Fetishism

Generality

Fetishism is a form of sexual perversion that concentrates erotic desire, allowing its fulfillment, on an object, a part of the body of another person or a particular situation.

Usually, the person who manifests this behavior is pushed to obtain sexual satisfaction exclusively or in a pre-eminent way through the perception (visual, olfactory, tactile, etc.) of elements (such as underwear, footwear, hands, feet and hair), belonging to the opposite sex

or. For the fetishist, therefore, such "stimuli" take on the prerogative of arousing and leading to sexual pleasure, although they are, as a rule, devoid of such power.

Fetishism: what is it?

Fetishism is one of the most common forms of sexual perversion, where pleasure is experienced only in contact with a specific object, part of the body or a situation.

• Fetishism falls within the "scope of so-called paraphilias, or those disorders that are characterized by intense and recurrent sexually arousing fantasies, impulses or behaviors, which create clinically important discomfort or disability, involve inanimate objects or other non-consenting adults or involve suffering or" humiliation (real or imaginary) of oneself or one's partner. In addition to fetishism, examples of paraphilias are: sexual sadism and masochism, pedophilia, exhibitionism and voyeurism.

Fetishism is characterized, therefore, by the displacement of the goal of one's pleasure from the person in its entirety to a substitute, that is to a part of the partner's body or to any other inanimate object that belongs to him (usually a garment).

The term fetishism derives from the Portuguese "feitiço", which means "artificial" and "spell": slave traders used this term to indicate the objects of worship worshiped in religious practice by the African natives.
In sexology, fetishism is "using an inanimate object (a" fetish ") as a preferred means of sexual arousal. The most common fetishes include aprons, shoes, leather or latex clothing, and women's underwear.

In some cases, the presence of this "cult object" is necessary, if not essential, to achieve sexual pleasure. For some fetishists, in fact, seeing, hearing, smelling, swallowing or feeling the object of their attraction is at least as important as normal coitus, if not more so.

However, in common parlance, the term fetishism is often used to describe particular interests, such as that of sexual role play and a preference for certain physical characteristics.

Pathological fetishism

A preference for something unusual does not necessarily imply the presence of a pathological fetish.
A minor fetishistic behavior, in addition to consensual sexual conduct, is not considered, in fact, a disorder, as there is no discomfort, impairment and dysfunctionality, that is, the characteristics to define it as such. Usually, in fact, a certain degree of fetishism falls within the "sphere of normal sexuality, if we consider it as the desire to spice up sexual relations with the partner or to indulge one's erotic fantasies in an absolutely healthy way.
The condition becomes pathological only when the fetish comes to completely replace coitus or when it becomes an exclusive sexual object: the partner is no longer a companion with whom to share the pleasure, but a simple vehicle for the object itself.

More intense and compulsive fetishistic arousal patterns can therefore cause problems within a relationship or become destructive and exhausting in a person's life.

Fetish

The fetish can replace typical sexual activity with a partner or be an integral part of intimate behavior with a consenting partner.
The most popular fetish objects are:

• Fabrics and materials (such as leather, latex or lace), but also some items of clothing (gloves, shoes, skirts and stockings) or underwear (bra, thong, garters ...);
• Specific parts of the body (such as breasts, buttocks, feet, hands, legs, armpits, nose and hair);
• Biological fluids or excretions, such as sweat, saliva, urine, and feces;
• Some physical characteristics (hair color, hairstyle, glasses ...);
• Special characteristics or conditions (scars or mutilations, pregnant women, extremely overweight or elderly people ...).

Causes and risk factors

From the psychoanalytic point of view, fetishism is considered a form of conditioning: sexual tensions are directed towards a significant object, occasionally present in the "field" during the first decisive experiences of satisfaction.

For some specialists, this specific element alludes to a sort of "female penis", which reassures the male in the face of typical unconscious fears about the possibility of "castration". In the female sex, however, fetishism is associated with a concatenation of more complex elements that do not end in the classic "penis envy".
According to more recent interpretations, however, fetishism would be a form of infantile fixation on a "transitional type object", that is, an element that symbolizes the situation of intimacy, protection and satisfaction, typical of the child's relationship with the mother or with a an important part of it (eg hands that dispense caresses, breast that nourishes, voice that consoles, etc.). When one relates to the ideal partner, then, in the adult something of that “infantile” stage resurfaces.
In the "onset of fetishism, the following aspects are therefore involved:

• Anxiety or early emotional trauma interfere with normal psychosexual development.
• The normal model of arousal is replaced by another model, sometimes through early exposure to extremely pregnant sexual experiences, which reinforce the subject's experience of pleasure.
• The sexual arousal mode often acquires symbolic and conditioning objects (for example, a fetish represents the object of sexual arousal, but it can be chosen because it has been randomly associated with curiosity, desire and arousal) .

The individual carrying this perversion is generally a male, while the reverse situation (female fetishism) is much rarer.

Symptoms and behaviors

The first signs of fetishism can already be found in adolescence; over time, this sexual predisposition, like other paraphilias, often tends to become chronic.
Known forms of fetishism include:

• Sexual practices that make use of inanimate objects, such as stilettos and special women's underwear (often, the subject rubs or sniffs the preferential arousal fetish while masturbating while holding it, or asks his partner to wear the "garment or object" during sexual intercourse);
• Sexual behaviors that favor the use of "toys" such as vibrators, rings and other stimulants;
• Strong attraction for a specific trait of the partner and / or for a very "performing" characteristic such as physical size (small or large) or parts of the body (breasts, lower back ...);
• Specific acts very defined from the sexual point of view such as those inherent to suffering and physical pain or humiliation, also known by the acronym BDSM (Bondage, Discipline, Sadism and Masochism).

Other relatively common types of fetishism are coprophilia (the fetish is faeces and defecation), foot worship, verbal humiliation, exhibitionism, voyeurism and cross dressing.
Fetish behaviors can be classified according to the sensory channel involved: some become aroused mainly by watching, others by smelling or touching specific materials.
In the course of the practices, then, three different ways can be observed:

• Active: the fetishist actively uses the fetish;
• Passive: the fetishist wants the fetish to be somehow used on himself by another person;
• Contemplative: The fetishist derives pleasure from simply observing the collected fetishes.

Fetish behaviors can manifest themselves gradually:

• Level 1: there is a slight sexual preference for certain types of partners, stimuli or activities;
• Level 2: coincides with a low intensity fetishism, characterized by a more marked preference for the cases mentioned in the first level;
• Level 3: moderate intensity fetishism, where specific stimuli are needed to allow for arousal and sexual performance;
• Level 4: high intensity fetishism, as specific stimuli take the place of the partner.

Fetishists may have impaired or non-existent ability to become attached, to feel emotional involvement and sexual intimacy with a consenting partner. At the same time, other aspects of personal and emotional adjustment can be compromised.

Diagnosis

Fetish behaviors are considered pathological only when they become strictly necessary for sexual functioning (ie an erection or orgasm cannot occur without the certain preferential arousal), for a period of at least six months.
Another necessary criterion is that such fantasies, impulses and behaviors cause significant discomfort, impairment or in any case come to compromise social, professional and / or personal functioning.
Finally, fetishism is pathological when the orientation of recurring and enduring fantasies, impulses and behaviors involves inappropriate partners (such as, for example, non-consenting adults).
Some of these subjects also have significant personality disorders (eg antisocial or narcissistic), which make treatment difficult.

Treatment

Fetishism usually involves individual or group long-term psychotherapy; this form of therapy can be particularly useful when it is part of an integrated treatment, which includes social rehabilitation, management of coexisting mental and physical disorders (e.g. depression, personality disorders, etc.) and drug therapies (usually, a antiandrogen base and SSRIs).
The goals are both to reduce and / or eliminate the addiction of fetishes as a means to become sexually aroused, and to improve the subject's intimate relationships. To achieve this, the therapist tries on the one hand to create a feeling of aversion towards the fetish and on the other to reduce the arousal stimulus linked to the specific object.
The treatment of fetishism can also be addressed to the couple and aims to reduce the dependence on fetishistic behaviors within the sexual relationship, and to improve mutual satisfaction between the partners.