Is BDSM a SEXUAL Disorder??

A lot of people, people who are into the lifestyle or not, has been bothered by the question: Do I have a mental disorder if I'm into BDSM???

I think before we get into specifics, we must understand BDSM in a deeper context and analyze the things involved in the lifestyle.


According to DSM 5 of American Psychological Association, before a person is diagnosed by a sexual disorder or paraphilic disorder a person requires:

• feel personal distress about their interest, not merely distress resulting from society’s disapproval; or 
• have a sexual desire or behavior that involves another person’s psychological distress, injury, or death, or a desire for sexual behaviors involving unwilling persons or persons unable to give legal consent. 

To qoute DSM-V, "It is a subtle but crucial difference that makes it possible for an individual to engage in consensual atypical sexual behavior without inappropriately being labeled with a mental disorder. With this revision, DSM-5 clearly distinguishes between atypical sexual interests and mental disorders involving these desires or behaviors."

So with this said, it doesn't necessarily mean that u have fetishes that is unique for others would mean a psychological disorder. 

Source: DSM-V American Psychiatric Association. Retrieved from http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/Paraphilic%20Disorders%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf