This question randomly popped into my head some time ago. I haven’t really found anything on Wikipedia relating to masochism outside of sex, but since sadism can be non-sexual, why could masochism be too?
This question randomly popped into my head some time ago. I haven’t really found anything on Wikipedia relating to masochism outside of sex, but since sadism can be non-sexual, why could masochism be too?
Isn’t that more like a ritual? I mean, I don’t think those people really enjoy the pain itself.
CW: self-harm
I enjoyed self-harming and feeling pain when I was dissociating a lot, I think there are clearly examples where people inflict pain on themselves for non-sexual and non-religious (i.e. not for punitive / atoning) reasons. Besides some kinds of self-harm, eating spicy food seems like a clear example of this. Pain releases endorphins, you can get high on pain. For what it’s worth, I also have enjoyed every physical trauma I have experienced (being hit by a car, being thrown over the handlebars of my bicycle at speed and my face hitting the asphalt first, etc.).
If they’re enjoying the ritual, is that a meaningful distinction between that and enjoying the pain? 🤔