My Secret......Sssshhhh

07/22/2013

In the medical community BDSM, DD, D/s, Spanking, etc have always been considered a psychological "condition". We are labeled as "deviant". 

Well if the doctor says it, then it must be true, right?  (If you unfortunately do take what your doctor says as "full-proof".....please know the #6 cause of death in this country is avoidable medical mistakes.)

Certainly the vast population view our interests in these areas as exactly how they are labeled by the AMA......."deviant." That goes a long way in explaining why completely vanilla persons attempting to 'understand' us would construct such elaborate psychologically screwed-up backdrops for explaining our hobbies......"50 Shades of Grey" comes to mind. 

Because of this stereotyping, many of us have to keep this aspect of our lives private. Not that I am suggesting that spanking should be a routine topic at the dinner table.......but I don't think we should have to hide who we are in order to please other people or avoid constant criticism. Or for that matter, spend countless hours thinking and over-thinking why you are a 'spanko' and what is 'wrong' with you. 

Yes, of course there are psychos in our community........there are psychopaths & sociopaths in *every* population (particularly Republicans, Giants fans, Catholics......oh wait, that's stereotyping :) ). But honestly, the overwhelming majority of our spanking community are really amazingly 'normal' people. We work, pay taxes, obey laws (traffic doesn't count), raise families, nurture vanilla relationships, etc. We aren't some sub-species of human being. Not all of us come from psychologically debilitating backgrounds. 

I have said for a long time that the vast majority of "us" spankophiles, are born this way. It is either in your DNA or it isn't. I'm clearly not the only person with a brain who thinks so, as 2 major medical schools in this country are investigating this exact theory. 

I'm a thinker.......an analyzer.......and yes, a medical professional. So I had to find a "scientific reason" to explain our favorite past time. Psychology simply can not explain it.......perhaps physiology can. 

Why does anyone partake in a hobby? Because they ENJOY it. When you are enjoying yourself, your brain releases dopamine.....a neurotransmitter that controls your brains' reward & pleasure center......hence it being called your "feel good hormone".

And some people enjoy risk more than others so they take up hobbies with added excitement or danger......skydiving, bungee jumping, collecting poisonous snakes, harassing Doms :) .........this group of people have such hobbies because that added danger element cues your body to release the hormone & neurotransmitter called adrenaline........you've all heard the term "adrenaline junkie"......this simply means the person enjoys the "high" they experience by intentionally triggering a fight-or-flight response in the body by engaging in stressful or risky behavior. 

Most of the world population enjoys reaching orgasm.......why you may ask? Because your body then releases oxytocin......a neuromodulator responsible for increasing trust, reducing fear, increasing empathy, romantic attraction, monogamous pair bonding (fidelity).......hence its' nickname as the "love hormone." (Sorry ladies, I outed us.....no more using a headache as an excuse not to have sex :) ).

Still following me here? Good......now it's going to get a bit tricky. 

Vasopressin is a neurohypophysial hormone found in all mammals. It's primary function is to regulate your body's retention of water. 

But this is afterall a blog on spanking, so a strictly renal benefit wouldn't make much sense, now would it? Of course not......spanking has nothing to do with your damn kidneys. :) 

However, neuro-geeks (like me) have recently discovered that vasopressin isn't only released into the bloodstream via your posterior pituitary for it's renal benefit.......it is also released directly to your brain.......and when that happens, the effect is much like that of oxytocin the "love hormone."

Now, why ladies and gentlemen, have I bored you by lecturing on these hormones and how each effects your brain? And what the hell does it mean in regards to spanking? 

So glad you asked. :)  

When I wrote a post about my wonderful Dom being "better than sex" last winter......I, of course, was not simply sucking up, I honestly meant every word.......but now I can PROVE every word. Sex & orgasm triggers the release of oxytocin in the brain........

BUT.........

Spanking (BOTH administering and receiving) releases ALL 4 of these hormones: dopamine, oxytocin, adrenaline & vasopressin!!! Just one of these hormones alone will create a pleasant psychological & physiological experience.....natural pain relief, stress relief, etc. ALL 4 of them at once?? Spank-happy-euphoria! :)

So you may all now physiologically explain your favorite past-time. 

And you all now know the *real* reason I chose to work in medicine.  :)   I trust, of course, that you'll keep this secret.