No matter what choices you make in life, someone’s going to have something to say about it. Swap regular Coke for Coke Light and people automatically think you’re on a diet. Turn down a drink on a Friday night and suddenly you’re the world’s most boring individual.
Having said that, isn’t it about time to start doing whatever the heck you want without taking notice of comments or judgements? As long as those things pose no threat or harm to yourself or others, go forth and be merry!
Which brings us to the topic of BDSM (Bondage, Dominance, Sadism, and Masochism). Oftentimes, people view acts of BDSM as dangerous, violent, and odd. They may believe that those who engage in these practices are mentally unhealthy, perverted, or have a desire to inflict or experience unwanted or negative physical pain. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.
In fact, a lot of research has been done proving that those who engage in the BDSM lifestyle are no more prone to mental illness than those who don’t. Studies have also proven that they have no psychological disorders that directly correlate to the BDSM lifestyle. But it wasn’t always so…
In the first edition of the DSM-I, published in 1952, (a handbook of mental illness), sexual sadism was dubbed “deviation”. And in the DSM-IV, published in 1994, BDSM was actually diagnosed as a psychiatric disorder.
It took publishers nearly 10 years to remove it from the DSM, after hundreds of studies proved that BDSM players are simply average folk with no psychological illnesses who merely enjoy sexual activity that is less ‘vanilla’.
Additionally, in surveys across the world, BDSM-enthusiasts explained what BDSM meant to them. At Idaho State University, over 90 percent of those asked agreed that it meant personal freedom, adventure, self-expression, stress relief, positive emotions, and pleasure.
At the University of Illinois, it was found that those who had just experienced BDSM activities had lower levels of cortisol (the hormones responsible for stress).
In Holland, personality tests revealed that those who live the BDSM lifestyle were less neurotic, more conscientious, and more open to new experiences. They were also less sensitive to rejection.
Not just that, but it was found that those who do have an active BDSM sex life experience less sexual distress and greater erotic satisfaction than those who don’t.
On another note, the world of BDSM and kink is anything but black and white. And while many associate this kind of lifestyle with sex dungeons, intimidating props, and people who have experienced intense childhood trauma (thanks 50 Shades of Grey), this is no where near the truth.
To be perfectly frank, the chances that you yourself have experience one or more forms of BDSM in the bedroom are very high.
Do you like it when he or she lightly spanks you? Maybe your sexual trysts involve a bit of hair pulling, a few bites, and a couple of scratches? Well, you’re inside the world of BDSM practices. See? It’s not so intimidating after all.
And for those who are loud and proud BDSM-enthusiasts, adding a few toys into the mix is like taking a walk in the park on a breezy Sunday morning. From nipple clamps, ball gags, and spreader bars, to an assortment of bed restraints and neck collars, the world of BDSM is as colourful as the rainbow itself.
But, whatever your preference, we’re here to assure you that being intrigued about, enjoying, experimenting, and actively participating in any BDSM practice does not have any negative underlying mental connotations.
In actuality, it’s a healthy way in which to spice up your sex life, live a more adventurous and open-minded life, and to experience sensations and sexual satisfaction that could be completely different to anything that you’ve ever known.
Give it a try… you might just like it!
Article by:
Helena Lorimer at JOUJOU
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