The Benefits of Pain and Sexual Pleasure

The relationship between pain and sexual pleasure has intoxicate the imaginations of many people with its undertones of forbidden pleasure of enjoyment.

In 1954, the erotic novel Story of O by Anne Desclos caused a stir in France with its explicit references to bondage and discipline power and submission, sadism and masochism an array of sexual practices referred to as BDSM, for short.

Sexual Practices that involve an overlap of pain and pleasure are often shrouded in mystery and mythologized, and people who admit to engaging in rough play in the bedroom often face dishonor and unwanted attention.

So what happens when an individual finds pleasure in pain during foreplay or sexual intercourse? Why is pain pleasurable for them, and are there any risks when it comes to engaging in rough play? In this Spotlight feature, we explain why physical pain can sometimes be a source of pleasure, looking at both physiological and psychological explanations.

Also, we look at possible side effects of rough play and how to cope with them and investigate when the overlap of pain and pleasure is not healthful.