Fetichism

Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual attraction to objects, situations or body parts not conventionally viewed as being sexual in nature. The term was first introduced by Alfred Binet, the psychologist better known for inventing IQ testing. Fetishism is diagnosable as a paraphilia in the DSM and the ICD, but only if the fetish causes significant distress for the person or has detrimental effects on important areas of their life. Many people embrace their fetishes rather than seek treatment to attempt to be rid of them. Body parts may also be the subject of sexual fetishes (also known as partialism) in which the body part preferred by the fetishist takes a sexual precedence over the owner. Sexual fetishism may be regarded[by whom?] as a disorder of sexual preference or as an enhancing element to a relationship.

In a review of the files of all cases over a 20-year period which met criteria for non-transvestic fetishes in a teaching hospital, 48 cases were identified, and the objects of their fetishes included clothing (58.3%), rubber and rubber items (22.9%), footwear (14.6%), body parts (14.6%), leather and leather items (10.4%), and soft materials and fabrics (6.3%).

According to the ICD-10-GM, version 2005, fetishism is the use of inanimate objects as a stimulus to achieve sexual arousal and satisfaction. The corresponding ICD code for fetishism is F65.0. The diagnostic criteria for fetishism are as follows:

Unusual sexual fantasies, drives or behavior occur over a time span of at least six months. Sometimes unusual sexual fantasies occur and vanish by themselves; in this case any medical treatment is not necessary. The affected person, her object or another person experience impairment or distress in multiple functional areas. Functional area refers to different aspects of life such as private social contacts, job, etc. It is sufficient for the diagnosis if one of the participants is being hurt or mistreated in any other way. It must be noted that a correct diagnosis in terms of the ICD manual stipulates hierarchical proceeding. That is, first the criteria for F65 must be fulfilled, then those for F65.0. As criteria are not repeated in substages this can be mistakable to laymen or medics that have not been educated in the use of this manual. Furthermore, it must be noted that according to the ICD, an addiction to specific parts or features of the human body and even "inanimate" parts of corpses, under no circumstances are fetishism, even though some of them may be forms of paraphilia.

According to the DSM-IV-TR, fetishism is the use of nonliving objects as a stimulus to achieve sexual arousal or satisfaction. (This only applies if the objects are not specifically designed for sexual stimulation (e.g., a vibrator).) The corresponding DSM-code for fetishism is 302.81; the diagnostic criteria are basically the same as those of the ICD. In the DSM manual, all diagnostic criteria are given in the corresponding section of the text book, i. e. here no hierarchical processing is needed.

Both definitions are the result of lengthy discussions and multiple revisions. Still today, arguments go on whether a specific diagnosis fetishism is needed at all or if paraphilia as such is sufficient. Some demand that the diagnosis be abolished completely to no longer stigmatize fetishists, e. g. project ReviseF65. Others demand that it be specified even more to prevent scientists from confusing it with the popular use of the term fetishism. And then again, ever and anon researchers argue that it should be expanded to cover other sexual orientations, such as an addiction to words or fire. Most physicians would not say that a man who finds women attractive because she is dressed in high heels, lacy stockings or a corset has an abnormal fetish.

List of paraphilia.

Abasiophilia physically disabled people, leg braces, etc

Agalmatophilia statues, mannequins, immobility

Acrotomophilia amputees

Andromimetophilia female-to-male transsexuals

Apotemnophilia being an amputee

Asphyxiophilia strangulation of oneself, loss of control of one's own breathing

Autagonistophilia being on stage or on camera

Autassassinophilia staging one's own murder

Autoerotic asphyxiation self-induced asphyxiation, sometimes to the point of near unconsciousness

Autoandrophilia being male

Autogynephilia being female

Autonepiophilia being an infant

Autopedophilia being prepubescent

Biastophilia assault and rape

Capnolagnia Smoking

Chremastistophilia being robbed or held

Chronophilia partners of a widely differing chronological age

Coprophilia feces

Cratophilia strength

Dendrophilia Trees

Diaperism diapers

Emetophilia vomit

Erotic asphyxia asphyxia of oneself or others

Erotophonophilia murder

Exhibitionism exposing oneself sexually to others; variantly with or without their consent

Fetishism nonliving objects

Formicophilia insects, small animals, etc.

Frotteurism rubbing against a non-consenting person

Gerontophilia old people

Gynandromorphophilia women with penises, men cross-dressed as women, or male-to-female transsexuals

Gynemimetophilia male-to-female transsexuals

Hebephilia pubescent children

Homeovestism wearing clothing emblematic of one's own sex

Hybristophilia criminals, particularly for cruel or outrageous crimes

Infantophilia children five years old or younger

Paraphilic infantilism being a baby

Kinesophilia exercise

Kleptophilia, kleptolagnia stealing

Klismaphilia enemas

Lactaphilia human breast milk

Macrophilia giants, primarily domination by giant women

Mammaphilia, mammagynophilia, mastofact female breasts

Masochism suffering, e.g. being humiliated, beaten, bound, etc.

Menophilia menstruation

Morphophilia some particular body shape and size

Mucophilia human mucus

Mysophilia dirtiness, e.g. soiled or decaying things

Narratophilia obscenity

Nasophilia noses

Necrophilia corpses, dead people

Nepiophilia infants

Olfactophilia smells

Partialism particular non-genital body part(s)

Peodeiktophilia exposing one's penis

Pedophilia, paedophilia prepubescent children

Pedovestism dressing like a child

Pictophilia pornography or erotic art, particularly pictures

Podophilia feet

Sadism causing pain

Salirophila soiling others

Scatophilia feces

Scoptophilia, scopophilia watching others being sexual

Raptophilia committing rape

Somnophilia sleeping or unconscious people

Sthenolagnia strength or muscles

Stigmatophilia piercings and tattoos

Symphorophilia disasters

Telephone scatologia, Telephonicophilia obscene phone calls, particularly to strangers

Transvestic fetishism, transvestism clothing associated with the opposite sex

Transvestophilia cross-dressed partner

Trichophilia hair

Troilism, triolism watching one's partner have sex with someone else, possibly without the third party's knowledge

Urophagia drinking urine

Urophilia urine, particularly urinating in public, urinating on others, and being urinated on by others

Vampirism drawing or drinking blood

Vorarephilia eating or being eaten by others; usually swallowed whole, in one piece Macrophilia,

Voyeurism watching others be sexual or naked, particularly without their knowledge

Zoophilia animals (actual, not anthropomorphic)

Zoosadism animals' pain