Waterboarding
Definition
Waterboarding is an extreme form of breath control in which water is poured over the nose and mouth while the face is covered, creating the sensation of drowning. It is internationally recognized as a form of torture and is not suitable for BDSM play.
Explanation of waterboarding
Waterboarding originated as an interrogation technique and works by tricking the body’s reflex system: water touching the nose and mouth while they are covered triggers an immediate panic reaction and the feeling of being unable to breathe. Even without actual water in the lungs, the impact is extremely physical and psychological. In some circles, waterboarding is sometimes referred to as “boundary-pushing play” or part of extreme dominance fantasies, but in reality it is not a BDSM technique.
BDSM is based on consent, safety, and reciprocity, while waterboarding is literally designed to break through these three. The panic reaction is so intense that the body can no longer distinguish between play and life-threatening danger. This makes it fundamentally unsuitable for a context based on trust.
Safety and points of attention
Waterboarding carries very serious risks and should not be used under any circumstances within BDSM. The risks include:
- suffocation
- water in the lungs
- heart rhythm disturbances due to panic
- long-term breathing problems
- acute trauma response (fight, flight, freeze)
- psychological damage, dissociation, or flashbacks
- loss of consciousness
- risk of death
Even a “mild” variant, such as placing a wet cloth over the face without water, can cause panic and breathing difficulties. The body reacts reflexively, without the sub being able to use a safe word.
Dominants who attempt waterboarding within BDSM underestimate the power of reflexes and lose every safety mechanism that makes BDSM safe.
Breath play can exist within BDSM, but only in forms that are controllable, reversible, and safe—waterboarding does not fall into this category.
Related terms waterboarding
Breath control
Carotid sinus reflex
Choking
CSR
Edgeplay
Hand over mouth
HOM
Smotherbox
Strangulation sex
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