I apologize in advance for the very vague topic, and won't go into too much blah about my own personal situation. The "context" or "situation" I'm mostly looking for in regards to when or how to withdraw affection is directly related to getting more sex.

I've seen it mentioned probably 2 years of lurking TRP now - men will say all the time here (and on the parent sub) in advice threads "just withdraw affection until you get what you want" etc etc. Nobody really goes into more detail there, and there's an assumption there I feel that us men are just supposed to get how to do this.

Without giving you my life story/LTR story, I"ll suffice it to say that we're just a very "affectionate" or "cuddly" couple. I actually like being affectionate, I know that sounds BP as hell, but I've learned to curb it or give it more when it's deserved over the past year. Something tells me that I should keep cutting it off more, it's a gut feeling - since as the opening post said, I'm trying to up my sex frequency.

Long story short, what I'm asking is, those of you who have turned your ship/LTR around, and consider yourselves "affectionate men to your wives/LTR" - how and when do you just KNOW that you NEED to withdraw affection in some instance? I know there's a billion theoretical instances out there on this, and wish there was a primer written on this somewhere.

I think to myself all the time that I could start "gradually withdrawing" and save the affection for after sex, but it doesn't quite work like that. This is a broad concept to me, and I'm trying to make sure when I start withdrawing - I do it the right way, and don't give in when she starts bitching about it. I've also read in the 16 Commandments, give her 2/3rds as much as she gives, and I apply that towards "affection" anyway.

TLDR: I want a better nuanced understanding of when "giving affection" is "okay" or "not emotionally validating her" - if such a thing is possible, or should it be absolutely generally withdrawn unless a man gets the sex/needs/chores he wants met?

Thanks in advance any of you gentlemen taking a stab a this.