Well well well…
This article, taken from the often silly but just-as-often correct pages of a uk online magazine, claims that doctors in some country or other are finding that corporal punishment stimulates areas of the brain, thereby releasing endorphins (“happy chemicals in the brain”) and making people relax.
My 25 cents:
When you’re stressed, anxious, depressed, sick, tired, chock-full of foreign substances (drugs, alcohol, medications, etc), or all of the above – your brain doesn’t get the chance to produce and use all those yummy Happy Chemicals you need in order to be a Smiley Boy or Girl, instead of a grievous, bitchy monster or tearful shell of your former self. Lack of neurotransmitters like Seratonin and Dopamine change the brain’s chemistry and operation, sometimes drastically, making you or me or anyone else experiencing it feel less than our best. The pharmaceutical market makes BILLIONS of dollars selling us antidepressants, anti anxiety medications, anti-whatever-else they can come up with…..and then sexual stimulators to help us get over all the other stuff we’ve pumped ourselves full of in the name of a Good Mood. You usually also then have to take a handful of other over-the-counter medications to offset the side effects of the original medicine, all of which also cause some sort of wonkiness in your poor, drenched-yet-oddly-still-depressed body.
Do you feel better yet? Yeah, I didn’t think so.
A Good Thrashing really DOES help.
Imagine that.
This is something that we spankos have discussed for years – decades, probably – and I can personally speak to the many times I’ve seen playmates, friends, and other participants in spanking play find peace, mentally and phycially, from the activity.
Physical discomfort releases ENDORPHINS. That’s plain, simple, and a firm, fixed medical fact. When that physical discomfort is carried out and accepted in a positively reinforced, loving, empathetic manner, the likelihood that a spankee’s endorphins will rise and leave him/her ‘clearer’, ‘energized’, and ‘more focused’ (all quotes from current playmates) increases dramatically. I have one friend who uses her spanking playtimes as therapy for fibromyalgia, and has her own two-plus years of spankings as hard evidence – regular, firm spanking sessions reduce the pain of her fibro. Even our illustrious Erica Scott has written at length about her own battles with depression and other issues, which were (and still are, regularly, to the great good fortune of everyone who gets to see the photos) greatly helped by her participation in weekly spanking play.
In my personal experience, I’ve had more conversations than I could possibly recount, all about the myriad ways that spanking improves mood, disposition, and general feelings of well-being. We’re not going into the sexual wellness realm, as prudishness precludes my getting too steamy here, but I believe you’ll agree it’s fair to say that, even when it’s strictly platonic, spankings are hot. They get our blood pumping, our thoughts racing, and many times we both work up a good, healthy sweat in the process. How can one walk away from a physically intense, intimate experience (which provides them a dose of Endorphins about as effective as three cups of Irish Cream-spiked-cappuccino) and NOT feel better?
This is not a joke, not a hoax, and not a load of BS.
Physical discomfort ‘resets’ the brain.
(Go ahead, stump your big toe hard on the coffee table and see if you can still remember what you walked into the room for.)
Again, I’m ALWAYS talking about adult spanking here, folks. I don’t converse or opine on childhood spankings on this blog, even though I had them (lots of them) myself, and have very definite opinions on the subject. No, this is all about Adult Spanking – and I’d love someone to prove to me that it does NOT positively affect the brain chemistry of those open to the idea.
Anyone?
(crickets)
They’re a perfect remedy for stress release and bitchy moods. BOTH have been in abundance for me this year.
And you know better than many just how effective it is, Alexis.. oxxo
Sign me up, Dr. Dana. It beats (there’s a word for you) Prozac. :)
Couldn’t agree more, Mitch, and the side effects won’t kill ya, either.~
Thanks for the mention. :-) Technically, I use both — drugs AND spanking. But there is nothing quite like a spanking-endorphin high. So yes, I’m in almost complete agreement with this.
My one caveat: For me, it can’t be just pain. It has to be administered by someone I trust and whom I feel cares for me.
Erica,
How can someone talk about spanking and not mention you?..
And you’re right, as always.
oxxo
I wish I were in a position to be spanked every day, but I’m not so I take the pills.
Birdy,
I’d never suggest that pharmaceuticals don’t have a place in treating chemical imbalances – there’s way too much science there to dispute.
Sadly, there’s no ‘science’ on the effects of corporal discomfort…yet.
I couldn’t agree more. A good spanking relieves melancholy and stress and leaves me feeling much better. James
Thanks for the two cents, James…and for using the word ‘melancholy’, which tickles the word-fetishist in me.
Chuck Norris says spankings do not positively affect the brain. Can’t argue with Chuck Norris!
I would spank Chuck Norris til he cried “Auntie!”
Experiments on depression and spanking (well birching and caning) were carried out in Soviet gulags, and more recently by Russian scientists. The findings of the experiments, though, are mixed and unreliable I’m afraid. This is due to the reliability of informants’ feedback. In the case of the gulag experiments, most women reported an improvement, but a prisoner is, of course, more likely to report what she thinks will encourage better treatment by her jailers. The Russian experiments have the drawback of the fact that, in Russia, you have to inform subjects of the hypothesis. That fact, and cognitive dissonance (our brain’s tendency to rationalize what we have to painfully endure as somehow good for us doesn’t help either. But that’s not to poo-poo the whole concept. There are a plethora of mental,health strategies that rely on “reset” moments/experiences- ECT being the most famous. Someone who enjoys aspects of adult Spanking will, of course, report being happier immediately after a spanking, and pain does reset electrical patterns in the brain. However, it is dangerous to,think of the reset alone as a treatment for something as persistent as clinical,depression. There have been no,studies yet that remotely suggest that these resets, standing alone, are useful for treating depression in the long term. So….yes, spanking is “scientifically” proven to elevate mood, but temporary elevation of mood does not cure depression. One, I would think, would do well to combine these reset moments with other techniques that improve mental,health over a longer time period.
Stefan,
I don’t think anyone’s suggesting that spankings should or could take the place of conventional medicine, especially in cases of real illness. What we ARE suggesting is that most of us takes life a bit too seriously and sometimes it’s fun to posit that a spanking could fix it all, if only for a minute.
Then you all couldn’t be more right! Sorry to be a party pooper. Mental health awareness is my “cause,” and sometimes I fail to see the forest through the trees. Everything’s better for everyone when they’re happy! And spankings are a wonderful way to get there (and to clear road blocks that are getting in your way of being “there”).
Stefan,
I’m sure you could never be accused of being a party pooper. And while I’m never glib about mental health issues, I do believe that there is quantifiable evidence that, at least for some, this stuff actually does help. Even if it’s placebo, I believe in taking comfort where comfort lies. For those with more serious issues, that forest is dense, and I wish them all peace.
Dana, would it not be great though if spankings cured everything, and we could avoid taking meds, prescribed or not. Yes, I do have my recent health issue in mind. I have to agree that I feel so much better after getting spanked though, and usually it’s because I feel I have atoned for what I did or did not do. Sometimes, it is good to just let my top be in charge and make the decisions when I don’t feel like being an adult.
Anna,
Agreed. It’s not a permanent, nor scientific fix, but in the short term I believe that endorphins make just about everyone feel, if nothing else, different, at the very least.
100% agreed. My wife addresses my “down” swings with “down swings” of her own. :) I thought you’d like that play on words. On a serious note, I do think it is extremely effective and only wish that she would be a bit more consistent and strict with administering the necessary doses of “medicine”.
Joe,
Remember the tried and true saying, “Happy Wife, happy life”? That goes double (maybe triple) for wives of spankos. Want more spankings?… DO more things to make your partner amenable to your wants and needs – namely, be more mindful of hers. You’ll get it back in spades (and swats)!
Great advice, and yes I know that’s what I SHOULD do. Unfortunately, I get very self centered when I’m in need of “attention” and end up poking and being a bit challenging to get her attention. This does not always yield the desired results. I’m trying to do better though….
Joe,
Don’t try. Trying is for things you don’t already know how to do.
Just be a Good Boy.
Yes ma’am! But, isn’t that what consequences are for???
Joe,
Ahh, I see. You’re one of those boys who misbehaves on purpose, so that your partner will spank you. Good luck with that tactic. Non-spanko partners rarely respond positively to this, as there’s nothing whatsoever in it for them.
I suggest trying to attract those bees with honey.
I’ve suffered from depression most of my life and have taken an effective medicine for the last several years. A spanking doesn’t cure my depression, either, but it does have a beneficial effect on my mood and it relieves tension. I agree with the comment above about atonement. Some of my spankings are due to misbehavior. And trusting the Top is essential for me, too. The two ideas converge into the meaning of the word “atone,” which is being “at one” with someone. My Top is invested in my relief and in my punishment. Sweating happens on a regular basis, but I don’t think I’ve experienced a release of endorphins. Fortunately, that means more experimentation is needed!
Cautious,
Your comment is much like many I’ve heard. We know it’s not a ‘cure’…but it helps.
I totally agree. Spanking has a wonderfully therapeutic effect on me. I am prone to worry and stress and have tried medication and cognitive behaviour therapy, neither of which worked for me. Yet when I am spanked I feel the anxiety leaving my body and being replaced by a sense of peace that I cannot replicate in any other way. It allows me to let go of the guilt and shame I feel loved and forgiven for my mistakes.
Scarlett,
I think that sense of peace you speak of is what we’re all seeking, really..
I have read through all of the comments and just wanted to add my two cents. I, as many others that have commented, have my own mental illness in mind. I am a spanko and have in the past dabbled a little bit in the world of bdsm to get my spanking needs met. However, I learned something very important about myself and how I react to spankings, or any sort of intense physical pain that (in my case) also causes pleasure. While I can report similar findings in regards to good moods immediately after a spanking, my experiences 12 hours after the spanking were extremely dangerous. During a spanking, I can feel the stress slide right off me. I am in an acute sense of attention towards the spanking in progress and unable to think about the stress, depression, anger, etc… After the spanking, the euphoric happy mood continues for the rest of the day. Unfortunately by the next day, I experience extreme drawbacks. While I may be a special case and I understand not everyone reacts this way, after my personal experiences, I caution anyone with mental illness to be aware of their moods for the remainder of the week. I am so drained by the positive energy my body uses up in a spanking that by the next day I experience depression to the point of suicide. It came to a point in my spankings that I had to essentially be put on suicide watch for a period of time before I regained my balance of energy. And of course, I eventually chose to put my spanking desires aside while I figure out a more permanent solution to my mental illness so that I can hopefully once again partake in the spankings I enjoy so much.
For those of us in the spanking world that do not experience such drawbacks, the immediate rewards are well worth seeking out and I of course encourage the continuation of such treatment.
Amanda,
The thing you’re experiencing, which is more common than you might think, is something many refer to as ‘sub drop’. It’s similar chemically, I’d imagine, to the ‘come down’ folks experience after an alcohol/drug binge, or after a weekend of skydiving, once their feet are firmly planted on the ground once again. The Real World has a tendency to come crashing back for some, and that’s usually a situation where you should have post-spanking contact with your top/spanker for a few days (or weeks), in order to make sure that you feel supported and cared-for in the aftermath. If you feel isolated or abandoned post-spanking, the danger of dropping is even higher.
One silly-sounding little bit of advice I give my friends who deal with minor sub drop is….chocolate. Chocolate has been proven to release the same chemicals in the brain that LOVE does, can you believe it? So if you’re feeling a ‘little’ down post-spanking, have a chocolate bar. (This is in no way meant to minimize true depression and or suicidal ideation, which are much more serious conditions and not to be taken lightly.)
I wish you the best of luck with your process, Amanda, and am grateful that you took the time to share your story.