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Fetishism - Fetishism Symptom, Cause, Treatment
Fetishism is characterized as a disorder when there is a pathological assignment of sexual fixation, fantasies or behaviors toward an inanimate object -- frequently an item of clothing -- such as underclothing or a high-heeled shoe -- or to nongenital body parts -- such as the foot. The essential feature of fetishism is recurrent intense sexual urges and sexually arousing fantasies involving specific objects. While any object may become a fetish, the distinguishing feature is its connection with sex or sexual gratification. Persons who have had extensive experience with a transvestic fetish may be difficult to distinguish from members of the opposite sex. A so-called mature transvestic fetish involves adopting all of the mannerisms, clothing, materials and other items associated with persons of the opposite sex.
Symptoms of Fetishism
The following symptoms of Fetishism are include
- Over a period of at least 6 months, recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving the use of nonliving objects (e.g., female undergarments).
- The fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
- Early symptoms for a fetish involve touching the object of desire. The amount of time spent thinking about the fetish object may increase.
- Employment or volunteer work to enable fetish behavior, for example, a job in a shoe shop in the case of a shoe fetish.
- The fetish objects are not limited to articles of female clothing used in cross-dressing (as in Transvestic Fetishism) or devices designed for the purpose of tactile genital stimulation (e.g., a vibrator).
Causes of Fetishism
A person with a fetish may not be able to pinpoint exactly when his or her fetish began. A fetish may be related to activities associated with sexual abuse . Persons with transvestic fetishes should not be assumed to be homosexual. The cause of the association between an object and sexual arousal may be adolescent curiosity or a random association between the object and feelings of sexual pleasure. A random association may be innocent or unappreciated for its sexual content when it initially occurs. For example, a male may enjoy the texture or tactile sensation of female undergarments or stockings. Transvestic fetishism sometimes begins when a young boy dresses up in the clothes of an older sister or his mother. The activity is continued because it is enjoyable but the reasons for the enjoyment remain unconscious.
Treatment of Fetishism
In the earliest stages of behavior therapy, fetishes were narrowly viewed as attractions to inappropriate objects. Aversive stimuli such as shocks were administered to persons undergoing therapy. The disorder characteristics are:
- Repeatedly for at least 6 months the patient has intense sexual desires, fantasies or behavior concerning the use of inanimate objects (such as shoes, underwear).
- This results in clinically important distress or impairs work, social or personal functioning.
- The objects are not used solely in cross-dressing (female clothing in Transvestic Fetishism) and are not equipment intended to stimulate the genitals (such as a vibrator).
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