Subspace

Subspace is a state of mind often described as floating or detached. It can occur in a submissive or bottom during intense focus triggered by the actions of their dominant or top. It may also occur for physiological reasons during the course of a scene. For many submissives and bottoms it is a highly desirable state.

Intense focus

The feeling of floating or detachment can occur when a submissive or bottom is intensely engaged by the actions of their partner. This draws their concentration towards what's being done to them by their partner and their reactions to it, and away from everything else. This can mean that they lose awareness of what's going on around them and, in some cases, even lose awareness of the parts of their body not involved. This detachment includes the submissives's psychological state. Any previously-pressing or urgent problems in their lives can also move out of awareness, at least for the duration of the scene and for shortly thereafter.

The feeling of physically floating can occur when a submissive or bottom loses awareness of the parts of their bodies on which they are standing, sitting, laying or being suspended. The most favourable conditions for this to occur are when the temperature is not too hot or cold, and when the submissive or bottom is stationary and resting on a comfortable or soft surface. These are the best circumstances in which their attention can be drawn away from their bodies and the feeling of floating can occur.

In all of this what we see is an inward direction of awareness and focus at the expense of outward attention and focus on their bodies and their surroundings.

Actions which can draw intense focus include:

• Cutting
• Sensation play
• Bondage

While other activities, particularly those involving prolonged pain, can also keep one's attention focussed these often have an actual physiological component beyond focus and are discussed below.

Subspace as a physiological response

Subspace can be purely a physiological response often involving a change in brain neurochemistry.

Researchers have observed, for example, that some forms of bondage and mummification can lead to feelings of floating detachment even without the involvement of the pain usually associated with physical BDSM engagements or even without a BDSM context at all^[1][2].

Intense physical or psychological experiences may also trigger changes in brain chemistry. These can include:

• Touching the neck of, or placing a collar around the neck of the submissive. For many people their neck is a private place and being touched there by their partner can be a powerful experience. When combined with a collar---which often has a very high symbolic significance---this can trigger a deep internal focus by the submissive.
• Intense (or "heavy") scenes involving physical activities such as flogging, cutting, suspension, etc.
• Intense [psychological activities such as humiliation, interrogation or mind fucks.

The exact neurochemicals involved are subject to debate, but adrenaline and co. are likely involved when the physical or psychological experiences are intense. When prolonged pain is involved Endorphin and the body's own natural pain suppressants are likely to be released. These latter can produce a natural high.

Characteristics of subspace

Subspace necessarily involves a change in the person's state of mind. Beyond obvious consequences of the floating or detachment previously discussed, subspace can also have the following characteristics:

• Someone in subspace may be unable to communicate or verbalise (even if the play in which they are engaged doesn't obstruct their mouth (see gags)). Their state of mind may simply be such that they can't think enough to construct sentences.
• A wider consequence of this is that they aren't able to deal with complex situations and challenges, and often display a child-like simplicity in the way they deal with things. Teasing may be taken the wrong way.
• The detachment they feel may cause an inability to determine when they are being harmed. In other words, the person experiencing subspace may not be able to judge when to stop. They may not even be aware of any pain they are physically experiencing.
• Inability to concentrate on anything external. Amongst other this this means that someone experiencing subspace should not operate heavy machinery, drive, or make important decisions.

Safety and recovery aspects

Someone experiencing subspace is often quite vulnerable. Their focus is inwards directed and they usually aren't readily able to deal the same sort of rich, challenging, or complex environment they normally can easily handle. For their own psychological and emotional well-being things need to be kept simple during the experience and for the time afterwards while they are recovering.

Recovery from subspace will usually take up to 30 minutes from when the actual activities which triggered it are removed---i.e., the end of the scene. Recovery best occurs in peace and quiet. Many submissives find the presence of their partner during recovery to be highly desirable.

Frequently subspace is a happy place, but it's possible for someone to have a bad subspace experience and find themselves in a not-so-happy place (such as when a play rape scene triggers unexpected reactions or unpleasant memories), or when humiliation goes awry.

Avoid creating challenging situations for someone in subspace and avoid teasing them. Teasing can be taken at face value by someone in subspace and this may lead to a poor outcome.

References

1. ↑ [Grandin1992]
2. ↑ [Krauss1987]

See also

• Sub-drop
• Motivations
• Endorphin at at Wikipedia
• Adrenaline at at Wikipedia