How BDSM Might Improve Your Health Physically and Mentally
Why we are seeing a more positive shift with people discussing, and open to practicing BDSM, its still considered taboo to discuss in an open forum such as the dinner table with your family and friends. Well this all can also depend on your family and friends but you get my point. So for some of you still sitting on the fence about practicing BDSM or bringing some form of kink into the bed room, there are some health and mental health benefits from doing so.
The Benefits Of BDSM
There are quite a few benefits to BDSM if you really look at it as a whole. One of the benefits BDSM has given to me, and I am more of a sub, is confidence. Also me and my husband has met some great new friends in the Kink Community. However were here to talk about health and mental health from BDSM and confidence is a good one for mental health.
Reduce Stress
There are some effects in our bodies that happen when engaging in BDSM practices. There was actually a study done at the Northern Illinois University. Dominant partners showed a decrease in cortisol levels after a scene compared to before a scene.
This can help your body fight off infection, and for us to feel better mentally, along with lower blood pressure.
Learning To Be A Better Communicator
Some people would not think that BDSM is a good way to make you a better communicator, however with out communication in BDSM, both partners wont get the benefit of it with out communication.
Communication from consent, to what is the scene going to look like, about both of your limits, and what you both expect to get out of the scene. Communicating before these things will give you more practice in communication and will benefit your relationships over time.
Helps Build Trust
Now as it is for me, I have a hard time trusting people. I do trust the circle of people more that is involved with our BDSM family. When your doing BDSM you need trust, and and you have to trust your partners, or people can be physically or mentally hurt during a scene. So its very important to be able to trust your partners.
Now as in any kind of encounter you need trust, but in a BDSM realm that trust needs to be doubled down on. Its so much fun and energizing to be a sub and give yourself up to someone you trust, and are able to have fun.
Can Help With Your Mental Health
Research from the International Society for Sexual Medicine conducted a study to specifically measure the mental well-being of people who enjoy participating in BDSM, and they did so by examining key personality traits of each person.
Those traits included their attachment styles in relationships, general well-being, and how sensitive they were to rejection compared to those in a control group.
The participants in the BDSM group felt more secure in their relationships, had an increased sense of well-being, were more conscientious toward others, and more open to trying new experiences. They also had decreased anxiety and were less sensitive to others' perceptions.
All of these characteristics may be indicators that BDSM may be positively correlated with some benefits.