Does practicing BDSM and improved Stress Tolerance?

[Wishingbox]

I’ve been reading about managing stress abd read in a chapter about “micro-dosing” smaller more controlled stresses can help those who suffer form chronic stress learn to better process it.

The term Hormetic Stress which applies to things like ice baths and interval training. the premise is to quickly stress your body out and then relieve the stress which allows your body to complete the whole stress cycle in a controlled shorter session. Then when confronted with other stresses your body remembers how to down regulate after a stressful event.

Too many people are walking around in a constant state of anxiety because their bodies get stuck at the down regulating stage.

As I was reading up on the topic I was immediately struck with the potential similarities with experiencing controlled pain in BDSM sessions.

I tried searching for related material but it doesn’t seem like there is much out there in the topic of using BDSM to assist with conic anxiety and building anxiety tolerance.

I’d love to hear anyone else’s thoughts or experiences with anxiety and practicing BDSM.

 

[LittleSwitchy]

I’ve known a number of submissives some pain sluts lot not. Some very much use this as a way to center themselves. Some have told me they deliberately act up. Just cause they want to get swatted.
I’m not sure if he has covered this specific topic. You might want to check out online for a guy by name of Jay Wiseman. He’s covered many things bdsm very in depth.

 

[traill]

For me as a submissive practicing BDSM is definitely a form of release for every day stresses. Even though it might hurt quite a bit, by the end of it I feel very relaxed and exhausted. The next day I always have a spring in my step. The whole BDSM thing just centers me and is a huge release even though I might not be having an actual release. Giving myself fully to my Goddess is the biggest release I can get in many ways.

 

[LittleSwitchy]

Everyone is different. Some are pain sluts. Others like sensation play.
I knew one girl years ago. She got into sub space from flogging. For her bare hand swat was eh ok. But use a flogger and she would hit sub space quickly.

 

[Wishingbox]

For me as a submissive practicing BDSM is definitely a form of release for every day stresses.

Would you say that you are or used to suffer from anxiety and that your exploration into BDSM help your system better process and regulate stress?

I knew one girl years ago. She got into sub space from flogging.

Sub space does fascinate me but im curious if the process of the intense stimulation and then recovery cycle help train the body to process other stressors.

 

[Wishingbox]

I think some people can become unregulated or stuck from an anxious even or season in their life. Remaining in the fight or flight state for too long seems to create this hang up on completing the cycle.

So even though the moment to moment source of stress/anxiety has been removed the body forgets to come down.

The book I’ve been reading was suggesting extreme stress through cold plunges, breathing and other intense stressors can actually help the body reset and train them to apply the “come down” mechanism after the stimulation.

I spent a free months reading a ton on BDSM and thought wait a minute perhaps the pain sessions and process of BDSM experiencing high intensity pain but with a tender phase of resolution would also help stimulate the same type of healthy stress response.

 

[traill]

Would you say that you are or used to suffer from anxiety and that your exploration into BDSM help your system better process and regulate stress?



Sub space does fascinate me but im curious if the process of the intense stimulation and then recovery cycle help train the body to process other stressors.

Anxiety has never been an issue for me personally, but I work in an extremely high stress environment. BDSM is one of the things that has helped with stress, but I do not depend on it for my stress reduction, it's just something I truly enjoy indulging in. And for long periods of time I have not indulged in BDSM especially when without a good partner in crime. My stress reduction strategies do not by definition depend on BDSM, as I believe that would be rather unhealthy and could lead to danger seeking in some situations. Always safe, sane and consensual.

 

[spankableBelle]

Spankings are a form of stress relief for me. (haven't had one in nearly a decade... no wonder I'm so fucking stressed and irritable... self-inflicted spankings don't relieve the stress as much, but can offer mild ease.)
A full back flogging incredible for this as well.
Sometimes discomfort (plugs, clamps, etc...) offer stress relief.
Bondage.
Edging, too.
Mentally... Just being pet, sucking on a Dom's thumb or finger, following instructions, sitting near enough to touch, being given a focal point helps calm and relieve stress for me.
Even something like being told to complete this or complete that, especially if it's a stressful thing, the direction allows for focus and ease.

I'm probably not explaining any of this well.

I journal and meditate and all, but bdsm has been the one thing that centers and calms and focuses and relieves stress for me better than almost anything else I've ever tried.

 

[IrisAlthea]

I’ve been reading about managing stress abd read in a chapter about “micro-dosing” smaller more controlled stresses can help those who suffer form chronic stress learn to better process it.

The term Hormetic Stress which applies to things like ice baths and interval training. the premise is to quickly stress your body out and then relieve the stress which allows your body to complete the whole stress cycle in a controlled shorter session. Then when confronted with other stresses your body remembers how to down regulate after a stressful event.

A lot of the research is done on young, adult men and it might not be quite the same in other life situations.
It’s important that the stress response goes up quickly and then is allowed to drop again, which might not work as well in a life situation where stress is more constant. Care taker stress is different than high adrenaline stress working environments, as anyone who has tried both can tell you.

A lot of the helpful effects with these short bursts of cold, sauna heat, hiit and intermittent fasting are about certain hormonal effects in the body, like clearing cortisol and increasing growth hormone and setting off processes like autophagy.
That part doesn’t have much to do with pain, as I understand it.

Another part that can help with mood, is endorphines. Those you can get with pain play.
Pain as a way to deal with anxiety and other mental health issues can become problematic though as @traill wrote.
It’s the same mechanism as self-harm.

Another thing that I think BDSM can do to help fight stress, is what I think @spankableBelle is talking about - a kind of here and now mindfulness in a way.
Jumping in a wintery ocean after some time in a hot sauna will do that too.

 

[Wishingbox]

Another part that can help with mood, is endorphines. Those you can get with pain play.
Pain as a way to deal with anxiety and other mental health issues can become problematic though as @traill wrote.
It’s the same mechanism as self-harm.

Yes I agree I wasn’t saying necessarily suggesting addressing stress directly through self harm but rather focusing specifically as you mentioned on high/low start/resolution of intense events to stimulate hormone releases.

In our situation we realize the event causing the stress was removed and is done but her body still remains in a heightened state of anxiety. We’re exploring other methods like HIIT and meditation etc but her body still is struggling it seems to remember to come down after an event.

I was curious if acts of BDSM had similar abilities to help train the body to resolve other stressors when they occur. I don’t think that’s the same thing necessarily as using it as a coping mechanism for that specific stressor. I believe there is a subtle difference in application.

 

[shysub12]

I have suffered from Fibromyalgia and a body consistently in flight or flee mode.
Spankings help a lot. The pain endorphins are great for a short term temporary fix.
Long term fix that I have found recently is stimulating the veagus nerve. Through breathing actually. This will reset quickly a lot of what you are talking about in terms of learning how to handle stress long term and is a much longer term solution. At least for me.

 

[Wishingbox]

I have suffered from Fibromyalgia and a body consistently in flight or flee mode.
Spankings help a lot. The pain endorphins are great for a short term temporary fix.
Long term fix that I have found recently is stimulating the veagus nerve. Through breathing actually. This will reset quickly a lot of what you are talking about in terms of learning how to handle stress long term and is a much longer term solution. At least for me.

Yes the Wim Hof breathing technique was something we’re exploring. I’m glad that you’ve been able to find it helpful!

 

[IrisAlthea]

I was curious if acts of BDSM had similar abilities to help train the body to resolve other stressors when they occur. I don’t think that’s the same thing necessarily as using it as a coping mechanism for that specific stressor. I believe there is a subtle difference in application.

Yup, I got that. I just don’t think the best road for that would be pain play and the endorphines.
I think you might get more of what you are after with rules and routines about bedtime, self care, excercise, meditation etc.

 

[Goldenfinger]

Releasing stress yes, tolerating no.