Introduction
Atypical sexual behavior is a minority phenomenon that lacks the grandeur in the better part of the society. The description of sexual behavior as atypical arises from the graduation of the usual or rather accepted behavior into one that borders on abnormality. Sexual masochism falls under the category of atypical sexual behavior from its distinct characteristics. The basic feature of sexual masochism is the sensation of arousal that a subject receives from literal instill of pain, suffering and degradation. Sexual masochism requires that the subject go under actual pain and suffering either perpetuated physically or experienced psychologically. The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders abbreviated as DSM acts as the reference to most of the diagnosis that mental doctors use to deduce psychological disorders. According to the manual, sexual masochism falls under the group of paraphilias that are a term used to describe the intense and repeated sexual fantasies and behaviors. The urge of people to move into the wayward side of sexuality and actually experience aspects that they might have conjured in their sleep or read in a book may be an unusual aspect. This in reference of societal perspective, but ironically is a practice done by a wide number of people. This journal is a revelation of the various ways in which acts of sexual masochism express in the text “fifty shades of grey” through stipulation of the different ways it applies to the happenings in the text.
Body
The popularity of the text fifty shades of grey is a bombarding aspect especially in account of the rather explicit themes of erotic behaviors, BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism) that contradict all counts of societal morals. Regardless, the books general appeal to the public knows no bounds with general acceptance from all ages. The book captures the intriguing relationship between a college graduate Steele and successful businessperson Grey. Ana’s actions in the text act as a great reference to sexual masochism in account of the explicit scenes captured between the two parties. Even though, the sexual content in the text may be the greatest appeal to people interest in the novel, psychological events play a significant role to occurrence of sexual masochism. Grey prefers BDSM and Ana accept despite his confession. This brings into context a fundamental aspect of sexual masochism since these acts despite being immoral and ill accepted in the society do not inhibit chances of having a stable relationship. Ana contradicts the stereotype attached to sexual masochism as being an act of atypical sexual behavior. From her perspective, she atone it to casual behavior or actions with little consequence. The relationship between Ana and Grey goes against all norms of a normal relationship. The way, in which they make it, work begs the question on whether sexual masochism should classify as a mental disorder or not. Sexual masochism basis its prevalence on attraction and desire for intense sex with incorporated acts that lead to suffering and abuse. People who choose to practice sexual masochism often have a history of stress caused by social or occupational problems. Ana’s distresses in her social and occupational life plus problems with her physique prove that the occurrence of atypical behavior is a manifest of mental disorder. Ana unstable emotional state characterized by anxiety and desire is a classical catalyst to sexual masochism especially with their amplification. Fifty shades of grey questions peoples knowledge on sexual masochism. Acts perpetuated by typical acts of disgruntled people change their reasoning to think of the acts as, actual normal activities. Grey is just as equally damaged goods as is Ana. His drug-addicted mother abandoned him, and his first experience with sex happened when he was only 15 years old. Even though, the novel uses these facts to acts as the reason for the disturbed nature grey, this contradicts experts’ theory on sexual masochism. Psychological experts refute the aspect that masochisms resonate from psychological disturbance and that BDSM has no association to earlier child hood disturbance or distress in adult hood.
Conclusion
The distinction between normal and abnormal sexual behavior probably is the first thing that manifests in the mind of the reader as soon after reading the book. Psychological diagnosis basis most of its resort on the behavior of the subject from judging their occupational, social and relational life, an aspect that has received substantial contradiction on its viability from comparison to the text fifty shades of grey. Women have the tendency of enjoying sexual fantasies more than their male counterparts enjoy. However, the possibility of depicting fantasies in the relationship remains slim or impossible. The story line of the fifty shades of grey though a convincing one cannot be accounted as having the power of changing the classification of sexual masochism as a mental disorder. Undoubtedly the books provides a need for reviewing sexual norms from an atypical perspective, but only to a limited extent and not one that can affect professional medicine. The book rather than changing the medical perspective of classification of sexual masochism in atypical sexual behavior feeds the fantasies of dominance and submission. Women in most cases fantasies about submission while men on dominance despite the fact that the current society has both genders almost at par occupationally and financially.
