Physical Pain as Pleasure: A Theoretical Perspective.
Journal of sex research May 1, 2020 Cara R Dunkley, Craig D Henshaw, Saira K Henshaw et al.
Pain is a common part of BDSM activity, and this review explores how painful stimuli can be experienced as pleasurable by BDSM practitioners, in contrast to how non-BDSM individuals experience pain. The authors propose a theory, checked with BDSM practitioners, that emotional, physiological, and psychological elements interact to facilitate pain as pleasure. Factors include neural networks, neurotransmitters, endogenous opioids and endocannabinoids, visual stimuli, environmental context, emotional state, volition and control, interpersonal connection, sexual arousal, and memories. This experience can lead to altered states of consciousness similar to mindfulness meditation, demystifying and destigmatizing pain's role in BDSM.