The roots of the masochism

Do you experience pleasure from pain? Do you find fulfillment in being beaten or delight in suffering at the hands of others? If you said “yes” to the previous questions, it’s possible you’re a masochist.

“Sexual masochism refers to recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving the act (real, not simulated) of being beaten, bound, or otherwise made to suffer. Blindfolding, spanking and humiliation in the form of defecation, urination or forced imitation of animals are other methods used by these patients. Masochists inflict pain upon themselves through shocking, pricking or choking and about 30 percent participate in sadistic behavior as well,” revealed the editors of Psychology Today.

Masochism is named after the Austrian writer and journalist Leopold von Sacher-Masoch who was born in 1838. The term “masochism” was coined in 1886 by the Austrian psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing after reading Sacher-Masoch’s works.

Leopold was a brilliant boy who later became a professor and well-known man of letters. He gained notoriety with the publication of “Venus in Furs”, a novel that revealed Sacher-Masoch’s fantasies and fetishes that he tried to live out with his mistresses and wives. In that novel, Sacher-Masoch vividly described the pleasure he obtained from suffering at the hands of beautiful women.

From this novel we get a true picture of masochism, a sexual deviation in which gratification is derived from being whipped and tortured.

There are many theories that explain the proliferation of masochism in our world today. In Leopold's case, three incidents apparently influenced his strange behavior.

First, he was fascinated with the sufferings of saints and martyrs as a child. Leopold was also haunted by a dream in which he was the slave of a cruel woman.

While hiding in a closet, the young Leopold reportedly saw his aunt have sex with a stranger. The woman was caught by her husband and beaten. Later, Leopold's hiding place was discovered and he, too, was beaten by his aunt. This incident apparently led Leopold to associate pleasure with pain.

“Sexually masochistic behaviors are typically evident by early adulthood, and often start with masochistic or sadistic play in childhood. The disorder is characterized by either intense sexually arousing fantasies, urges, or behaviors in which the individual is humiliated, beaten, bound, or made to suffer in some way,” explained Psychology Today.

“The fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning,” it added.

In some cases, masochism is an expression of disappointment and failure. Some people want to experience pain to forget their frustrations in life. Others do it whenever they feel sorry for themselves.

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