Attachment to things and collecting is a normal phenomenon, but only as long as it does not take perverted forms, and a thing does not become an idol and an object of sexual attraction. In psychiatry, this is seen as sexual deviation, but the term “fetishism” has several meanings. To get the full picture, first you need to figure out what a fetish is.
Material Content:
Meaning of the term “fetish”
The concept of fetishism is very ambiguous, and it is often difficult to understand where the fad ends and psychopathology begins.
Even the word "fetish" comes from three languages at once and has several meanings:
- "Idol" - from French;
- “Unnatural” - translated from Portuguese;
- "Artificial" - from Latin.
Initially, pagan idols, objects of worship and prayer were called fetishes. Inanimate objects were deified, endowed with supernatural powers, and were objects of interest to pilgrims. Stone idols and religious images of ancient peoples are a prime example of a religious fetish.
In psychoanalysis, a fetish is seen as the subject of a person's sexual attraction. This is one of the forms of sexual deviation that has become the subject of interest of the father of psychoanalysis Z. Freud.
In the modern world, the term itself goes beyond the scope and is increasingly used as a designation of any objects of interest of an individual. Often, fetishes are called individual preferences, for example, bright bedding or a passion for collecting aroma candles.Such a substitution of concepts is incorrect, because initially a fetish means worship and deification, which is not observed in the case of enthusiastic collecting or a hobby.
Description in Philosophy and Psychology
Fetishism has its own philosophy. The main feature is the endowment of the subject of worship with supervaluable qualities.
In psychology and psychoanalysis, fetishism is considered as psychopathology or a form of sexual deviation, if we are talking about the sexual form of the phenomenon. If a person cannot achieve sexual arousal and satisfaction without contact with a fetish, this is a mental disorder that needs to be treated. Some especially severe forms of fetishism interfere with a person’s normal life. Because of his addiction, a fetishist cannot build a harmonious relationship and start a family.
The vast majority of fetishists are men. Women rarely exhibit pronounced fetishism, usually limited to individual addictions, even if from the side they may look strange.
The difference between fetishism and individual preferences is the fact that the idol object becomes a central figure in human life. So, if we talk about sexual preferences, a person may well achieve sexual arousal without them, but contemplation or contact with an object of interest causes stronger emotions.
In the case of fetishism, a person cannot be aroused or get an orgasm without his fetish. Thus, the entire sexual life is built around an idol.
Interestingly, from the point of view of psychology, fetishism is the result of childhood injuries and unclosed gestalt. Freud linked such a pathological attraction to things with a lack of maternal attention in childhood, or a pathological attachment to a mother bordering on incest.
Forms of fetishism
There are three main forms of fetishism:
- sexual;
- religious;
- commodity.
Sexual fetishism is not always a deviation. There are a huge number of completely harmless fetishes that do not interfere with a person's normal life. It is worth talking about pathology only when a person himself experiences a painful dependence on a fetish and cannot enter into intimate relationships with other people.
Religious fetishism is quite common today. Examples are worship of relics in Buddhism or Black Stone in Islam. In addition, any icon, amulet, or other object that a person gives superpower can become a religious fetish. So, an ordinary ribbon, tied for happiness, can act as someone else's religious fetish.
Commodity fetishism is a Marxist term meaning an erroneous overestimation of the properties of an object. In the modern world, more and more people are facing commodity fetishism. An example of this phenomenon is the desire to own an object that is many times superior to a person’s financial capabilities. Stories about people who sold internal organs (kidneys) for the purchase of a desired luxury item are a typical example of such a fetishism.
Religious Worship and Totemism
The most striking manifestations of religious fetishism and totemism can be found in the description of the customs of the pagans. People of the past deified various objects, so there appeared images carved on trees or altars built near bizarre-shaped stones.
Moreover, a person could make any subject a fetish if he liked him somehow. A beautiful pebble, an unusually curved branch, an animal's horn - all this became a fetish and endowed with magical power if luck was suddenly smiled to the owner of this treasure.
Strangest Fetishes
First you should list the most common fetishes, the pleasure of which can hardly be called a deviation from the norm.
Among female fetishes:
- lush vegetation on the face and body of a man;
- long hair;
- prominent nose;
- inflated torso;
- wearing a military or any other form.
In fact, all this can be attributed to quirks or individual preferences. The only exception is the case when a girl falls in love with a long-haired man, but his feelings pass away, he only needs to change his hairstyle. It becomes clear that the hair was the subject of love, and not the person himself. Of commodity fetishes, women prefer bags and shoes.
The most common male fetishes:
- lingerie of a particular style or color;
- high-heeled shoes;
- worn panties;
- tights and stockings;
- female feet.
Interestingly, the listed male sex fetishes, according to psychologists, are imposed by the porn industry.
So, the excitement at the sight of female legs in tight tights or stockings can be rooted in the teenage period, when many guys are addicted to watching pornography. In addition, adult films themselves can be a fetish. This becomes a serious problem, as a man cannot experience sexual pleasure with a partner, and receives an orgasm solely by masturbation when watching porn movies.
The strangest fetishes according to psychologists:
- strong odor of sweat or unwashed genitals;
- sculptures and paintings (pygmalionism);
- feeding your partner for weight gain (feederism);
- attraction to people with amputated limbs;
- human excrement.
In general, absolutely any thing can become a sexual fetish. Unwashed women's clothes are very popular among men, which gave an impetus to the development of a new type of business - the sale of used linen and shoes. Interestingly, such a service is widely in demand in China.
How to get rid of arousal
You can defeat the excitement at the sight of fetishes on your own or with the help of a therapist. In the first case, it is enough to exclude any contact with the fetish and avoid any mention of this subject for some time. At the same time, you must try to learn how to enjoy sex without using auxiliary attributes, and partner support will come to the rescue here.
A professional approach to the treatment of fetishism includes cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy and work with open gestalt.
