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.

Complications

Severe forms of fetishism disrupt the normal sexual activity of patients - the role of the partner during sexual intercourse is simplified, and satisfaction is most often one-sided. Some forms of the disorder can be dangerous to the psyche, life and health of the patient and others. This can happen, for example, when there is a compulsion for children's clothes, toys, and the child may behave in a fetishistic manner in the presence of children. In another case, a child may be attracted to disabled people and forced to have sexual relations with them. In these cases, fetishism can lead to social disapproval, social maladjustment and prosecution.

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.

9 options for the 69 position in sex, its pros and cons

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.

Is it possible to get rid of this

Recovery from homosexual addiction is possible, although it will be quite difficult for the addict. The most commonly used methods are:

1. Psychotherapy;
2. Aversion therapy is when the patient is shown an object of desire while simultaneously giving him electrical shocks or drugs that cause nausea.

That's all, dear friends. I tried to explain in simple words what fetishism is and answer the most common questions related to this problem. I hope that after reading this article you can understand everything very clearly.

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.

The term was introduced into scientific circulation by Charles de Brosse in his work “On the Cult of Fetish Gods, or Comparison of the Ancient Religion of Egypt and the Modern Religion of Nigeria.”

In this article

• A variety of fetishistic representations will not be considered.
• the question will not be raised - fetishism is a term or concept, but such a problem exists.
• The works of modern authors on archeology will not be widely used, only one article.

The work is intended to show and highlight the following current problems:

• the ambiguity of the concept of fetishism;
• the emergence of fetishism;
• whether fetishism should be considered a religion;
• identifying fetishism from the general mass of cults of personal patrons.

Many times in the literature it has been pointed out that the term or concept “fetishism” is unclear, which is given one or another meaning.

To list the names and works of all researchers who have written about fetishism, the author of this report believes that this does not make any sense, since they are well known to everyone.

Let's outline the main definitions:

1 – Fetishism is the veneration of any material objects (including celestial bodies, people and animals);

2 – Fetishism is the veneration of only inanimate and only earthly objects;

There are 3 provisions in this definition;

A – A fetish is the material object itself that is given veneration;

B – A fetish is not called the object itself, but the spirit residing in it;

B – A fetish is the inseparability of an object from the spirit residing in it;

3 – Fetish and fetishism do not mean any type of revered objects, but a certain attitude of a person towards the supernatural world, precisely that attitude in which a person believes in his ability to force supernatural beings to serve himself.

It is clear that with such uncertainty and ambiguity of the term “fetishism”, some researchers preferred not to use this term at all. This position was adhered to by Bogaraz V.G. and Lucien Lévy-Bruhl, using the term “amulets”; however, the semantic meaning of “amulets” remained the same as “fetishes”.

4 – A fetish is any object that captures a person’s imagination: a stone of an unusual shape, a tree, a skillfully made figurine. These objects were attributed properties that were expressed in the ability to help in fishing activities, heal, protect from enemies, etc.;

5 – Tokarev S.A. gives the following definition: A fetish is the religious veneration of an inanimate material object to which supernatural properties are attributed.

However, this definition is not entirely consistent with the position of the author himself, since Tokarev S.A. himself, pointing in his definition to “religious veneration of an inanimate material object,” does not consider fetishism to be a religion, but indicates that fetishism is one of the most constant elements every religion. And if we take it as an axiom, and for some reason we need to start from the statement of S.A. Tokarev, that fetishism is a constant element of any religion “which is not distributed unevenly in religions” (my commentary by Vladimir O.), then, consequently, fetishism in Germany arose earlier than religions themselves.

And here the question of the emergence of fetishism naturally arises.

Soviet religious scholars Frantsev Yu.P. and Tokarev S.A. attribute the emergence of fetishism to the process of decomposition of the communal-tribal system (here it would be more correct to say the process of the emergence of tribal religions or tribal cults and the emergence of such a form of religion as nagualism (the cult of personal patron spirits)). They argued their position with the following fact: fetish is a purely personal subject for each person. And in a pure primitive communal system, where the individual is completely absorbed by the collective, the emergence of such an element of religion as fetishism is impossible. And it is difficult to disagree with this argument, since we find cults of personal patrons only among peoples whose anthroposociogenesis went beyond the framework of the primitive communal system, and their beliefs are represented by tribal cults (religions) and cults of personal patrons - (one can very cautiously assume that with the cult of personal The patron is bound with pectorals made from a whole boar tusk which originate from Chalcolithic burials).

And so, to sum up this part of the report, let’s say that the emergence of such an element of religions as fetishism is the result of the development of religions. The degree of their development depends not on themselves, but on the stage of anthroposociogenesis at which each of them grows. Thus, regarding the emergence of fetishism, we apparently have to draw two conclusions that are inconsistent with the usual ideas about it:

• firstly, this is not a form of religion at all, but a relatively late element of religions;
• secondly, fetishism is an element of the cult of personal patrons.

And here the question immediately arises of identifying fetishism from the general mass of cults of personal patrons.

Fetishism as an element of the cult of personal patrons is closely intertwined with it, and the cult of personal patrons is closely related to nagualism and intertwined with it, then how can we identify fetishism and not confuse it with individual totemism? How can we unravel this tangle?

The main criteria for identifying fetishism are:

• firstly, the presence of any inanimate material object;
• secondly, the presence of an individual “person” who endows any inanimate material object with a sacred-magical meaning;
• thirdly, this is a purely personal relationship between a person and a fetish, which he contrasts with the main tribal, local-communal, family-tribal, patron deities.

However, the individual totemism of the “churinga” of the Aranda tribe falls under the above criteria. And to really set clear and comprehensive criteria for defining fetishism is a very difficult task, because cults of personal patrons are found in different parts of the world and among different peoples, and there they have very different appearances and meanings under different conditions. And in fact, it is enough to take even a general glance at the history of the religions of all peoples to be convinced that fetishistic ideas form an integral part of any religion. There is hardly a single one of them in which fetishistic beliefs do not occupy a more or less prominent place. At the same time, as shown above, it is hardly possible to date the greatest expression of fetishism to the early stages of the history of religion: another question is where there is more of it - in Aranda with their sacred “churingas” and similar objects or in Christianity with its countless images of saints, crucifixes , relics and charlatan relics. The word fetishism is one of the most constant and relatively late elements of any religion, and it is impossible to consider fetishism as a form of religion, because the phenomena denoted by this word are known in all religions without exception.

Korenevsky S.N., Kalmykov A.A. Chalcolithic burial from the burial mound Aigursky 2 (Stavropol Territory) // Materials on the study of the historical and cultural heritage of the North Caucasus, archaeology, paleoanthropology, local history, museology. Vol. VII M., 2007. P. 48.

* contemporary author Ch. de Brosse.

Lebbock J. The beginning of civilization and the primitive state of man. M., 2011.

Bogaraz V.G. Chukchi Religion. M., 2011. pp. 46-52.

Lévy-Bruhl L. Supernatural and nature in primitive thinking. M., 2012. pp. 27-32.

Religious Studies. Ed., Yablokova I.N. M., 2013. P. 217.

Tokarev S.A. Early forms of religion. M., 1990. P. 33,34.

Frantsev Yu.P. Fetishism and the problem of the origin of religion. M., 1940. P. 85-93., Tokarev S.A. Early forms of religion. M., 1990. S. 50, 292-302.

The primitive communal system in its pure form has not been recorded in any of the sources with which the author of the report is familiar.

Korenevsky S.N., Kalmykov A.A. Eneolithic burial from the burial mound Aigursky 2 (Stavropol Territory). // Materials on the study of the historical and cultural heritage of the North Caucasus; Archaeology, Paleoanthropology, Local history, Museum studies. Vol. VII M., pp. 50,51,52,53,54,55,56.

 As noted by S.N. Korensky. and Kalmykov A.A. pectorals made from a whole boar tusk are rare. Of the 6 burial grounds: Aigursky 2, mound 17, burial 6, Vesyolaya Roshcha 2, 15/1, Nalchik burials 36 and 35, Mariupolsky, Khvalynsky, Petrovo-Smirnovo, only 7 burials have similar pectorals. 7 pcs. Korenevsky S.N. and Kalmykov A.A. It is believed that the pectoral was a rank item that was not always placed in the grave. But if the pectoral is a ranking thing that determined a person’s status during life, then how, without this thing, will a deceased person in the next world confirm his high status? The authors of the article indicate that the buried young man in grave 17/6 received a pectoral after undergoing an initiation rite. But undergoing initiation does not exclude the acquisition of a personal patron.

 I use the term Sacred-magical, since fetishism in the further period of its historical development will be very closely connected with magic and will receive its new expression in the form of amulets.

Lévy-Bruhl L. Primitive mythology The mythical world of Australians and Papuans. M. 2012. P. 113,114.

Lévy-Bruhl L. Primitive mythology The mythical world of Australians and Papuans. M. 2012. P.113,114.

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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.

Various practices and variations of BDSM

55% of respondents wrote about BDSM. The most popular were strangulation, tying up, humiliation, fake rape and spanking. The vast majority of responses represented the woman’s victimized position. And every fourth was accompanied by explanations “only with my consent” and “I don’t accept this in life.”

Psychology professor Joe Magliano tried to explain people's desire to obey. He interviewed submissives and dominants about how they felt before and after sessions, plus measured their physiological parameters. Both bottoms and tops said that after sex they felt a stronger sense of intimacy and became more relaxed, meaning their level of psychological stress decreased. But at the same time, cortisol increased in the lower ones, which indicated the presence of severe physical stress.

Maybe subs and doms experience different sensations, the researchers suggested and invited switches into the experiment, who could participate in the session from both the position of the bottom and the top.

The subs experienced temporary hypofrontality, which means that the activity of certain parts of the brain was temporarily reduced, especially the one responsible for pain. Plus, a feeling of euphoria appeared, time was distorted, there was a feeling of “here and now” - the dream of all meditators. Dominants, on the contrary, were focused on completing the task. But both states are pleasant, so the researchers suggested that they may well motivate people to return to such practices.

Psychologists explain the passion for BDSM games by the fact that this is an opportunity for a person to relieve himself of all responsibility, shift it to a partner whom you trust, and relax in such a simple way. This idea is also supported by sex-positive feminists who advocate BDSM. For example, Gail Rubin writes in Deviance: “Most people confuse their sexual preferences with a universal system that should work for everyone.” In general, the fact that women like the role of the victim in bed does not always mean that she supports sexism or dreams of making the game her everyday reality - she just may want to switch.

Bolzham jәne aldyn-alu

Fetishism is not a problem. Therapy for this period of time is necessary for the patient’s life in the future. Kolayly natizhe boluy mүmkіn, naukas aurudyn bar ekendigіn moyyndagan kezde, sex omirіn kalpyna keltiruge thousandysady. Fetishism nakty aldyn-alu damimagan. Buzylulardyn lady kaupin azaytu ushin balalar men jasospirimderdin psychosexualdyk tarbiesine nazar audaru says: uakytynda (zhasyna karai) payda bolatyn suraktarga zhauap beru .

Pathogenesis

Fetishism is not good for you. Please note: operant conditioning and imprinting. Operative information about the case of beytarap yntalandyrudyn birneshe terkesimy (kіm bolshekterі, aka kiіm, turmystyk zattar) sozsіz – kadimgi zhynystyk nietpen baylanysty (erkek stings) our denesi/ayelder), zhana on reaction kalyptastyrady. Seksualdik arazdykty sөzsіz beytaraptamaga auystyrady. Mysal: adam zhynystyk katynaska tusedi, әyelge degen ұmtylys, keudege arnalgan etik kiedi, Bіraz uakyttan keyin, ayag bar ayak-kiіm rahat sezіmіnіn algysharty more tabs ok, sorry, we're sorry. Basyp shygaru kezinde objectiler zhynystyk damudyn belgili bir kezenderinde eriksiz mormen bekitiledi. Fetish pen zhynystyk katynastyn baylanysyn kaytalau zane kamtamasyz etu talap etilmeydi. Bastapky kezen adettegi zhyldard baikalada – 3-5 zhylga deyin (zhynystyk artykshylyktardy kalyptastyru kezinde).