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Beyond pain: a study on the variance of pain thresholds within BDSM interactions in dominants and submissives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

E. Wuyts ,
N. De Neef ,
V. Coppens ,
A. Schuerewegen ,
I. De Zeeuw-Jans ,
M. Van Der Pol  and
M. Morrens
E. Wuyts*
Affiliation:
Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), Faculty Of Medicine And Health Sciences, Campus Drie Eiken, University Of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
N. De Neef
Affiliation:
Europe Hospitals, Campus St Michel, Brussels, Belgium
V. Coppens
Affiliation:
Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), Faculty Of Medicine And Health Sciences, Campus Drie Eiken, University Of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
A. Schuerewegen
Affiliation:
University Hospital Antwerp, University Forensic Center, Edegem, Belgium
I. De Zeeuw-Jans
Affiliation:
Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), Faculty Of Medicine And Health Sciences, Campus Drie Eiken, University Of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
M. Van Der Pol
Affiliation:
VZW Club 78, Fetish Club 78, Ham, Belgium
M. Morrens
Affiliation:
Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), Faculty Of Medicine And Health Sciences, Campus Drie Eiken, University Of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

BDSM is an acronym describing bondage & discipline, dominance & submission and sadism & masochism. Afflicting or receiving pain is usually an important part of the BDSM interaction.

Objectives

This research focuses on better understanding the aspect of pain within a BDSM interaction by investigating the differences in 1) baseline pain thresholds, 2) the impact of a BDSM interaction on those thresholds and 3) threshold moderating factors like pain cognition between submissive and dominant BDSM participants and control individuals.

Methods

Submissive and dominant counterparts of 35 couples were recruited to participate in a BDSM interaction, of which 34 dominants and 33 submissives were included in analyses. A non-BDSM interested control group (n=27) was included to control for social interaction, of which 24 were included in analyses. Pain threshold measurements were measured at three points in time and pain cognitions scales were taken.

Results

BDSM practitioners have a higher pain threshold overall and a BSDM interaction will result in a temporary elevation of pain thresholds for submissives. Additionally, pain thresholds in dominants will be dependent upon their fear of pain and tendency to catastrophize pain and submissives will experience less fear of pain than the control group.

Conclusions

This study helps shed further light on the biological processes behind a BDSM interaction through pain threshold measurements. By enhancing our understanding of the mechanisms behind a BDSM interaction in this way, we aspire to relieve the stigma these practitioners still endure.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Keywords

BDSMpain thresholdssexualitypain cognitions
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 65 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 30th European Congress of Psychiatry , June 2022 , pp. S280 - S281
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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