Quote Originally Posted by pixie_dust View Post
Something I've always considered is the emotional state at that time.

For example, if you're in a hurry to get out the door, trip, and skin your knee, it won't be a "good" pain because your feeling frustrated with yourself and the situation. On the other hand, if your wrestling around and having fun and it gets rough, it would probably be an erotic and enjoyable pain.

In other words...
good emotions + stimuli = good pain
bad emotions + stimuli = bad pain

Yes, that's a central point to me as well, 'cause if you, like, happpen to get a hand or a finger smashed in a retreating door, which can hurt very bad, then it's far from welcome and likely to be a nuisance for an hour or a lot more after. And you don't have the time, whereas if playing around and getting spanked, whipped hard or whatever, then likely, you've set time aside, and you won't have to rush things just afterwards. Plus, there's an intention: you can see your Dominant inflicting the lashes or whatever on you, so it becomes hotter and easier to handle as "nice pain". Anyone else here noticed, it's often harder to get free of anger with someone if you're all alone and you can't spell it out to the one you're pissed off at, or indeed to anyone? At those times, it can get just impossible to throw off the spite. Isn't it the same with pain, on some level (to perverts like us at least) it gets easier to handle when you can see your tormentor?

I guess it helps too if you knew the torment was coming, you're mentally prepared. In the same vein, when you fantasize about a scenario, you're always sort of prepared (and in control even if you picture yourself totally helpless); that could be a clue to why some things that are great as fantasy become less great in reality.