Sensory Deprivation/Overload

Sensory deprivation is a kink involving a restriction of the senses. By depriving a submissive of their basic senses, sexual stimulation may feel much more intense to them. This can be done by depriving the submissive of any number of senses, and any combination of them. Some senses will have a stronger effect on certain people, and some people may not like certain types of sensory deprivation, so explore with caution and remember to have a safeword and non-verbal safety signal available at all times.

Sensory deprivation is a physical manipulation that has a strong psychological impact. While the name suggests that this practice is always done by suppressing the senses, some choose to play with over-stimulation as well, referred to as “sensory overload”. This usually elicits a stronger “mental torture” aspect to the scene, depending on how you play with it.

The following is a breakdown of the human senses and possible ways to manipulate them during a sensory deprivation/overload scene.

Sight

Being able to see your partner and know what’s going on around you during a scene is a privilege that some Dominants like to take away from their submissives. By depriving a submissive of the ability to see, they are unable to see what the Dominant is doing (or planning to do), making each new activity in the scene a surprise.

Blindfolds are the most common form of sight-deprivation, and an inexpensive one at that. You can purchase one used for sleeping for cheap in most superstores, or invest in a more expensive one specifically for kink through sex shops.
Black-out lenses are also a way to manipulate sight, which work like blindfolds but are worn on the eyes like contact lenses. Be sure you purchase these through a reputable seller, as you can damage your eyes with cheap novelties.
Hoods are another common kink toy used to manipulate sight. These hoods, usually made from leather, spandex, or latex, go over the whole head and make it difficult for the submissive to see what’s going on around them.

Alternatively, by forcing a submissive to watch unsettling or arousing media during a scene, you can also heighten their sensitivity to simulation.

Does the submissive have a kink that embarrasses or humiliates them? Find some porn of it and turn it on for them to watch while you use them.
Set the mood for a DDLG or incest roleplay scene with cartoons or a childhood classic going on in the background while you delve into taboo sex acts.
Humiliate a submissive by forcing them to watch everything you’re doing to them from behind on video as it’s happening.

Hearing

Silence is unsettling to most hearing individuals, especially when one is experiencing intense stimulation. Not being able to hear what’s going on around you makes a lot of people uncomfortable or panicked, which hits a particular kink for some folks.

Ear plugs are an inexpensive way to play around with noise-restriction. You can pick them up at drug stores pretty easily. Pop them in just before a scene and pair with sight restriction to really block out all ability to anticipate what’s going to happen next.
Noise-blocking ear muffs are another option for those looking for ways to muffle the outside world during a scene. These are usually used for construction workers to protect their ears from the loud noises around them, but they can also be purchased online for “personal use.”

Maybe silence isn’t your thing or causes too much panic or distress for your taste–there are other options. Forcing the submissive to listen to a particular song or playlist can also have some interesting effects.

Noise-cancelling headphones work best, but any headphones or earbuds work, as well. Turn the volume up fairly high (but not painfully high to avoid damaging the ear drum) to drown out any external sounds during the scene.
Think of a theme that hits on some of your kinks. Trying to set up a torture-porn aesthetic for the scene? Try horror movie scores or soundtracks to set up that mindset. DD/lg scene? Try children’s music or Disney classics to keep them in littlespace. Want to drive someone mad? Set up a song on repeat and let them slowly lose it. (I did this once with the song “Dominique,” inspired by American Horror Story, and it was very effective.) You can even record yourself for a hypnosis scene or anything else that works for your own set-up.

Smell

Smell is a less common sense to play with in this area of kink, but it’s absolutely possible. Smells are very powerful at triggering memories and emotions connected with them and using that during play can be very effective in maintaining a specific mindset.

Is there a scent that triggers a specific type of feeling for the submissive? Do they hate certain smells? Love them? Play with this idea by lighting candles or incense that either calm or excite them.
One of my favourite aspects of this type of play is having my Dominant wipe their cum/lubricant under my nose during play so I’m forced to smell them throughout the scene.
Similar to this idea is having a pair of your partner’s underwear over your head during a scene. It’s humiliating in itself, but the smell of them is often arousing and exciting during a scene like this.

Taste

Taste, like smell, is another uncommon sense to play with. Taste and smell are strongly linked so that is something to consider if you’re playing with one or both of these senses.

For those who enjoy food play, this is a big one. By restricting sight and hearing, many people believe that taste and smell become more enhanced. You can play with this idea by restricting other senses and feeding your partner. This can be done sensually or sexually.
Punishment via taste buds is an interesting concept that some people practice. Take a taste the submissive dislikes and force them to hold it on their tongue (either on its own or tied with the restriction of other senses). This can be done with things like hot sauce, spices, clam juice, lemon juice, salt, etc.
You should be aware of any food allergies if you’re going to be using foods or ingredients that your submissive isn’t aware of ahead of time. If your partner has a food allergy, have their medication or Epi-Pen available during the scene, regardless.

Touch

Nothing gives some people more goosebumps than a strong focus on the sense of touch, whether light or heavy. While some get off to a dirty whisper in the ear, others will find that complete silence, darkness, and light trailing of the fingertips on one’s skin is the way to go for a euphoric sensory experience.

Light touches are a really fun way to play with the sense of touch, especially when the submissive is experiencing intense reactions due to having their other senses restricted. This is a time where things like feather teasers, Wartenberg pinwheels, or violet wands become so much more enhanced. When other senses are restricted, even light touches can feel electric (pun intended for our violet wand lovers)–especially if they tickle just the right spot.
Then again, overloading on the sense of touch is a fun game as well. A heavy impact scene can be extremely intense when the submissive has other senses restricted. They’re forced to focus on touch, whether they like it or not. This is particularly effective for those who respond well to corporal punishment.
Even seemingly “vanilla” sex can have intense reactions when you restrict the senses of the bottom party. Obviously, a means of safewords and signals is still very important, but restricting the submissive of other senses and then partaking in sexual intercourse can be a simple way to heighten the excitement of sexual activities.

Touch is something usually focused on in extreme in this kink but there is a certain kind of sadism to note when you restrict, or otherwise limit, the sense of touch in a sexual scene.

For those exploring other punishment options or mental torture-style kinks, try excluding all senses, including touch. Have the submissive sit in a corner, completely cut off from the outside world, until they’ve learned their lesson.
For those who don’t respond well to a lack of sensory stimulation, try restricting touch while overwhelming the other senses. Going back to the dirty whispers is a good idea, as many people respond well to that type of stimulation. Or try putting on a show that is visually stimulating (or porn!) while restricting the submissive’s ability to touch.
And the those who are really sadistic, try having your submissive achieve a touch-less orgasm. Entirely possible in theory, deliciously amusing in practice.

Always keep safety in mind and have safeword(s) and signal(s) available to all parties involved in the scene. Regular check-ins are encouraged in sensory deprivation or overload scenes so don’t forget to set up a system to ensure everyone is having fun. Enjoy playing with sensory kinks!