BDSM Linked With Better Mental Health

For those of you that don’t read The Huffington Post they have just done this great article based on the study, which was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in May.

This article shows people who are into kinky sex may be psychologically healthier than those who are not.  It looks at the research finding that people who were involved in BDSM, scored better on certain indicators of mental health than those who did not bring kink into the bedroom.

The study, which was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in May, surveyed 902 people who practice BDSM and 434 people who prefer so-called “vanilla” (non-kinky) sex. Each person filled out questionnaires regarding their personalities, general well-being, sensitivity to rejection and style of attachment in relationships. The participants were not aware of the purpose of the study.

This research isn’t necessarily representative of the general population since participants were selected on a volunteer basis, but it does support the argument for removing BDSM from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). In the current DSM, BDSM fetishes are listed as “paraphilia,” which essentially encompasses any “unusual” sexual preferences.

Fetish communities have argued for years that harmless sexual tastes should not be listed next to mental disorders. Perhaps this research will help bolster their case.

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