The contents of this article entitled ‘Your brain on BDSM‘ (and this 2015 one it links to) will be old news to a lot of my regular readers. It talks about endorphins and hormones and all the good stuff that hot kinky play can create in the brain. I’ve covered similar ground in the past (for example here), but what caught my eye this time was this section.
They inferred from the study that the changes in executive functioning were as a result of the brain redirecting blood flow from higher-order functions to lower-order functions.
I’m not sure what the blood flow in my brain does in a session, but I am sometimes aware of what it’s doing in the rest of my body. During really intense play, the kind that’ll leave marks for weeks, I’ll get tingling and coldness in my extremities. It feels like all the blood is getting pulled back from my limbs into my core. It’s a really weird sensation. Obviously numbness and tingling can happen when restraints are too tight, but I’ve had this happen with no bondage involved at all. It’s almost like my body is manning its defenses. It doesn’t know what the hell is going on, but it’s taking no chances. Get the blood to the critical organs and worry about those optional hands and feet things later.
This reaction isn’t related to what’s being hit, slapped or poked. It might be a CBT session, but the hands are the ones that lose the blood. It almost feels like the body going into shock, but in a fun sexy kind of way. Has anyone else experienced this? Or is my blood just really wussy?
Here’s Mistress Eleise doing the kind of damage that might cause anyone’s blood to run and hide. This is shot for Femme Fatale Films.
Yes, with electo-genital torture I have experienced the noticeable cold tingling hands and feet feeling associated with an apparent rise in core body temperature signified by sweating especially in the lower back area. How is it that, in intense moments, one can notice and wonder about these things?
Pat
Interesting. Was the sweating on your back cold sweat or warm? There’s an alternative effect I’ve noticed which is different but related, where I get a break out of cold sweat and super pale skin. That’s a pre-cursor to fainting for me, which is different to the blood pulling back into the core. I don’t tend to get the tingling hands/feet in that case.
Kind of amazing how many different ways there are to screw with our body responses 🙂
-paltego
I have not had the experience you describe Paltego but I think you have provided a very clear description and an astute explanation.
Thanks! I’d love to get a doctor in one of my sessions to step in and explain stuff 🙂
Appreciate you taking the time to comment.
-paltego
I thought there was a US group called ‘Kink Aware Professionals’?
Maybe someone from there stable?
I think they’re useful when you’ve injured yourself or have a BDSM related medical problem. My issue is more of a curiosity than anything. I really need a domme with a medical degree and an MRI machine in her playspace 🙂
-paltego