Category: (Sado)Masochism
Subcategory: Types

Smothering

Smothering involves restricting breathing by covering the nose and mouth with an object, body part, or material. Common methods include using hands, pillows, breasts, thighs, clothing, or plastic wrap placed over the face to prevent air intake.

The physical sensation is one of increasing air hunger as oxygen decreases and carbon dioxide builds up in the system. Unlike choking, no pressure is applied to the neck, making this a distinct form of breath control. Smothering creates both physical restriction and psychological vulnerability through the complete control of breath. This activity carries serious risks including asphyxiation and death.

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This is a description of an activity in the BDSM checklist (also known as a 'kink list'). Want to discover what (more) kinks you might have? Maybe share them with a partner? Start the checklist!

About the category (Sado)Masochism

Sadomasochism involves the consensual exchange of sensation that many would find painful or intense in non-erotic contexts. This spectrum encompasses both the giving (sadism) and receiving (masochism) of such sensations, creating experiences where pain, intensity, and pleasure become interwoven through deliberate and controlled application.

People enjoy sadomasochistic activities for diverse reasons: the intense endorphin rush that creates natural highs, the intimate trust required between partners, the transformation of pain into pleasure through context and arousal, and the cathartic release many experience through intense sensation. Rather than being about suffering, well-executed SM play creates unique states of consciousness and connection that many practitioners find impossible to access through other means, offering profound physical and psychological experiences when practiced with skill and care.



All activities in the checklist: