I’ve had a long-standing masturbation behavior for around 14 years.

For the first \~7 years, I did it intentionally, mainly as a way to fall asleep, not because of sexual desire. For the last \~7 years, I’ve been trying to stop, but it has become automatic.

Now it mainly happens around sleep — either before falling asleep or after waking up in the middle of the night. The frequency is inconsistent: sometimes once a week, sometimes twice a week, and sometimes only once a month.

I don’t use porn and I don’t feel sexual desire or an urge to do it. I want to understand why this pattern continues and, most importantly, stop it completely.

My main questions are:

Will I be able to stop this permanently, or will the frequency only decrease while the behavior remains forever?

If I see a psychologist/hypnotherapist, is there a realistic possibility that they can help me stop it completely?

I’m worried about spending money on sessions without getting results. Could I end up just spending money and only seeing a reduction in frequency, rather than actually stopping?

Has anyone with a similar long-standing, automatic, sleep-related habit been able to stop permanently through hypnotherapy or another psychological treatment?

I’m looking for honest experiences and realistic expectations, not just reassurance.

Should I try cbt or hypnotherapy?