Kinky Sex -- The Key To Happiness?

One might wonder what the key to happiness is. At least in some ways that question seems to have been answered, kinky sex. Any desires Australia might have harboured of conforming to some perceived drab and dreary sexual norm has been shattered by a recent sex survey which found that there are many Australians who enjoy bondage, discipline, and sadomasochism (BSDM). This kind of sexual practice involves role play.

This was not a survey of just a few hundred people. The survey questioned some 20,000 people and found that contrary to wide-held beliefs that the practitioners of these kinds of sexual pleasures were not damaged and dangerous as a result of their preferences. The study also found that BSDM was also not practiced as some kind of reaction to previous sexual abuse. But never fear the practitioners account for a mere 2% of Australians.

The survey was conducted by public health researchers from the University of New South Wales. The findings have been published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

The fact that 2% of Australians partake in BSDM is not so surprising, but the fact that the findings of the survey suggest that they are happier than most others is a surprise. I took a couple of psychology courses at university and was always taught that BSDM was deviant sexual behaviour and that the practitioners were in some way damaged goods and in need of specialized intervention in order for recovery to be achieved.

It may now be the case that people looking for a little happiness might want to consider a healthy bondage or discipline session.

The findings might be good for business for those sex shops that supply the necessary equipment for a good ol' bondage and discipline session.

Mellow Dope Smokers -- The Myth Exposed?

It has long been rumored that marijuana or dope smokers were a mellow breed of individual. Simply, a few joints or cones would be the best recipe for taking the edge off, mellowing out, and just relaxing and enjoying life.

However, a study out of the University of New South Wales by the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre suggests that dope smokers are in fact as aggressive as crystal methamphetamine users. The study suggests that at least one in four men and one in three women are violent towards hospital staff or harm themselves. More interestingly are the statistics for suicide risk. These suggest that 12% are at risk of committing suicide. This means that more than one in ten dope smokers are a suicide risk.

Natural or not, it seems that the good ol' wacky weed does in fact make people more wacky than if they were not smoking it!

According to Professor Jan Copeland, "The reality is that it can make people highly agitated and trigger acute episodes of anxiety." When speaking of the study the Professor said that the statistics show that more than 9 per cent of cannabis users had depression or bipolar disorder, 5 per cent had schizophrenia and 4 per cent had paranoia and a history of self-harm.

Gordian Fulde, Head of Emergency at St Vincent's hospital, is concerned that the image of dope smokers of past years continues to permeate beliefs of the present day dope smokers and this image is just plain wrong. Fulde makes the point that the grass he might have smoked in the 1960's was probably just that, lawn clippings, particularly when compared to the hydroponically grown super weed of today.

Simply, the levels of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is much more concentrated and can be at levels of up to ten times the strength of regular weed. This means that a dope smokers value for money is increasing as a hydro joint gives you ten times the whack for the buck.

I guess the moral of this story is moderation or is it abstinence?

Argh back in the day!