masochism

masochism, a habit or practice of deriving sexual gratification from the infliction of pain or suffering on oneself. The term derives from the name of Chevalier Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (1836–95), an Austrian author who wrote extensively about the satisfaction he gained by being beaten and subjugated. The type of pain involved in masochistic experiences can vary from discomfort inflicted in otherwise harmless love play—by tickling, hair pulling, and orgasm denial—to ritual humiliation with little violence, to severe whipping or beating. Usually the masochist retains some control over the situation and will end the aggressive behavior (sometimes through the use of a “safe word”) before it leads to outright sexual abuse, resulting in serious injury. While pain or suffering may cause a certain amount of sexual excitement in many persons, for the masochist it functions as the chief end—or at least an important element—of sexual activity. The term is frequently used in a looser social context in which masochism is defined as the behavior of one who seeks out and enjoys situations of humiliation or abuse.

The association of pain with sexual pleasure takes the form of both masochism and sadism, or the obtaining of sexual pleasure through inflicting pain on others. Often, an individual will alternate the corresponding roles, becoming aroused through the experience of pain in one instance and through the infliction of pain in another (see sadomasochism).