The tabloids might argue that wanting to be tied up and whipped is a sure sign of psychological distress, but according to a recent study, people who participate in bondage and dominance/submission play may be happier and less anxious than those with more conventional sexual tastes.

Public health researchers studied 20,000 Australians and found that men who take part in BDSM score, on average, significantly lower on a scale of mental distress than other men.

"Our findings support the idea that bondage and discipline and sadomasochism (BDSM) is simply a sexual interest or subculture attractive to a minority," Associate Professor Juliet Richters and her colleagues wrote in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

These findings coincide nicely with the recent outbreak of bondage-friendly superhero comics. When we think about how we'd feel if Wonder Woman used her lasso of truth to tie us up for some kinky bondage games, the study starts to make perfect sense.