A reader sent me a message pre-power outage asking about subspace.
“What is subspace?? I have no idea what that means. I know I thoroughly LOVE my spankings but is this something less reactive bottoms crave? Experience? I’m baffled.
Some people say their bums “lose” the spanking sensation or become “numb” as the spanking progresses. I never had that experience. I love the progressive soreness too much to care if I’m missing out.”
Subspace to me means that point at which the body has endured a level of pain and emotion to cause the release of endorphins to help cope with the situation. The body is responding to the onslaught of discomfort and the emotional charge of the scene by releasing neurochemicals to make the experience more manageable.
Pain and stress, both of which are pretty much guaranteed with a spanking, are two of the most common factors leading to the release of endorphins. The endorphins act similarly to drugs such as morphine by interacting with the opiate receptors in the brain reducing the perception of pain and contribute to a sense of euphoria.
Personally, I don’t know that I’ve experienced subspace to a degree that I’d term my it euphoric. I’ve also never had the overwhelming desire for a spanking with the primary goal being to reach subspace, but I have heard of others’ accounts in which this is the case. I have noticed a difference in how the pain of impact changes during an intense session moving from wildly intense stinging to superficial numbness with deeper muscle pain still registering. I have also felt myself growing exhausted and fuzzy headed which isn’t necessarily altogether pleasant if you still have to answer questions, plead for forgiveness, or count strokes coherently, but I suppose that could be a part of the “spanking high” that could be quite enjoyable in the right situation.
Others have described subspace to me as being the warm, dreamy state where despite the pain they’ve endured, they are comfortable and almost buzzed. Any stress that they might have been feeling prior to the spanking whether it be directly related to the scene or general stress accumulated from the day melts away and they are floating on a cloud of joy.
I don’t think the different experiences or desires have anything to do with how reactive the bottom is, but more to do with the variations in endorphin release among individuals. Not everyone produces the same levels of endorphins even in response to identical degrees of pain. Also, no two people generate an identical response to the same levels of endorphins. And when you factor in the difference in personalities and how individuals have different reactions to the feeling of not being clear headed and in control and you can see how every bottom is going to have a unique experience even in similar situations.
Have you experienced subspace? If so, how would you describe it? Is reaching a state of subspace a primary goal of a spanking?
For spankers, is it pleasurable and in part a goal of yours to help your spankee reach subspace? Do you have any concerns for safety and knowing when to decrease the intensity once a spankee is in such a state and may not be able to process the experience as clearly?