We all need human connection, and that’s where healthy friendships, family ties, and romantic relationships come in. Without being able to connect with other people in a meaningful way, we can easily feel lonely, disengaged and disconnected.
To make things worse, technology is making it harder and harder for people to interact on a personal level. It’s gotten so bad that people are now resorting to cuddling therapy and dry humping, but the question is, which one is better? We’ll let you decide.
What is Cuddling Therapy?
Cuddling therapy might be new to you. That’s because it’s a relatively new concept in the United States, but it’s a growing market.
There are companies like Cuddlr, Cuddle Up To Me, Spoonr and The Snuggle Buddies. They all offer professional cuddling services. But what exactly is professional cuddling?
What Does a Professional Cuddler Do?
Professional cuddlers have a simple job: they cuddle their clients by the hour and they can charge anywhere from $40 to $80 per hour. Cuddling is strictly platonic, and both client and cuddler agree to stay fully clothed and to not touch any area of the body that’s covered by underwear.
Their job is to show up, cuddle, and leave. For some professional cuddlers, it’s a way to make ends meet and earn some extra cash. For others, it’s a way to complement their practice as a licensed therapist.
Risks Involved in the Cuddling Industry
No one can deny the importance of human touch, and some people are complete without it, due to social awkwardness, separation or not having their needs met in their current relationship. Whatever the situation, someone is desperate for human touch and will hire and pay a complete stranger to offer this to them.
That’s why it’s important for professional cuddlers to know how to protect themselves and be on the lookout for any suspicious and undesirable sexual advances.
And while the whole point of cuddling is to provide human connection and stress-reducing touch, it can also be very stressful and anxiety-ridden for the cuddlers themselves. One novice cuddler shared her experiences and unfortunately, it was anything but platonic.
Cuddling is a risky business because as of yet, there are very few restrictions and protocols in place, and much of the time, both the client and the cuddler are left to make their own arrangements. In some cases, there can be little protection for the cuddler.
When Cuddling Therapy Might Be the Most Beneficial
Licensed therapists like, Desiree Robinson, are now including cuddling in their practice. And perhaps, this setting is safer and more appropriate for this new form of therapy.
That’s because these professionals have the training to deal with troubled individuals. Secondly, they can offer cuddling sessions in an office space where sex and sleep never take place.
Unfortunately, for many other cuddlers, there is very little training and cuddling takes place in people’s private homes or in a booked hotel room.
What Is Dry Humping?
Now, on to dry humping, which compared to cuddling therapy is explicitly sexual. What is dry humping? Dry humping is rubbing or putting pressure against your intimate parts in order to stimulate the sexual drive. Some even choose to use dry humping during masturbation.
As you can see, cuddling therapy is meant to provide human touch without any sexual strings attached. When it comes to dry humping, it’s all about sexual excitement, tension, and arousal.
Is Dry Humping an Actual Therapy?
Compared to cuddling, which is a growing market, dry humping seems to be a way for people to explore their sexuality. It’s something you and your sexual partner do with each other, whereas cuddling is something you pay for.
There is one individual, however, named Niko, who gets paid to dry hump, but he seems to be an anomaly, rather than the norm.
When Is It Okay to Dry Hump?
If you’re in a committed relationship, dry humping is definitely something you can do with your partner. If an individual is feeling sexually deprived, dry humping is also something to do privately if you’re comfortable with this.
Since dry humping is a relatively safe way to satisfy their urges, there’s little risk for contracting a sexually transmitted disease or becoming pregnant. So, all in all, it seems pretty harmless.
But because it’s considered to be dry sex or dry intercourse, some people believe it’s wrong to do it with someone other than your boyfriend or girlfriend. In fact, they would argue that it’s cheating.
That’s because it’s not just about physical contact and sexual arousal. Dry humping involves a person’s feelings and identity, according to Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D.
Therefore, if you’re feeling sexually unsatisfied, it’s always better to meet your needs with the help of your partner, or on your own, rather than with another person.
What’s Better? Cuddling Therapy or Dry Humping?
As you can see, cuddling therapy and dry humping are very different things. One is strictly platonic and the other is sexually passionate. You pay a professional cuddler to give you a little extra human touch, but dry humping is usually something you to do get off, and typically, you do it with your significant other.
So, it’s hard to say which one is better since they both serve very different purposes. If you’re in a committed relationship, you might consider getting all of your cuddling needs right there with your partner. And while you’re at it, dry humping can spice things up a bit.
On the other hand, if you’re without a partner, or feel unsatisfied, cuddling may be a safe way to connect with another human being without getting intimate.
At the end of the day, humans have very basic biological and social needs, and human touch and sexual interaction are two of them. If you feel like you’re missing out in either of these areas, it only makes sense that you’d seek fulfillment via professional therapy or sexual exploration.
Just be sure that whatever you choose to do you always stay safe and always feel respected.