175 Sexual Masochism (302.83)
DSM-IV-TR criteria
- Over a period of at least 6 months, recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving the act (real, not simulated) of being humiliated, beaten, bound, or otherwise made to suffer.
- The fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
Associated features
- Sexually masochistic behaviors are usually evident by early adulthood and often begin with masochistic or sadistic play during childhood. The masochist experiences sexual excitement from physically or psychologically receiving pain, suffering, and/or humiliation. Some that suffer from sexual masochism may be uncomfortable with or bothered by these fantasies and sexual urges, so they may not act on them when engaged in sexual activity with other people but may carry them out in private. There is a dangerous and potentially fatal form of masochism called hypoxyphilia, in which individuals experience sexual pleasure or arousal by way of oxygen deprivation, such as choking with hands or other materials. Hypoxyphilia is a dangerous act, where the victim achieves sexual arousal and attempts to enhance his or her experience of an orgasm by oxygen deprivation; to this occurs via strangulation, using a plastic bag or a mask. Mistakes while engaging in hypoxyphilia can result in serious injury, brain damage, or death. Paraphilic Infantilism, another form of Sexual Masochism involves the victim’s desire to be treated as an infant. Such individuals often wear diapers in these situations. The majority of Infantilists are heterosexual males. This may be due to the feeling of freedom and loss of responsibility some attempt to achieve through Infantilism.
Sexual masochists have a desire or need for pain or humiliation to enhance sexual arousal so that gratification may be attained. For the masochist, she or he is typically bound to increase the feeling of helplessness. This situation usually involves a fantasy rape without any possibility of escape. Some act on fantasies in private; usually these would include self-mutilation, sticking themselves with pins, or giving themselves electric shocks. If the partner is involved, the acts might include blindfolding, restraint, spanking, whipping, cutting, and some form or humiliation.
- Sexual masochism is very different from Sexual Sadism, yet oftentimes the two are linked. Sexual masochism tends to be chronic once it appears, and the acts may increase in severity, eventually leading to serious injury or to death. Sexual Sadism is also chronic and the behaviors can increase in severity. Also, there is a term known as sadomasochism which is used to illustrate the occasion where sadism and masochism are both present in one person but portrayed as different disorders, or according to which theory is used, it can also be used as a replacement for both terms.However, Masochism,