Perhaps, but on a spiritual level it is an excuse. Be careful not to deceive yourself.
There is an actual "spirit of masturbation" and Derek Prince talks about them and has several testimonies about casting them out. When someone does it once, it is sexually immoral so it opens the door for the spirit of masturbation to enter and it will begin tempting you to do it more. Interesting choice of words there, someone enslaved by desire but wants to quit. If it gets to the point that you must do it and can't say no, then enslave would be a good term for it. It also implies ownership or possession by the spirit.
Derek Prince says the spirit of masturbation always comes out of the persons fingers and they can feel it leave. If you are possessed and enticed by that spirit, the next thing you know he invites all his buddies in also, like the spirit of Lust which begins enticing you in even more ways and more often. I think it's called having a stronghold in you? so that thing needs cast out brother.
Gain self control?! Are you joshing me? What about Discipline? Can you not discipline yourself and rise above these things?
Would you do it in front of the Lord if He was standing right in front of you?
(well He is even if you can't see Him).
Your personal Conscience is obviously working fine based on things you say in your post. so on some level, you do know it's wrong.
Not doing it one time hints at control. Controlling yourself in that way many times, becomes being disciplined. Your asking for some sort of justification with your alternate to judge the responses (and rightly so). But I find myself unable to agree with you. Doing the act is not gaining control my friend. It's losing control at the crucial moment. Develop fortitude of spirit within yourself and tell it no. You can do it and your conscience does know the truth.
Your presumption about the things pertaining to me just doesn't line up with the truth that I'm experiencing.