Algolagnia

ALGOLAGNIA (from the Greek algos meaning pain and lagneia meaning lust), a term proposed by Schrenk-Notzing that generalizes the concepts of sadism (active algolagnia, activism) and masochism (passive algolagnia, passivism). The common feature of both forms is inflicted, tolerated, or merely imagined pain as a source of sexual pleasure and sexual arousal. The American school considers algolagnia to be an atavistic phenomenon, pointing to the occurrence of sexual cannibalism in a number of lower animals. From the standpoint of modern sexology, algolagnia belongs to the category of so-called conditioned reflexes. The psychological study of sex life (Freud and his disciples), using completely new research methods, has provided the richest material in this regard. Phenomena of algolagnia in human sexual behavior turn out in any case to be an "acquired" rather than an innate anomaly. Corporal punishment and the beating of children—which, incidentally, are fairly widespread educational tools in Western European countries (England, Germany)—can serve as a source of connection between sensations of physical pain, suffering, humiliation, and the feeling of sexual pleasure, directing future sexual desire along the lines of sadistic or masochistic satisfaction. The essence of algolagnia—sadism and masochism—according to Krafft-Ebing (who proposed the latter term and rejects the term algolagnia), consists in the fact that, on a psychically degenerative basis, an association of lust with cruelty (sadism) or submission to violence (masochism) is formed, while this association poorly penetrates consciousness; the pleasure experienced from such representations can lead to strong affects. There is no doubt that these types of sexual perversion, at all stages of their development, from simple insults to public morality to cases of brutal murder, are extremely widespread. The criminal chronicles of all states have their own "Jack the Rippers." Numerous sub-types of active and passive algolagnia are distinguished: "ideological" sadism, pollutionism, flagellantism, sexual kleptomania, anthropophagy, necrophilia, pygmalionism, sodomy, "ideological" masochism, fakirism, coprolagnia, mixoscopia, etc. The imprint of algolagnia can be found in various features of culture and daily life. Numerous examples of algolagnia found in literature, poetry, and other arts are cited by Rohleder, Moll, and others. In terms of prognosis and therapy, according to the majority of authors, the situation is the same as with other predispositions, the further development of which can be hindered or promoted by an appropriate social environment. An attempt has been made by some authors to transform the abnormal character of the sexual feeling into a normal one through hypnotic suggestion. Undoubtedly, much can be achieved in certain cases by avoiding the further development of the pathological feeling through perverted fantasies, especially when dealing with young subjects. Without familiarity with the phenomena of algolagnia, a whole series of offenses bringing those afflicted with it to the dock would remain incomprehensible; when sentencing these individuals, one must not ignore the fact that, due to their psychic organization, they do not find satisfaction in normal sexual intercourse.