Mental bondage refers to the emotional control a a dominant can exert over their submissive. It may also be referred to as psychological or emotional bondage. Unlike physical restraints, mental bondage doesn’t require any of the usual BDSM accessories like handcuffs, scarves, rope, or padlocks. Instead, it relies on verbal commands, gestures or implied instructions. Predicament bondage is a common form of mental bondage. Mental bondage is often found in long-term and committed relationships.
Mental bondage can be just as powerful as physical bondage and tends to be enjoyed by submissives who want to feel owned or be fully absorbed in pleasing their dominant. This is because mental bondage works on obedience. In the BDSM community, the term may also occasionally be extended to the sense of being bound to a partner and the relationship dynamic with that partner.
More About Mental Bondage
For those who enjoy it, mental bondage is considered as an extremely erotic practice. It normally depends on the nature and dynamics present in the relationship. This form of bondage is also a way for both partners to express their commitment to each other. Mental bondage can exist within a scene, or it can be more all-encompassing, determining the submissive’s daily attire, attitude and sexual freedom. A few examples of the types of play that you might see in mental or psychological bondage include:
- Predicament bondage
- Slave play
- Orgasm denial
- Objectification
In order to ensure everyone's safety in mental/psychological bondage scenes, it is best to use this form of bondage with trusted partners and to communicate boundaries beforehand. Safewords or signals should always be used but a good dominant should also watch the submissive's body language to ensure they are enjoying the play.
