More to BDSM. It’s no secret that BDSM culture earns its fair share of sideways glances. For people who’ve never tried it, it seems crazy. It’s sex with tools, pretty much, and to most people who merely prefer the simplicity of being naked and humping, that seems… odd. However, it turns out that there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Sexual clarity. It turns out that indulging in BDSM can actually be quite an awakening experience, but not in the ways that you’re probably thinking. Taking part in BDSM does something to your brain that opens it up in a way that is truly freeing, and a new study has confirmed this. Trying new things is always bound to be an enlightening experience, whether positive or negative.
Kinky people. Basically, the kinkier you are, the more emotionally enlightened you are, according to a study published in “Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice,” via Quartz. To put the study into action, researchers just needed to get their hands on some hardcore fans of the hardcore sexual lifestyle.
Gathering the subjects. Psychologists from Northern Illinois University created the study and started off by getting 14 people to hop on board. The ages of everyone involved ranged from people in their 20s to people in their 20s, but they all shared one thing: a deep passion for BDSM.
Tops and bottoms. Similar to gay sex, in BDSM there are tops and there are bottoms. Basically, if you’re a “top,” you’re essentially in control, and if you’re a “bottom,” you’re being controlled. Each of the 14 participants labeled themselves as both.
Role-playing for science. For the study to happen, the participants weren’t asked to fill out a questionnaire, but were instead involved in a number of tasks — or scenes — that all had ties to BDSM in some way or another. Once these were completed, the researchers got to work.
Gathering results. After other various tests, saliva samples and a survey, the team of psychologists deduced that BDSM is actually amazing for your brain. What’s even more interesting is that the positive effects that BDSM has on the brain depends on which position you’re (referring to being either a top or a bottom).
The benefits of bottoming. For those people who bottom in BDSM (even if you like to be versatile), it essentially triggers something called “transient hypofrontality.” This basically means that time feels like it’s slowing down, but in the best way possible. According to author Steven Kotler, via Big Think, it’s kind of similar to “bullet time” from “The Matrix.”
The benefits of topping. When you’re topping in BDSM, it triggers your “flow state.” This is where your brain essentially lets go of its worries. It transports you to a new and mentally invigorating state of consciousness. It makes you feel as though you are completely absorbed in the moment.
“Flow state.” The concept of “flow state” came from psychology and management professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi from Claremont Graduate University. It’s the state of being lost in something with, more or less, no worries. Even though BDSM seems like it might put you in a very vulnerable position, the opposite is actually true.
Happiness. So what does this all have to do with happiness? When you’re in these states of consciousness, it’s kind of like a high. You’re balanced and more relaxed. It puts your mind at ease and allows it to essentially chill out, even though the acts that you’re performing hardly seem… chill.
The falling game. So what could BDSM possibly have to do with the “trust game” (you know, that game you played as a kid where you’d fall backwards, trusting that someone would catch you)? In both this game and in BDSM, trust isn’t only involved, it’s necessary. Without trust, neither are possible, and according to sex journalist Michael Castleman, BDSM and trust ought to go hand-in-hand.
Enhancing creativity. In order for flow to be successfully achieved, “the brain needs to be tasked with doing something slightly challenging, but not impossible.” Once it’s achieved, worries more or less go out the window. It boosts creativity and removes your sense of self-consciousness.
The running high. Whether or not you’re interested in running, you’ve likely heard of people getting “runner highs.” It’s the feeling they get after running for a long enough distance; a feeling of elation. This really isn’t so different from reaching the “flow state.” So, if you’re not really into the whole BDSM scene — there’s always the treadmill.
Defending BDSM. Praise be! You finally have a solid reason to defend BDSM without having to tell people how sexually liberating it is to wear leather while you’re slapping someone with a spatula. Though this isn’t necessarily going to get everybody on board, it’s definitely
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