Can you have a few drinks and still engage in kink? Any kind of BDSM can be dangerous and can put you in a compromising position where serious damage can be done. This can occur mentally, physically, and psychologically. For this reason, many of us are continually beating the drum of safety. This is the highest order of business and needs to always be at the top of everyone’s list.
Mixing alcohol and play loosens your inhibitions, you lose the ability to control yourself, to sense pain, and you lose awareness of your surroundings. This is why safety needs to be your main concern at all times. BDSM is dangerous enough without adding more risk because of a slight, or total, inebriation.
Whose Responsibility Is It Anyway?
Anytime you drink, you are no longer in your right mind when it comes to being in control of yourself and others. Here are some of the ways in which alcohol can affect a BDSM scene:
1) Poor Communication – Effective Communication is key. While under the influence of drugs or alcohol there is a much greater opportunity for miscommunication and misunderstandings especially if one is already influenced by outside vanilla influences. It only takes a few words to significantly damage the trust in a newly formed relationship.
2) Reduces Anxiety – During a scene the dom may be trying to affect the sub by inducing a flood of endorphins into the blood stream in order to get the sub into subspace. If the sub’s natural fight or flight mindset is altered due to alcohol they may not be able to reach subspace and the dom may increase the amount of stimulation trying to drive the sub to the desired state causing injury.
3) Loss of control.
4) Increased Tolerance to Pain – The sub may not recognize when real damage is being inflicted upon their body.
5) Unintended Consequences – Loss of judgment allowing the subm to do something that they would not normally allow or do.
We all need to be responsible while drinking. When engaging in kinky play it is best to operate in a safe, effective manner. You may feel you can control your drinking, but your level of control diminishes the more alcohol you consume. And not everyone can handle and control their drinking, as much as they believe otherwise. Scenes can go wrong all on their own, and we need to be constantly aware of the potential dangers that exist at all times. Add alcohol, and your scene could result with a trip to A&E, or worse. Be responsible – enjoy a couple of drinks and get the most out of your BDSM play; just don’t mix the two. If you’re going to drink, don’t play! If you want to play, don’t drink! Keep them both separate so that you can ensure maximum pleasure and safety in all that you do.