Fetishism

Sexual Fetishism - Symptom, Cause and Treatment

People with a fetish experience sexual urges and behavior which are associated with non-living objects. For example, the object of the fetish could be an article of female clothing, like female underwear. Usually the fetish begins in adolescence and tends to be quite chronic into adult life.

Sexual fetishism, first described as such by Sigmund Freud though the concept and certainly the activity is quite ancient, is a form of paraphilia where the object of affection is a specific inanimate object or part of a person's body.

Fetishism, in ancient religions, meant the belief that inanimate objects such as icons or trees, clouds, etc., possess human properties; in Marxism, the belief that commodities possess human properties.

• Over a period of at least 6 months, patients have recurrent, intense, sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving nonliving objects.
• The fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
• Patients do not limit the fetish objects to articles of female clothing used in cross-dressing or to devices designated for the purpose of tactile genital stimulation.
• Patients may have a particular pathological displacement of erotic interest and satisfaction for their entire lives (not a DSM-IV criterion).

Causes of Fetishism

The causes of fetishism are not clearly understood. Some learning theorists believe that it develops from early childhood experiences, in which an object was associated with a particularly powerful form of sexual arousal or gratification.

Other learning theorists would not focus on early childhood, but on later childhood and adolescence and the conditioning associated with masturbation activity. Psychoanalytical theories of causality focus on concepts of penis worship and castration anxiety. Researchers have shown that in general fetishists have poorly developed social skills, are quite isolated in their lives and have a diminished capacity for establishing intimacy.

Symptoms of Fetishism

The sexual acts of fetishists are characteristically depersonalized and objectified. The focus of attention is exclusively on the fetish, whereas non-fetishists may at various times make a particular body part or an object part of their general sexual arousal and expression with another person, but not be fixated on it.

Transvestic Fetishism

Foot Fetishism

Tickling Fetishism

Wet and Messy Fetishism

Sexual Fetishism

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female foot odor seems to be a strong aphrodisiac for lots of foot fetishists, how about you ? --Gini

just wondering if anyone has anyone ever noticed a woman in the street who they don't know with really cute feet and asked her if she'll let you kiss them? Zoe

great information and work--Keep it up--Helga

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