Sexual masochism disorder

mental disorder involving sexual arousal from enduring pain, suffering, or humiliation

Sexual masochism disorder (SMD) is the condition of experiencing recurring and intense sexual arousal in response to enduring moderate or extreme pain, suffering, or humiliation.[1] The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) of the American Psychiatric Association indicates that a person may have a masochistic sexual interest but that the diagnosis of sexual masochism disorder would only apply to individuals who also report psychosocial difficulties because of it.

It is unknown, how common sexual masochism disorder is. The DSM-5 suggests that 2.2% of males and 1.3% of females may be involved in BDSM, whether they have sexual masochism disorder or not.[1] Extensive use of pornography depicting humiliation is sometimes associated with sexual masochism disorder.[1]

Behaviors associated with sexual masochism disorder can be acted out alone (e.g., binding, sticking with pins, electric shock, and mutilation) or with a partner (e.g., physical restraint; blindfolding; paddling; spanking; whipping; beating; electric shock; cutting; pinning and piercing; and humiliation, such as by being urinated or defecated upon, being forced to crawl and bark like a dog, and being verbally abused)[2] and include being forced to cross-dress and being treated like an infant.[2]

In extreme cases, accidental deaths can occur, such as from engaging in self-application of electric shock.[3] One of the most extreme cases of masochism was that of Bernd Brandes, who answered a person advertisement from Armin Meiwes, who was seeking someone who wanted to be slaughtered and eaten.[4]

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
  2. 2.0 2.1 American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.). Washington, DC: Author.
  3. Cairnes, F. J., & Rainer, S. P. (1981). Death from electrocution during auto-erotic procedures. New Zealand Medical Journal, 94, 259-260.
  4. Cantor, J. M., & Sutton, K. S. (2014). Paraphilia, gender dysphoria, and hypersexuality. In P. H. Blaney & T. Millon (Eds.), Oxford textbook of psychopathology (3rd ed.) (pp. 589–614). New York: Oxford University Press.