By now, you have most likely have heard of people sending pictures of their feet for money. It might seem odd to some people, but for those on the receiving end of those pictures, it is invigorating. The people who buy feet pictures have a foot fetish.This is just one type of fetish in the wide world of fetishes.
Fetishes are more common than people think, and over the past couple of years, a lot more people have been more open to BDSM: bondage & discipline (B&D), dominance & submission (D&S), and sadism & masochism (S&M). Fetishes are often viewed as odd, weird, and shameful. With their mainstream introduction, society is opening up to the idea of sexual fetishes more.
There are different kinds of fetishes, both sexual and non-sexual. What do psychologists have to say about people with fetishes? Is it normal or healthy?
Is It Healthy?
In simpler terms, yes. Psychologists and therapists view fetishes as perfectly healthy, as long as it is done with a consenting partner. Some would even go as far as to say that people with fetishes are healthier than those who do not have one. A study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, suggests that couples who take part in BDSM might be emotionally healthier than those who only partake in “vanilla” sex.”
It is no different than people with varying food tastes. The same applies to people with fetishes; they just have different sexual needs. Some people remember when they started having a fetish, while others do not. There is no specific reason behind it, but some therapists suggest that it begins in a person’s childhood.
For example, if a teenager loses his virginity to a much older woman, he might begin to have fantasies about older women and become aroused when he sees them or pictures of them, also called Anililagnia. The same can go for inanimate objects. If the woman was wearing stockings, he might have a fetish for stockings or pictures of women in stockings.
Women Have Them Too
Men are not the only ones who have fetishes. Over 10 million copies of Fifty Shades of Grey were sold, mainly purchased by women. The book is all about BDSM, and research has actually shown that getting spanked releases endorphins throughout the body, and actually make sex feel better.
Different Types of Sexual Fetishes
There are so many different kinds of fetishes out there, such as role-playing, swinging, lingerie, and so much more. Some of the most common fetishes are:
- Foot Fetish (Podophilia)- Getting aroused by looking, licking, touching, sucking, or caressing someone’s feet.
Stigmatophilia is a fetish a person has when they get aroused by someone’s tattoos. - Shoe Fetish- Being aroused by women’s shoes.
- Bondage- Getting aroused by being tied up, and falls under BDSM.
- Stigmatophilia- When a person gets sexually aroused looking at someone’s piercings or tattoos.
- Voyeurism- Getting aroused by watching other people have sex in real life.
- Trichophilia- Playing with, staring, or smelling someone’s hair.
- Katoptronophilia- Having sex in front of a mirror.
Having a fetish is completely healthy and does not make you different. People simply vary in sexual appetites and fantasies. Some fetishes, such as BDSM, are now mainstream, which has helped make other fetishes more acceptable. There are even dating sites geared towards people with fetishes.
Make sure that whatever your fetish is, that the other person is consenting. If you oppress your fetish, it can harm you psychologically and have negative effects on your relationship. If your partner is into it, then bring out the handcuffs and whips.
