Darkside Magazine Issue Three | Page 77

Darkside as equal parts in any relationship in the vanilla world (at the end the male or the female leads) and by nature some of us are born to lead and others to follow. How BDSM sexuality is not as unnatural as many believe can be explained with the help of science. Biologically speaking, BDSM makes total sense. The brain releases dopamine when experiencing pleasure and the same chemical is released when experiencing pain. We all know of the famous scene in the Story of O when looking at two similar facial expressions it is revealed that one comes from pleasure and the other from pain. Pain can, and does, equal pleasure for some. Accord- ing to the article ‘The Curious Connection between Pain and Pleasure’, love, sex, pain and violence all stimulate the release of similar chemicals and hormones in the human body. Endorphins that are released in painful experiences are often 77 perceived as pleasurable. Stress and pain can also stimulate the serotonin and melatonin production in the brain, which transforms painful experiences into pleasure. The release of epinephrine and norepinephrine in pain can also cause a pleasurable ‘rush’. Normal human biological response actually supports the complex and mysterious link between pain and pleasure. ster P’s a M t u o Check t website a sion. submis n o i t a n i dom s.com/ wordpres For BDSM lovers the world over