willowstar
New member
I think as far as therapeutic value goes, that would be pretty subjective. There are all kinds of things that have therapeutic value to an individual, running, meditation, yoga, crafting, etc. For someone who participates in BDSM, there are certainly psychological reasons for doing so, but they may or may not be therapeutic.
My understanding of the dynamic of cutting or scratching (and this IS something I did as a teen), is that it can provide an emotional release through a physical medium. When you cant get the emotion out, or cant access the mental or emotional pain for some reason, a physical sensation like pain can bring relief. I also believe this is one of the reasons why people get body modifications (not always, but true for some), like tattoos. The pain provides a release. I am not familiar with knife play, so I wont address that or how it might or might not help in a situation like that, but thought I would share my own experience of what that was like for me. I have a partner whose child does this also, and we have had several conversations about it.
While I do participate in BDSM with both of my partners, and am a mostly subby switch, I dont do it for therapy, like LR said. I do it for myself, because its enjoyable, and hot and sexy, and I get to submit and do the things my partner asks me to do. I get off on it, being told what to do, for him. Letting him do what he wants to do to me. I am a bit of a pillow princess, so that works for me...
Any personal growth that results is purely a side effect...
Willow
My understanding of the dynamic of cutting or scratching (and this IS something I did as a teen), is that it can provide an emotional release through a physical medium. When you cant get the emotion out, or cant access the mental or emotional pain for some reason, a physical sensation like pain can bring relief. I also believe this is one of the reasons why people get body modifications (not always, but true for some), like tattoos. The pain provides a release. I am not familiar with knife play, so I wont address that or how it might or might not help in a situation like that, but thought I would share my own experience of what that was like for me. I have a partner whose child does this also, and we have had several conversations about it.
While I do participate in BDSM with both of my partners, and am a mostly subby switch, I dont do it for therapy, like LR said. I do it for myself, because its enjoyable, and hot and sexy, and I get to submit and do the things my partner asks me to do. I get off on it, being told what to do, for him. Letting him do what he wants to do to me. I am a bit of a pillow princess, so that works for me...
Any personal growth that results is purely a side effect...
Willow