Let's be honest here, we're all a little kinky. While some of us aren't zipping up latex body suits and hanging from a swing, it's safe to say a little biting never really turned someone off. To some, it's a scary situation they'd never submit to. To others, it's a fantasy they're itching to try — for some, maybe a casual night in. But if you want to improve your psychological well-being, you might want to start cracking a whip here and there.
New research from Live Science has found that people who are into BDSM score higher on mental-health tests than those who are more "vanilla." The study surveyed 902 BDSM fetishists and 434 people who prefer to keep it tame in the bedroom. Their questionnaires covered everything from the participant's general well-being to how attached they become in a relationship, and how they handle rejection. The results showed that the kinky participants had better mental health than those who aren't. Shocking? Perhaps, but nonetheless intriguing.
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Andreas Wismeijer, the study's lead author believes that folks who get excited over chains and whips tend to be more communicative and assertive of their sexual needs, which could explain their higher scores. That, or they've strengthened their minds doing "hard psychological work" coming to terms with a sexual preference that's still considered to be a taboo.
While this study doesn't necessarily equate kink level to well-being, it does work to remove the stigma that BDSM is a part of a larger mental disorder. Currently, BDSM is considered outside of the norm of usual sexual preferences, and this study works in conjunction with a Reuters study that revealed BDSM participants are less neurotic, more secure in their relationships, and have a greater sense of well-being than their non-BDSM peers.
So, go ahead, break out those cuffs — you've got nothing to lose except your neurosis. (Huffington Post)
Photo: Courtesy of Zana Bayne.