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Sadism and masochism involve the pleasure of giving and receiving pain, respectively. This can take many forms, from spanking to flogging, whipping and others (see here for some of the more common and less common forms of abuse).

BDSM practice is popular, but it is widely misunderstood. A recent study published in the Journal of Sex Research helps clarify the origins of interest in BDSM and why people pursue it.

The study was based on a sample of 227 adults (18 years and older) who reported that they had participated in REAL-LIFE BDSM activities for at least six months. As part of the survey, participants were asked to describe in their own words why they were interested in BDSM. I mentioned people's answers to this question in a previous post, which listed eight different factors.

However, participants were also asked to describe what specifically attracted them to these activities -- what were their reasons and motivations? That's what I'll discuss in this article. The researchers found three different types of causes.

First, playing with interpersonal power was also the most common (mentioned by 46 percent of participants). For many, this involves exchanging power through sexual role-playing. For others, however, it involves stimulating sexual desire through physical restraint.

Here are some examples of what some participants said: "The feeling of not being able to control my body's reactions was very strong" and "when I was blindfolded and restrained, I felt relaxed and... Different." It's good. Confidence. Sexy. Security. Many of those who describe this motivation explicitly mention the importance of trust and having a partner who understands the importance of consent and insisting on boundaries.

Second, about a third of participants mentioned that their motivation was to accept painful experiences -- physical, psychological, or both. Many of these people clearly described the difference they saw between good pain and bad pain (e.g., "Good pain, hit by the whipper. It was very painful, I got my toe hit "), but many also talk about a more general appreciation of the sensation of pain (for example, "I remember getting my ear pierced when I was 7, loving it, and twisting the pole to feel the pain." ).

Finally, more than a quarter of participants described their motivation as seeking to change their mental or psychological state, such as seeking a different level of awareness, paying attention, or seeking relaxation. Many people describe the experience of feeling as if they were "floating". For example, "If I could just stop fighting... And being at ease with what's happening, I can take a mental 'vacation' to a place where I can feel everything, but I can't be hurt anymore -- it's all warm and fuzzy, AND I'm floating!" And, "Good pain triggers something in me. It hurts, but it makes me float."

The participants in this study are not necessarily representative of the broader BDSM community, so there may be other motivations and reasons. However, these results tell us something important.

One is that people are drawn to BDSM practices for many reasons. For example, sometimes it's about giving and receiving pain, and sometimes it's about exerting power or exchanging power, not about pain.

Furthermore, some people seem to enjoy pain for its own sake, while others use pain to achieve a different mental state, seeking a trance or high experience (which may be a function of releasing endorphins that accompany pain). However, relaxation and "being in the moment" also seem to be common motivations, suggesting that BDSM practices are in some sense treatable. They can take you out of your mind and make you focus more on feeling and perception.