Palliata
Posts: 371
Joined: 8/9/2010 Status: offline
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Firstly, by the traditional definition BDSM falls under "sadomasochism" which is a mental illness in the category of paraphilia, literally 'sexual desire for nonsexual stimuli.' There HAVE been multiple attempts at cures, which mostly go along two lines: 1. Aversion therapy, as mentioned above - provide BDSM-related stimuli in the form of BDSM pornography or similar, and at the same time provide additional 'negative' stimuli in order to reassociate BDSM with that negative sensation. These have ranged from electroshock to cold water, and have been 100% unsuccessful as far as I'm aware. 2. Talk therapy to attempt to cognitively overcome what psychiatric medicine perceives as a conditioned response. In laymen's terms, make you think about it and realize that BDSM is wrong/bad/unhealthy so that you overcome your desire for it. This is what others have described - find the root of it, and provide therapy to overcome that. I knew a person who went through this and it can be far more unpleasant than it sounds. As far as I'm aware this has also been 100% unsuccessful. In fact, every study I've read has said that paraphilia is incurable with modern methods. While the behavior can be overcome with extended therapy, it has effect of creating mental instability due to the added cognitive dissonance and, correspondingly, it doesn't actually alter the desire but instead only alters the behavior. You still want to participate in D/s or whatever your particular kink is, but you don't because you've been brought to the conclusion that it is wrong/bad/unhealthy. It bears mention that homosexuality was included in the paraphilia bracket until fairly recently - it was deemed incurable as well - but was removed after the gay rights movement. Apparently they have a better lobby than we do, because we still haven't escaped.
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I speak not of The Way, but only My Way. Think it not an indictment of Your Way. I'm male. I know it sounds female. Work with me.
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