5 Psychological Terms For 'Liking Pain'—Beyond Just Masochism

The experience of deriving pleasure from pain is a complex phenomenon that extends far beyond casual curiosity, touching on deep-seated psychological mechanisms and clinical classifications. As of late December 2025, the terminology used to describe this experience has become more nuanced, moving from the classic, broad term of masochism to include specific psychological categories and even non-sexual forms of pleasure from intense, aversive experiences.

Understanding what it is called when you like pain requires differentiating between a consensual sexual interest, a non-sexual enjoyment of intense sensation, and a clinical disorder. The key terms—Masochism, Algolagnia, and the recently studied Benign Masochism—each describe a distinct facet of this human paradox, offering a clearer picture of why some individuals seek out discomfort or even injury.

The Clinical and Broad Terms for Liking Pain

When most people ask, "What is it called when you like pain?" the answer is almost universally Masochism. However, psychology and sexology use several distinct terms to categorize the experience, depending on the context and the level of distress or impairment it causes. These terms provide the foundational understanding for this complex topic.

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1. Masochism: The Foundational Term

Masochism is defined as the derivation of pleasure, satisfaction, or sexual gratification from being subjected to physical pain, humiliation, or mistreatment by oneself or another person. The term originates from the 19th-century Austrian novelist Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, whose writings explored this theme.

• General Masochism: A broad term for deriving pleasure from pain or humiliation.
• Erotic Masochism: A specific form where the pleasure is explicitly sexual, often referred to as Sexual Masochism.
• Emotional Masochism: A non-sexual psychological concept where an individual may unconsciously seek out situations that lead to disappointment, failure, or emotional suffering.

2. Algolagnia: The Dual Nature of Pain-Pleasure

Algolagnia is a broader, less common clinical term that describes a sexual disorder where sexual excitement is achieved through either passively experiencing or actively inflicting pain. It is essentially the umbrella term that covers both sides of the pain-pleasure dynamic.

• Sexual Masochism: Sexual pleasure from receiving pain or humiliation.
• Sexual Sadism: Sexual pleasure from inflicting pain or humiliation.

In the context of the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), these are grouped together as Algolagnic Disorders—a class of paraphilic disorders where sexual arousal is dependent on pain and suffering.

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The Modern Psychological Nuances: Benign Masochism

The latest research in psychology, particularly in the last few years, has introduced a concept that separates the non-sexual enjoyment of pain from the clinical or BDSM context, offering a fresh perspective on why people willingly engage in aversive experiences.

3. Benign Masochism: Liking That It Hurts (Non-Sexual)

Benign Masochism is a relatively new psychological term that describes the phenomenon of deriving pleasure from intense and seemingly negative experiences that are ultimately perceived as safe and controllable. This concept is vital for a fresh and unique understanding of the topic, as it explains many common, non-sexual behaviors.

The key to benign masochism is the cognitive reappraisal of the experience. The brain registers the aversive stimulus (the pain, the fear, the sadness) but simultaneously recognizes that the individual is not in genuine danger. This realization—that "I'm safe, but I'm feeling this intense thing"—causes a surge of positive emotion, often a rush of endorphins and adrenaline.

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Examples of Benign Masochism in everyday life include:

• Eating extremely spicy food (e.g., a hot pepper challenge).
• Watching emotionally devastating or scary movies (e.g., horror films or sad dramas).
• Participating in physically demanding or painful activities (e.g., extreme sports, very cold plunges, or intense workouts).

When Does Liking Pain Become a Disorder? (The DSM-5 Context)

It is crucial to understand the difference between a sexual interest or a kink and a clinical disorder. The act of enjoying pain, specifically in a sexual context, is not inherently a mental illness. It only becomes a disorder when it meets specific clinical criteria outlined in the DSM-5-TR.

4. Sexual Masochism Disorder: The Clinical Diagnosis

The official diagnosis is Sexual Masochism Disorder. This is categorized as a paraphilic disorder. For a diagnosis to be made, the individual must experience recurrent and intense sexual arousal from being humiliated, beaten, bound, or otherwise made to suffer, AND one of the following must be true:

• The individual has acted on these urges with a non-consenting person.
• The urges or fantasies cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

Therefore, if the practice is consensual, safe, and not causing major life problems, it is simply a paraphilia (a sexual interest) and not a disorder.

5. The BDSM Context: Consensual Power Exchange

In the world of BDSM (Bondage, Discipline, Sadism, Masochism), the practice of masochism is fundamentally about consensual power exchange and the psychological anticipation of pain. The key principle is SSC (Safe, Sane, Consensual) or RACK (Risk-Aware Consensual Kink).

For individuals who identify as masochists in the BDSM community, the pleasure often comes from several entities:

• The Release of Neurotransmitters: The body's natural response to perceived injury is to flood the system with pain-blocking and pleasure-inducing chemicals like endorphins and dopamine, creating a natural "high."
• Surrender and Trust: The psychological pleasure of relinquishing control and placing complete trust in a partner.
• Intense Focus: The pain can act as a powerful anchor, forcing the individual into the present moment and blocking out everyday stress, a form of altered consciousness.

This consensual activity, often referred to as kink, is widely accepted within the community as a healthy form of sexual expression and is distinct from the clinical disorder.

Topical Authority Entities and LSI Keywords Summary

The desire to "like pain" is best understood through a spectrum of terms. The most common name is Masochism, which, when sexual, becomes Erotic Masochism or Sexual Masochism. When this sexual interest causes distress or involves non-consent, it is classified as Sexual Masochism Disorder in the DSM-5. For non-sexual experiences, the modern psychological term is Benign Masochism, which is driven by the release of endorphins and adrenaline following a cognitive reappraisal of a safe but intense experience. The broader term covering both pain-giving and pain-receiving pleasure is Algolagnia, which is a key concept in understanding Paraphilic Disorders.