When the “D” in Your D/s Dynamic Stands for Depression

Being a caregiver to someone with depression isn’t an easy thing to do. It is even harder in a D/s or Master/slave relationship. When mental health issues surface, they can often do so seemingly out-of-the-blue. In a D/s dynamic, this can destabilise or cause fluctuation in the power flows between the Dominant and the submissive….

Depression, Mental Health and BDSM

Depression falls under the big umbrella term of “Mood Disorders”. It affects a person’s moods with different intensities in a spiralling negativity of sadness and loss of motivation. There are good psychological explainations of depression here: WebMD University of Michigan National Institute of Mental Health Speaking from personal experience, depression may generally be evaluated from…

Top Drop and Easing Back the Throttle

Our terms for things can be a bit clumsy, and there are actually two ways you could use the term “Top Drop” or “Dom Drop”. There’s no right or wrong way, and both would work within their context. IS THERE REALLY SUCH A THING AS TOP SPACE OR DOMSPACE? One way to talk about Top…

The Complex Relationship Between BDSM and Mental Illness

The relationship between BDSM and mental health is complex, and can be confusing. Take, for example, depression. For those in the BDSM community who suffer from depression, is there any relationship? And if there is, was there an attraction to BDSM because of (diagnosed or undiagnosed) depression? Does the BDSM make it better or worse?…

Healthy Alternatives to Self-Harm and Self-Injury

I picked these images up randomly from Tumblr, so I apologise for not crediting them properly. There are some great suggestions for alternatives to self-harm in them and I wanted to share. FURTHER READING • Cornell University – The Cornell Research Program on Self-Injury and Recovery • Self-Injury.net – FAQ • A Kind Dom –…

Where Is The Signboard That Leads Out Of Depression?

Walking out from the dark cloud wasn’t easy and never will be easy. There is no significant signboard showing your way out, and there are useless signboards everywhere, showing you the direction to another dark cloud. Where is the signboard? The one that doesn’t cheat you and truly shows you the way out to the…

Bipolar and Active Manic States – Play or Not Play?

Bipolar Disorder is characterised by swings between elevated mood (mania) and depression. On the healthier end of mania, the individual can be energetic and highly productive, but in an unhealthy state it can include erratic and impulsive behaviour, poor decision making and insomnia. As its most severe level it can include psychosis (distorted beliefs about…

What is Self-Harm?

Most resources will tell you that people who self-harm are seeking emotional relief by self-inflicting pain. Through the presence of pain sensations on your physical level, nerves send signals to the brain and take the mental energy or mental focus away from the intense emotional disturbance from mental issues that one is dealing with. The…

What is BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder)? An Introduction.

Master Marc asked me a few days ago how i knew something i was feeling was Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and not Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). i described it this way. When a trigger event happens, with PTSD you suddenly find yourself dealing with something that has happened to you in the past. But…