BDSM Practitioners Healthier Than 'Others'

[SingingSatellite]

I found this article during my usually romp through tumblr (because I hate myself and I hate sleep) and found this incredibly interesting article.

I would like to clarify that while bondage is listed in the DSM (I'm a mental health counselor at a prison for work, I help diagnose and treat), it's listed there only to the extent that if it becomes damaging to one's life or another's. Which is true for anything, honestly.

So I wanted to know what peoples' opinions on this were. I've also heard that people who identify with non-normative sexual practices (specifically BDSM) are typically found to have a higher IQ. I'm lacking the references currently, so it could be speculation, but who knows.

Anyways, check the article and I'd like to hear feedback and opinions.

http://www.livescience.com/34832-bdsm-healthy-psychology.html

 

[Hahvoc The Decepticon]

I can't say that people who are in the BDSM field are all smart cookies. Some can be pretty goddamn stupid and thick-headed, but that's in every population.

I feel better on a lot of levels when I can "let the beast out of the cage" so to speak and be more like myself without fear of judgment or ridicule. It's a healthy environment to let you do what you want to do without fear of rejection. If someone isn't into your kink, no harm no foul, move on and let go.

Also, the whole basis of BDSM is consent. It's everything. Abuse still happens but consent is always the most important thing besides safety. And safety play wise and sexual wise. Most people require all their partners to be tested for any STDs and to take precautionary measures.

 

[Razgriz]

I personally think that those who can express parts of themselves that they often keep locked away from others tend to be more normal; like Hahvoc said, it's often better to 'release the beast' within (not the exact words, I know) every so often. The fact is, we're all quirky and I think we become better people when we have an environment to let out our, oh how to put it.....'darker' sides. It's one reason I enjoy writing here on BMR

In short, I personally think this article could pertain to far more than merely practicing BDSM; as one commenter put it, "If they're willing to explore a 'darker side' of their psyche, then they must be pretty comfortable with themselves".

 

[Dameon]

I dunno. Rough sex I can do, and enjoy, maybe some bondage, but not to the extent I see BDSM portrayed in fetish porn.

 

[Ruphhausin]

"The more intelligent the mind, the more the need for the simplicity of play." James T. Kirk, Star Trek: TOS, Episode 15 "Shore Leave"

There is absolutely nothing wrong with BDSM, as long as it is save, sane, satisfying, and sanctioned (meaning totally consensual between the people involved nor breaks any intelligently thought out laws). I enjoy a number of things myself, though there are a number of things that will never happen, and it really is simply a matter of the truth that "normal" is nothing more or less than, as I have said before, an illusory "standard" that some want to justify their own prejudices.

The other problem, sad to say, is that there are those who claim to be "Masters" or "Mistresses" who are not in it for sexual gratification of self and others, nor for releasing pent up feelings, but rather are in it as a "condoned way to abuse others". Those are the ones who give BDSM a bad reputation.

 

[bimbo a la blonde]

In traditional hetero relationships of the past, the male was usually thought of as the dominant personality because he was the one expected to feed and protect his female partner and later his children. Over the centuries, the role has been considered sexist by many, but in gay and lesbian relationships one of the couple ends up taking on a dominant role. My girlfriend is both my lover and Mistress. We enjoy bondage and some other BDSM aspects but never considered ourselves inferior or superior intellectually. We do feel a slight degree of contentment in that we have emerged 'from the closet', so to speak and some of our closest friends know of our lifestyle. Others we know are still in hiding and for that we have sympathy. She doesn't abuse me as the previous poster has described, even though our play could be construed as 'rough', and I agree with Rupphausin in that there are those that do give BDSM the nasty reputation that unfortunately goes with it

 

[prometheus1]

I have been a practitioner of BDSM for quite a few years now, although in the UK it is illegal, as no-one can consent to physical harm, hence it is commonly referred to as Consensual Non Consensual, try saying that when you're drunk!
I have had a varied range of submissive females, and I have found every one to be above average intelligence; usually they are professional women seeking an escape from the ennui of their career and in a form of escapism, they choose to be dominated.
Males however, in both the Dom and the Sub roles, vary to a much greater level! Some men are in it for the bullying, some see it as a form of sex play (which it is not), BDSM is a lifestyle that transcends mere sex, it is used in all aspects of life to the aficionados of the art....it is the freedom of the id from the confines of the sub conscious.....rather than repress these feelings, we embrace them, whether in the Dom or the Sub role .... is that healthier? personally I think so.

 

[Adam Edwardson]

This is an interesting topic, but I am afraid I would not put much stock in the quoted article.

First, there is no casual identification. Drawing casual conclusion from the data is therefor highly doubtful. Perhaps it is in general richer people who have the time to engage in unusual sexual practices, and rich people are in general more healthy? I could come up with dozens of different explanations like that, that does not involve a casual link between BDSM and mental health.

Second, given the fact that there were more BDSM practitioners than vanilla people in the study, the selection was clearly non random which opened up to selection bias. How did they find the BDSM practitioners? How do they know that their sample is representative?

So while I do not believe liking whips makes you crazy, I don't think this particular article gives any empirical support for the reverse.