Fetish
A fetish is an object believed to have unusual powers, and fetishism is the practice of regularly believing in the power of these objects. For example, a person might ascribe supernatural powers to a carving and carry it around in his or her pocket for protection. In psychology, fetishism typically refers to sexual fetishism, in which a person gets sexual gratification solely or primarily through unusual sexual practices or the use or admiration of objects or body parts not typically associated with sex.
Examples of Fetishism
In sexual fetishes, the object or situation that is arousing is the fetish, while the person receiving arousal is a fetishist. The practice of receiving arousal from a specific object or situation is fetishism. Fetishes are diverse and can include a wide variety of sexual practices, some of which are more common than others. Some fetishists are simply aroused by fetishes, while others can obtain arousal solely from their fetishes. A few examples include:
- Foot fetishes – This is one of the most common sexual fetishes, particularly among men. Fetishists may be aroused by the sight of feet, enjoy licking, sucking, or touching feet, or may even wish to engage in sexual acts with feet.
- BDSM – This is a situational fetish, in which a person enjoys power exchanges involving bondage, domination, discipline, submission, or sado-masochism. BDSM is a common fetish. The fictional book 50 Shades of Grey, a best-seller, explores the exploits of a BDSM fetishist.
- Animal fetishes – Some people are aroused by certain animals and may even practice beastiality. Others enjoy dressing up as animals or having others pretend to be animals. Furries are a variation of these fetishes, who dress up in large, plush animal costumes. Furry groups have large conferences, and are a common source of internet jokes, memes, and derision.
What Causes Fetishes?
Mental health practitioners have debated the causes of fetishes for generations. Practitioners used to believe that fetishes were conditioned by early experiences or the result of trauma, but now beliefs differ widely. Some practitioners believe that fetishes are random and not caused by any specific thing; they may just be variations in the sexual continuum.
Is There Treatment for Fetishism?
Fetishes do not warrant treatment unless they cause the fetishist or those around them discomfort or anguish. Treatment may involve reconditioning the fetishist to enjoy other sexual objects, discussing the causes of the fetish, behavioral modification, or aversion therapy.
Some interest groups have lobbied against the stigmatization of fetishism, and there are a wide variety of groups advocating the acceptance of various fetishes online.
References:
- American Psychological Association. APA concise dictionary of psychology. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2009. Print.
- Colman, A. M. (2006). Oxford dictionary of psychology. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Last Updated: 08-7-2015
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javad
March 8th, 2016 at 12:58 AMHi
Is foot fetish and mistress/slave desire curable completely?best regards -
Christina J
June 21st, 2016 at 4:59 AMHey I am 20 years old I just got in a relationship with a 40 year old man who had his ex-wife they had a bsdm relationship and now that’s what he wants from me because he’s got his supposed to leave they told her to hurt him that’s the trouble I’m having right now how can I physically hurt him during great intercourse?
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Scott L
August 12th, 2016 at 7:08 PMHi I am a guy who has a fetish that has been with me for yrs now. I absolutely love to wear woman’s underwear and stuff.
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Steve
November 30th, 2016 at 10:11 PMI have a slight fettish for big bellies and and slight scat and urine can this be cured please tell me, I need to know I am crying 247 and I need to be helped I find it disgusting and very gross
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Sidmouth
December 2nd, 2016 at 7:31 AMHELP! I cant stop thinking about my baby brothers penis. Is this normal/ curable?
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The GoodTherapy.org Team
December 2nd, 2016 at 8:23 AMHi there,
Thank you for your comment. Please note that GoodTherapy.org is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, treatment, medical treatment, psychotherapy, counseling, or mental health services. Working one-on-one with a mental health professional may help you get some answers; we encourage you to search for someone near you on the GoodTherapy.org directory:https://www.goodtherapy.org/find-therapist.htmlBest wishes,
The GoodTherapy.org Team -
Wayne
February 17th, 2017 at 11:51 AMi fantasize about a woman helping a gay man turn me gay and keep me captive and the man slowly play’s with me and the woman says to me the only way i can have relief if i willingly have sex with the man
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PaulJ
October 12th, 2017 at 11:56 AMMy name is Paul and I have had a foot and spanking fetish for many years. I am married. I need to speak to someone on the matter. Thank you.
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The GoodTherapy.org Team
October 12th, 2017 at 1:09 PMPaul,
If you would like to consult with a mental health professional, please feel free to return to our homepage, https://www.goodtherapy.org/, and enter your zip code into the search field to find therapists in your area.
Once you enter your information, you’ll be directed to a list of therapists and counselors who meet your criteria. From this list you can click to view our members’ full profiles and contact the therapists themselves for more information. You are also welcome to call us for assistance finding a therapist. We are in the office Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time; our phone number is 888-563-2112 ext. 1.
Kind regards,
The GoodTherapy.org Team -
jodi
March 26th, 2018 at 11:10 AMlove being kicked in the balls by a woman. doesn’t matter what woman as long as they are of legal age. Is there something wrong with me???
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Nolan
June 26th, 2018 at 8:18 AMI believe I have a sexual fetish. I am worried it will never go away. I believe my fetish to be Somnophilia. Is there help for me?
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The GoodTherapy.org Team
June 26th, 2018 at 8:56 AMThank you for visiting GoodTherapy.org. If you would like to consult with a mental health professional, please feel free to return to our homepage, http://www.goodtherapy.org/, and enter your zip code into the search field to find therapists in your area. If you’re looking for a counselor that practices a specific type of therapy, or who deals with specific concerns, you can make an advanced search by clicking here: http://www.goodtherapy.org/advanced-search.html
Once you enter your information, you’ll be directed to a list of therapists and counselors who meet your criteria. From this list you can click to view our members’ full profiles and contact the therapists themselves for more information. Alternatively, you are welcome to call us for assistance finding a therapist. We are in the office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific Time; our phone number is 888-563-2112 ext. 1.
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rig
July 22nd, 2018 at 4:29 PMI have an extreme foot fetish, where I like beautiful woman to put their feet in my face or males(myself) put our feet in the beautiful ladies face. I’ve actually spent money to put my foot on a females face. I’m not happy about this fetish and want to get rid of it (get rid of the foot fetish all together). This also happens if I play videogames with a barefoot character. I get aroused when I kick a female character in the face. This is weird as hell, please help or send advice.
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The GoodTherapy.org Team
July 22nd, 2018 at 5:39 PMDear Rig,
If you would like to consult with a mental health professional, please feel free to return to our homepage, http://www.goodtherapy.org/, and enter your zip code into the search field to find therapists in your area.
Once you enter your information, you’ll be directed to a list of therapists and counselors who meet your criteria. From this list you can click to view our members’ full profiles and contact the therapists themselves for more information. You are also welcome to call us for assistance finding a therapist. We are in the office Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time; our phone number is 888-563-2112 ext. 1.
Kind regards,
The GoodTherapy.org Team
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Buddy
January 29th, 2019 at 1:58 AMWhat does a therapist really for his or her patient. Can a therapist even touch their patients at all
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Arnoldo L.
January 31st, 2019 at 9:00 AMI’m in a sexless marriage, I’ve had foot fetishes all my life. My wife and I had sex over a year ago I’m in my late fifties and sometimes thinking about having sex outside of the marriage but I’m a practicing Christian
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Chris
February 24th, 2019 at 5:58 AMI have a ladies hair fedish. Is there anyone to help
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Fifi
November 15th, 2019 at 6:37 AMI have a fetish for ironing womans clothes.
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Ciera
September 1st, 2020 at 11:22 AMI feel embarrassed tying but I’m a female with a
fart fetish. It started when I was really young about 8-9. I’m not open about it because I don’t understand it at all . Help me -
Maria
March 22nd, 2022 at 4:10 PMhave a tickling fetish, I get turn on when I see someone getting tickled. So I ended up watching videos where a girl would be tied and tickled but i never cared about who the tickler was and what that person’s gender was. I just didn’t care about the person, my whole attention was on tickling which turned me on. Now, i beleive i am a heterosexual as i have had feelings for guys my whole life but anxiety stuck in me when the thought of me being bisexual hitted me, as i have watched vids where a girl would be tickling another girl. But the truth is that i never cared about the girl, my attention was only in tickling. These intrusive thoughts and doubts has become painful day by day. All i know is that i am straight and the thing which turned me on was tickling and not the tickler. I wish to get therapy to overcome this fetish which has ruined my mental health and also i need help to stop my mind from having intrusive thoughts about being bisexual which i clearly am not. Please help, is there any way out of this? It has caused loads of anxiety in me.
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