and online activities. Participants described masturbation as an emotionally reactive and habitual practice as a form of self-regulation, habit, and self-care, and no longer as a sexual release.