Masochism

Masochism is the term used to refer to people who gain satisfaction from inflicting pain on him or herself. Sometimes this pain can be sexual in nature, but most of the time it is not. Suffering from humiliation is another way that a masochist can meet their needs. Doctors are concerned because many people who suffer from masochism find it very hard to function in society and they can be taken advantage by others who recognize this disorder. For example, if a manager recognizes that an employee suffers from masochism, they can create an environment where an employee may do unethical things in order to enjoy being punished or hurt by the manager. Abusing the disorder does not have to happen only in the work force, but can happen in many relationships. Dominant personalities seem to be drawn to those who enjoy being dominated. These types of relationships are often very difficult to break and lead to a great deal of harm for the masochist. Many masochists have fantasies that they wish to have happen involving people around them. The problem is that sometimes the fantasies become boring and a higher level of pain or humiliation is needed by the individual in order to function. No one really understands why masochism occurs or what causes it. The most common thought on the situation is that masochists are created when they suppress sexual fantasies for too long a period. If the individual is ever able to act on the fantasy, he or she can find the experience permanently ingrained into the psyche as part of the sexual release. These fantasies often occur when the individual is very young or in the teenage years. For some reason, men are more likely to engage in masochism than a female will. If someone is looking for ways to treat the problem, behavior therapy is usually the best answer. Some medications exist that can help but a breaking down of the arousal patterns is the best way to ensure the problem or feelings do not return. Do not try to resolve this issue yourself; you may need to seek out someone who has personal and professional experience in dealing with masochism. Preventing masochism is very difficult if not impossible. Because most of the fantasies come from an early age and during the formative adolescent stage, you should seek out someone professional to ensure you do not make things worse. Many resources exist to help people who feel they might have a problem with inappropriate fantasies. The Internet is a great tool to help these people beat the problem. The America Psychiatric Association has many local chapters that can help you to get past this complex issue. If you are ready to seek help, people exist that can help you to deal with masochism.	Sadist.info Sadistic Sadism Marquis de Sade Masochist Masochism