Is BDSM an Addiction?

I had an interesting conversation today about addiction.  Is my need to have at least semi-regular play sessions and connection with my Pet an actual need or an addiction?  Based on my observed reactions last week, at least one person who witnessed my behavior seems to think I was in withdrawal.  It wasn't said to me as a criticism, more of an observation actually, but it gave me pause.

I found several definition of addiction online:

1)  "the condition of being abnormally dependent on some habit..."  http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/addiction

2)  "...a persistent, compulsive dependence on a behavior or substance..."

The most interesting tidbit was in an article on the LiveScienec website -  http://www.livescience.com/15563-addiction-defined-brain-disease.html  According to the article, addiction is a chronic brain disorder and not simply a behavior problem.  The American Society of Addiction Medicine states that "...addiction affects the brains reward circuitry such that the memories of previous experiences with food, sex, alcohol and other drugs trigger cravings and more addictive behaviors..."  They call it a chronic disease that must be managed.  Sounds like the brain learns what it likes and then seeks to recreate the experience.

The same could be said about anyone in pursuit of any goal, or state, etc.  Take for instance the pursuit of athletic excellence.  Top athletes arrange their entire lives around the pursuit of that goal.  Are they addicted to their sport?  To the biochemical rush associated with peak performance?  To meeting the challenge they've set for themselves?  We rarely think of athletes as addicts though (steroid and doping scandals not withstanding).



So what makes one set of behaviors an addiction and another not?  If criminal behavior is involved we tend to think "addiction".  Similarly if a behavior is deemed to jeopardize our safety, social standing, livelihood, etc. we tend to label it as addiction.  In this instance, any risk seeking behavior could fall under the definition of addiction don't you think?  I mean who in their right mind goes bungee jumping?  But there are a lot of people out there who would vigorously defend their right to bungee jump and tell well-meaning folk like me to mind my own business.  I can understand how they feel.

I can recall a discussion I had with a psychologist whom I was seeing for counselling as I was coming to terms with my interest in BDSM.  When I finally spoke about it, the counselor professionally retreated and handed me a slip of paper with the names of several local counselors who "specialize" in these sorts of "disorders."  Clearly there are plenty of folks who think BDSM is right up there with bungee jumping and other risk seeking behavior and are perhaps quicker to pass judgement on it as such because it is seen as more deviant from the norm.

For a long time, transgenderism and homosexuality were considered examples of deviance, and were treated as mental illnesses.  Anyone caught dressing the "wrong" way or having sex with the "wrong" person risked everything to do so and still do in some parts of the planet.   So, if a person has a need to dress a certain way, to love a particular person, to experience some pain at the hands of another, and this need persists, are they all addicts in some way?  And if so, is this necessarily a bad thing? I think in many ways it boils down to the impact the behavior(s) has/have on the person and those around them.  


I can't help but think about how frustrated, distracted and irritable I was until I knew when my next play session would be.  Once I knew, calmness settled in over me.  Afterwards, I felt like myself again - back in balance, whole and happy and no one got damaged in the process, there was no loss of property or life.


Some might argue that once I got my "fix" I was fine.  In a way they'd be right.  The physical, mental, emotional and spiritual experiences that are all part of play feed me in wonderful ways.  Perhaps if I'd never discovered BDSM, I'd have continued on, plagued by a nagging dissatisfaction and wondering where it came from, periodically masturbating to forbidden erotic fantasies and desperately trying to prevent it from wrecking my life. 


No, given a choice between that reality or being considered an addict, it's a no-brainer for me.  How about you?