BDSM (short for: Bondage & Discipline, Dominance & Submission, Sadism & Masochism) is based on the use of physical sensations to arouse pleasure. The dominant part (top) inflicts pain on the obedient submissive (bottom/sub) in mutual consent to fulfill the desires of both partners in a safe environment. An outdated term for this is algolagnia (Greek, algos: pain, lagneia: lust).
Pain is an evaluation of the brain and does not always have to be bad or even undesirable. BDSM skillfully transforms the experience of pain into pleasure. These stimulating sensory perceptions are decided pains, caused, for example, by mechanical and electrical stimuli (strokes, the application of clamps or stimulation with electric shocks) or thermal triggers (using wax or ice cubes). Pleasure caused by pain can be experienced intensively through certain role plays.
What happens specifically in the body when experiencing pleasure as pain? The ability to enjoy, to feel pleasure, is something that all people have in common. In addition, we all have needs, the satisfaction of which often gives us feelings of pleasure. Pleasure is an intensely pleasurable form of experience and equates to a feeling of anticipation. Pain is an extremely complex sensory perception. In the case of pleasure from pain, one feels sexual thrill precisely when one is exposed to painful stimuli. The pain still hurts, it’s just perceived differently. Anyone who is able to turn pain into pleasure in a sexual context experiences what is known as an endorphin high. This results in the release of endorphins and other opiate-like substances produced by the body, which cause feelings of well-being to flow through the sufferer. Endorphin is an endogenous morphine and opiate that lowers blood pressure and reduces pain in the spinal cord.
After exceeding a crucial point or the ‘pain limit’ in their training, endurance athletes feel new energy, increased stamina, and extreme well-being. At the end of this training, they feel intoxicated by substances that their own body produces and that are similar in chemical composition to poppy extract. The high felt from intense pain during a BDSM session is the same as that from exercise, except that while the athlete’s endorphin stream usually has no other participation, the masochist’s does. He feels the pain inflicted by the sadist as a gain in pleasure. Endorphins also have a euphoric and calming effect, as well as altering consciousness with a narrowing of attention, a relative loss of reality and an increased ability to be influenced. Because of this, BDSM requires a high level of safety and responsibility.
Whether we’re spinning in circles, swinging, dancing, running marathons, having our nipples tossed, or spanking, the ecstasy we seek and achieve is the same shift in consciousness that’s programmed into the genetic code of all human beings. Taking drugs is an easier, but harmful approach to such a change in consciousness, because synthetically produced opioids have a similar effect on the organism. Knowing this, heroin, for example, was brought onto the market as a cough and pain reliever at the end of the 19th century. However, the effects and consequences of ChemSex should be well known! In religious ceremonies, an altered state of consciousness can be caused, for example, by meditation, fasting or ecstatic dances.
Every human being is unique sexually and no one acts exactly like the other. The ability to BDSM should be just as different as everything else in the human scope. Not all of us produce opioids when we feel pain. But those blessed with this mix of ability and alignment gain tension relief and euphoria, among other things.
In many cases, the submissive part is a strong person who is looking for someone stronger. In BDSM roleplay, subs find a contrast to what is expected from them socially and/or economically every day by handing over control and power to the top. The act of submission provides a fascinating reversal and holds a high potential for relaxation. Those attributes that lead to success in our society are also those that lead to gratification as a sub: delay in immediate gratification, service to others for potential self-interest, steadfastness, perseverance, and a sensitive ability to perceive one’s counterpart. The satisfaction that comes from such a reversal is immense.