Paraphilias are often tossed aside with judgmental looks and have people cringe if they do not look disgusted. However, how much do you know about paraphilias and sexual sadism disorder?

The Overall View Of Sexual Sadism Disorder

Sexual sadism is one of many paraphilias in the darker and obscure spectrum of the field. It can create distress in the one living with the paraphilia or the partner. It often interferes with one’s daily life and routine. Sexual sadism can sadly lead to non-consensual harm or pain.

The disorder causes the person living with it to feel arousal through the media of intense involuntary pain. However, it isn’t them who are going through the suffering; it is someone else. It has to be through physical abuse, suffering or humiliation. In other words, they achieve orgasm through the suffering of others.

However, it is important to understand that having sadistic tendencies doesn’t lead to sexual sadism disorder. Those are two different things. Another note to keep in mind is that people practicing sadomasochism and masochism don’t have sexual sadism disorder either. One doesn’t lead to the other, and neither is exclusive.

But What About Algolagnia?

The word algolagnia comes from the Greek words ‘álgos,’ and ‘lagneía,’ meaning ‘pain’ and ‘lust.’ In simple terms, algolagnia is a form of sexuality that derives pleasure from the stimulation revolving around physical pain.

The main areas are erogenous zones, often meaning the lips, neck, nipples and genitals. Those areas of the body help create a stimulus for extreme relaxation and orgasms. People with algolagnia are subject to studies to find differences in how their brain processes and interprets pain, i.e., nerve input.

People living with algolagnia were once believed to have a psychological disorder as their condition was confused with sadomasochism. When the discovery of a percentage of people enjoying pain as part of their sexual pleasure surfaced, psychiatrists admitted that it was ignorance that put algolagnia as a psychiatric disorder when it is, in fact, an anomaly in the DNA of the patient.

However, people with algolagnia aren’t necessarily living with sexual sadism disorder. One, again, isn’t exclusive to the other. On some occasions, people can be found living with both conditions, and that can lead to a dangerous combination.

Is Sexual Sadism Disorder Comparable To BDSM?

BDSM, meaning bondage-dominance-sadomasochism-masochism, isn’t the same as sexual sadism disorder because people practicing the sexual behaviour mentioned above look for provoking pleasure in their consensual partner. It is very important to understand the distinction between the terms. Consent is important when performing BDSM.

In the performance of BDSM, the people involved have a degree where pain is simulated and doesn’t reach discomfort. The involvement of a ‘safe word’ or operating within limits is implied and discussed between the consensual partners. There is an entire safety protocol because it involves soft to mild ‘pain’ and requires communication between the people involved.

Would Other Pain-Inducing Paraphilia Qualify As Sexual Sadism Disorder?

The closest paraphilia to sexual sadism disorder is the paraphilic coercive disorder. That is a complex paraphilia because it usually crosses the line to become a crime. The coercive disorder is the sexual arousal through forcing oneself on someone else without any form of consent, i.e., the act of rape. The ‘disorder’ added to the paraphilia doesn’t make it right; it only indicates that the patient needs treatment and doesn’t excuse in any way, shape, or form the behaviour itself.

However, again, with paraphilic coercive disorder, the patient usually threatens the victim and uses mild strength to subdue but stops once the victim is compliant. Again, this doesn’t excuse the act and remains criminal. It is only pointed out to differentiate the two disorders and paraphilias. On another note, do not mix the paraphilia of consensually enjoying forcing oneself or having someone force oneself on another partner. That is a different paraphilia and completely consensual on both parts.

People with sexual sadism disorder have next to no regard for the well-being of their victims. Therefore, even when forcing themselves on another, despite the compliance of the victim, they will most likely not stop provoking pain, as that is what creates sexual arousal. Inducing pain can sometimes escalate to the death of the victim and mutilation of their body.

In many cases, people with sexual sadism disorder have one of the following: hyperdominance—BDSM or paraphilic coercive disorder. They also show other symptoms found in hypersexuality and psychopathy. They then fall into the sadistic rapist category.

The Psychological Render Of Sexual Sadism Disorder

Sadly, due to sexual origins and how the world often considers sexuality to be a taboo subject, not much research is done on the subject. Despite symptoms showing from hyperdominance, paraphilic coercive disorder and sexual sadism disorder, no one knows if those three conditions have an intertwined relationship or if it’s only on the surface that they seem to connect.

In fact, no psychiatrist or therapist knows how sexual sadism disorder develops. Because most patients have a diagnosis following a crime due to sexual sadism disorder, it is difficult to understand or figure out.

To make matters more difficult, some psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists added people with the disorder who don’t commit sexual crimes activities. Instead of separating those whose sexual motivations lead to criminal acts they don’t understand and those who know the difference and seek consent, they join them. If you enjoy BDSM and pain, join the sexual sadists!

Another problem is that due to centuries—millennia—of sexism, studies show that those who have sexual sadism disorder are solely males, which I find hard to believe. Women are much more hypersexual than previously thought and carry very dark desires—I dare you to read dark erotica or dark romance novels!—The desire for BDSM, masochism, brutal strength, and mild pain is also quite present in the sexuality of women. That survey and research should be broadened.

After all, if you desire the darkest sexuality can offer, chances are that there will be a few sexual sadists in the bunch who are both males and females. A possible sexual sadist is Vlad the Impaler, but it was never confirmed and most likely never will be. I personally do not support the theory because of his behaviour toward humankind in general. His killings were a result of calculations to terrorize his enemies, not for sexual pleasure.

What Is The Conclusion To Sexual Sadism Disorder?

Until we realize as a society that studies must be conducted on psychological responses to sexuality disorders and paraphilias, we will remain stuck in the past and rely on outdated data to reach any conclusion possible. Sexuality is a portion of most people’s lives, and shaming it is wrong, but so is ignoring it. Many crimes are the result of sexual fantasies, and therefore, it needs to have more importance in studies.

Sexual sadism disorder is a dangerous paraphilia and mental health issue. People living with this condition can be dangerous as they gain arousal through the pain of their victims. Those people are a threat to other people’s health and lives. But we need more studies to understand them better and see if they are a threat in their everyday lives.

So, to conclude this article, knowledge is the key to understanding, preventing, and curing if needed. This mental condition requires more research and updated studies if we want to diagnose it solidly.

The OCD Vampire