A masochist is someone who experiences pleasure, arousal, or emotional satisfaction from receiving pain, humiliation, or other intense sensations that many people would find uncomfortable or distressing.
For many masochists, the appeal is not the pain itself but the intensity, surrender, or closeness it creates with a trusted partner. Some describe a cathartic release or a sharpening of sensation that makes the experience feel deeply grounding rather than purely painful.
Worth knowing: Because pain tolerance and emotional response vary widely, masochists and their partners should negotiate limits and safewords in advance and check in during and after scenes to make sure the experience stays consensual and sustainable.
Also called: masochism, pain play, impact play, erotic humiliation, sensation play, bottom, submissive masochist
