Without further context I can understand why that is one expected meaning of the term, but a quick skim read suggests it's not the same thing. The TL;DR of ben

Without further context I can understand why that is one expected meaning of the term, but a quick skim read suggests it's not the same thing. The TL;DR of benign masochism is getting the upsides of feeling in danger without actually being in danger. It is one of the explanations for why people can learn to like spicy foods, for example: it is harmless pain.