Fetish - what is it, types of fetishism and is it worth living with a fetishist?

• November 19, 2018
• Mental disorders
• Yulia Abdulbarova

What it is? The word is derived from the Portuguese feiticao, meaning "magic". But is he really? What is this - a human characteristic or a mental disorder? In the article we will look at the concept itself, types of fetishes, causes, development of this attraction, and ways to deal with it.

First value

The word has two main meanings.

What is fetishism? One of the varieties of religious actions. Namely, the worship of inanimate objects that are endowed with magical powers and properties. These objects, in fact, are called fetishes. In this understanding, fetishism is an element of archaic beliefs and ancient religions.

Treatment

Fetishists usually do not seek help from a specialist. They consider their rituals intimate and personal.

When dangerous forms of fetishism appear (necrophilia - attraction to corpses, coprophilia - sexual interest in feces, masochism), the only way out is to consult a doctor.

For this pathology, almost all types of psychotherapy are used, namely: behavioral, reorientation, psychoanalysis, aversion therapy.

Treatment of fetishism is most often ineffective. Because almost all patients do not want to change anything in their lives and do not recognize the problem.

Second meaning

What else is fetishism? This is the name of one of the types of deviations in sexual behavior. You can find several definitions in dictionaries:

• Sexual perversion - a person’s sexual desire is directed towards any inanimate objects that in themselves are not exciting or erotic, towards objects that can only symbolize a sexual partner.
• A type of sexual behavior in which attraction arises and develops during contact with some inanimate object, which can be clothing, shoes, certain household items, as well as specific parts of the body of another person or even his secretions. One of the types of fetishes here will be your own body.
• Sexual deviation, sexual attraction to items of clothing, shoes, inanimate things, specific areas of the human body, certain behavior of people, features of the partner’s appearance. The choice of fetish here may be strange, unexpected or immoral for the average person.

Synonyms and varieties of the concept in the second interpretation are sexual idolism and partialism.

How did it all start?

What is fetishism and why is this concept classified among a number of non-standard sexual attractions? The term arose long before the development of our cultural society. Then the ancient tribes did not believe in deities, but worshiped inanimate objects. As a rule, fetishism was a religion for them, which later grew into something more.

Our distant ancestors believed that their totems and idols, be they human figures or several branches fastened together, had a soul and power. They worshiped the statuette, prayed, asked for help and offered gifts. Each tribe had its own totem. While some believed that an ordinary stone boulder could give them grace, others shed blood for the sake of an ordinary tree.

Origin of the word

As we mentioned above, the word is translated from Portuguese as “magic”. In French it is “talisman”, “amulet”, “idol”.

Such meanings are given to the word due to the fact that initially it was considered only in the context of religious and anthropological teachings. Psychologists began to use the term to describe sexual pathology only in the 19th century. Fetishism was the name given to all cases of sexual arousal that arise from contact with certain inanimate objects.

Today, attitudes towards fetishism have changed somewhat. It is not clearly a perversion. Pathological fetishism includes only those manifestations that may include unacceptable actions that are dangerous for normal sexual life.

As for statistics, the data here is quite vague, since many cases remain unreported. Are female fetishes common? As psychological practice shows, men suffer more from pathological fetishism than women.

Diagnostics

If you have a suspicion that your partner has fetishistic tendencies, you urgently need to contact one of the specialists: a psychotherapist, a psychiatrist or a sex therapist.

If fetishism has taken on severe symptoms, and it is uncontrollable and calls into question life, health, family, then in this case it is necessary to seek a clinical examination.

As a rule, diagnosis is carried out as a result of conversation. The doctor identifies the following parameters.

1. Having a specific fetish. This is revealed during a discussion with the patient about his addiction to sex.
2. The duration of such symptoms appears. For example, the phenomenon has just appeared, or has already been present in the patient’s life for many years.
3. Totality. It turns out whether the influence of the fetish on a person’s life is increasing or whether it remains outside the boundaries of his behavior in society.
4. Uncontrollability. Whether the fetish is obsessive, manifests itself suddenly, or is a planned fact.

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Pathology or feature?

Depending on adherence to a certain type of fetishism, a person can be called either special or suffering from psychological pathology. Fetishism that does not go beyond normal sexual behavior is considered acceptable. Pathological distorts sexual relations and poses a certain danger to the health of partners. To get rid of it, you need the help of a sexologist, psychotherapist, or psychiatrist. The main diagnostic method here is a clinical conversation. The main methods of treatment are psychoanalytic and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Fetish - normal or pathological? Some elements of fetishism are characteristic of normal sexual life. But it is important to understand that here objects that evoke a complex of erotic feelings are not perceived as autonomous, independent objects of arousal. They are only part of the image of a real partner, a reminder of him.

Who are fetishists - perverts? Fetishism is considered pathological if an inanimate object is for a person an independent object of attraction, sexual desire, and replaces a real sexual partner or the owner of this thing. In this case, both emotional ties and love relationships with another person are destroyed. Namely, the object becomes a triggering mechanism for erotic fantasies and sensations.

What does a fetishist do? Various manipulations are possible with the object of his adoration - tactile, olfactory, sexual and playful. This refers to a specific object or a specific part of the human body.

Signs of sexual fetishism

It is not always possible to understand that a person may experience certain difficulties associated with a strange dependence on various objects. This is why it is important to know the main manifestations of unhealthy sexual behavior.

Characteristic signs of fetishism are:

1. Unusual ideas that interfere with traditional sexual relationships: for example, using only one position, intimate relations only after drinking alcohol or at a certain time of day.
2. Inability to satisfy needs in another way, because people suffering from such addiction develop their own special ritual. They are not able to fully enjoy sexual intercourse.
3. Particular interest in role-playing games.
4. Actions of an erotic nature in relation to inanimate objects.
5. Strengthening the role of the object of adoration: his presence becomes the only possible way to satisfy physiological needs.

Term in medical context

Fetishism as a pathology takes its place in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Located in diagnosis category F65 (class V: mental disorders, personality and behavioral disorders in adulthood, sexual disorders).

However, in the modern world, medical intervention is required only when a given sexual deviation harms the social well-being of the fetishist himself. In other words, when it brings suffering to the patient, it interferes with his sex life and interaction with human partners. Or it leads to serious social problems: dismissal from work, detention by the police, discord with family, etc.

In this case, fetishism should be a “pure” diagnosis in itself for a period of 6 months. That is, addiction to inanimate objects should not appear under the influence of alcohol, narcotic or psychotropic drugs. Only in this case will the patient be diagnosed with “fetishism” and treated at the appropriate rehabilitation center.

If a person’s behavior does not harm either himself or others, then such a deviation from normal sexual behavior is considered safe. And it does not require psychological help or other medical correction.

When should you contact a specialist?

Many sexologists believe that fetishism is a complex phenomenon that is difficult to cure. In some cases this is even impossible.

Patients turn to a sexologist with one goal - to add variety to intimate relationships with their partners. The other halves of fetishists are ready to accept their pathological peculiarity. Many people turn to a doctor to get confirmation that there is nothing dangerous in the behavior of their fetishistic partner. When both partners accept the situation, then fetishism is not dangerous.

Psychology as a science says that if a partner obsessively performs rituals, then this is already a problem. In this case, it is not worth treating a fetishist with love. It's useless. It is better to seek professional qualified help.

Types of fetishes

Fetishes also include many things that are familiar to the average person. For example, for men it is the lace underwear of a beloved woman or elegant shoes. Women's fetishes are muscles, the hands of a friend or husband. These are completely normal phenomena.

As for the most common types of fetishism, modern science knows a considerable number of deviations. Even the corresponding classification has been introduced:

• Clothing.
• Physical.
• Subject.
• Excrementophilia.

Let's look at each type in more detail.

Clothing category

Here, sexual attraction is caused by certain clothes or shoes. The following stands out:

• Fetishistic transvestism. This includes dressing in items of clothing that are more common to the opposite sex.
• Cisvestism. Dressing in clothes worn by people of a different age, social group, profession.
• Homesvestism. Sexual attraction to the clothing of a certain person of the same sex.

Strange attractions

Fetishism in sexology is a fairly common phenomenon. However, there are certain types of fetishism that will shock you. The most unexpected fetishes:

• mechanophilia – attraction to machines and mechanisms;
• masculania - sexual craving for the armpits, the smell and sight of them;

• Crash fetish - the desire to crush a small object with your feet.

And this is only a small fraction of the strangest attractions.

Physical category

A person experiences sexual attraction to certain areas of the body, characteristics of his sexual partner:

• Narcissism. A fetish is one’s own body or specific parts of it, some specific movements of one’s own.
• Automonosexuality. Excitement comes from the fact that the patient identifies his body with the body of another person. As a rule, this is achieved by changing clothes and applying makeup.
• Heterochromophily. A person with a certain skin color becomes the object of a fetish.
• Apotemnophilia. The fetishist is attracted to people with a certain physical or mental disability, an amputee, or a prosthesis. As for the attraction to people with amputated limbs, it is separately called acrotomophilia. Sometimes fetishists themselves strive for self-mutilation and go to voluntary amputation of their own limbs.
• Ozolagnia. Attraction to specific odors of the sexual partner. The second name is olfactory fetishism.

Who is a fetishist

A fetishist is a person with a pronounced dependence on a certain object, which is an object of worship for him.

Contrary to popular belief that such dependence is characteristic only of the stronger sex, it is also often found among representatives of the fair half of humanity.

According to research, 28% of men and 26% of women are fetishists.

The most common fetishes among ladies are developed male muscles and an abundance of hair on the partner’s body. Men most often like high heels, women's breasts, feet, buttocks, and underwear, although cases of more strange objects of sexual worship are not uncommon.

Subject category

Here, sexual pleasure is provided by certain inanimate objects - from pieces of art to tools. The following deviations are identified:

• Retifism. This type of fetish is a pathological addiction to leather products. In extreme pathological cases - to objects made of human skin.
• Pygmalionism. A certain amount of sexual pleasure comes from owning certain objects of art. One type of deviation is voyeurism - collecting various images of the human body. The fetishist gets pleasure from seeing them and touching these objects.
• Pornography. A person experiences vivid sexual emotions when viewing pornographic products - photographs, videos, drawings.
• Pyrolangia. Here sexual pleasure is achieved by contemplating a flame or even a fire. This type of deviation is dangerous because the patient experiences a pathological passion for arson, since he enjoys the sight of burning objects, and sometimes the actions of firefighters to extinguish them.

Reasons for deviations

Why does such deviation occur? The specific causes of the fetish have not yet been established by science. However, the overwhelming majority of researchers agree that a person’s sexual experience, personal preferences and sexual characteristics play a huge role. The question of neurobiological disposition still remains open.

The suspected causes of sexual behavior disorder are as follows:

• Disorders of psychosexual personality development. In particular, there is childhood psychological trauma, a random association of emotional arousal with some object at an unconscious age. This memory remains on a subconscious level and bears fruit in adulthood.
• First sexual experience. Objects that caused vivid experiences (not only positive, but also negative) subsequently become a source of sexual satisfaction. A person cannot imagine it without such a stimulus.
• Low threshold of sexual arousal. As a result of neurophysiological studies, it was found that some children are capable of experiencing vivid sexual emotions at a very early age. The tendency towards fetishism here, again, is associated with associative experience.

Fetishism is not only a type of ancient belief. In psychology, this is the name for sexual attraction to inanimate objects. It can be either normal or a pathological phenomenon.

Clothing and uniforms5

Fetishism, as a passion for fabrics, is often associated with certain materials - this applies, in particular, to leather, latex, fur, wool, silk, elastane-lycra (tight clothing fetishism). Clothing fetishism, a type of erotic fetishism, has been confirmed over the last fifty years, especially in the field of photography.

In everyday life, he is encountered with different types of clothing, tight-fitting things: woolen sweaters, turtlenecks, bodysuits, tops, overalls, underwear. This fetishism becomes "sexual fetishism" when the sight of this material, this type of clothing, causes sexual arousal. Sweaters are classified as clothing that can be sexually fetishistic. This fetishism under its homosexual side is directly mentioned by Hervé Guibert at the beginning of the book My Parents.

Uniform fetishism takes a specific form because it is often triggered by an impulse and scenario that usually belongs to the theme of BDSM. The uniform at this time can only be used for role-playing:

Medical: nurse uniform, white coats. This is a fetishism that is less in its aesthetic or sensory dimension than the action that should take place around a production that belongs to the universe of BDSM role-playing games: auscultation, rectal examination, enema, biting, etc.

Military or police: offering interrogation, torture, imprisonment. That is, the fetish role here is combined with BDSM role play;

School Uniform: Applicable to several types of scenarios in imaginary BDSM: a teacher punishing his naughty student or rebellious schoolgirl;

Nun form: where the believer makes confession (dominant nun) or where the nun plays BDSM role-play of self-denial to a higher or divine power (submissive religious sovereignty can be in the context of role-play). However, fetishism of a religious form can be completely separated from BDSM in the context of sexual relations, where there are attributes that give the illusion of violating social prohibition;

Other forms of sexual fetishism, however, are not compatible with BDSM themes. In some cases, these forms of fetishism respond primarily to the need or desire to violate a social taboo (for example, sexual intercourse with a person in religious clothing) or to achieve the unattainable (a celebrity or popular fictional character wearing identical outfits or other erotic triggers).