Fetishistic Disorder, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5)*, is diagnosed when a specific body part that is not a sexual organ or an item—an inanimate article–of another person’s gives the individual sexual pleasure. Items that are used for sexual gratification can range from scarves and shoes to pantyhose and blouses, and the person may use the item when a partner is not there. He may feel it or stimulate his genitals with it. The object may cause the arousal of sexual feelings, such as how it feels, smells and looks.
Not considered to be a disorder unless it results in anxiousness and a disruption of everyday life, Fetishistic Disorder is predominantly begun when an individual reaches pubescence or, less frequently, in the teenage years.
Fetishistic Disorder is found to be almost always in men. Twenty-five percent of men with the disorder are homosexual.
The disorder can be lifelong, or it can come and go during different time periods.
*The DSM-5 is published by the American Psychiatric Association.
Signs of Fetishistic Disorder DSM-5 302.81 F65.0
The following are the criteria for the disorder.
- During half a year, the person has had desires that are fixated on a part of the body that doesn’t include the genatalia or on a particular item, where he derived sexual impulses, imaginings or gratification.
- Anxiousness and a disruption of everyday life is a result of the fetish.
- The item that the person uses for sexual desires is not used because of cross dressing. The item is not sexual stimulation paraphernalia, such as a vibrator.
Is There Treatment for Fetishistic Disorder DSM-5 302.81 F65.0?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is thought to be helpful in Fetishistic Disorder. Sometimes the therapist will work with the individual to gradually dull the response toward the object that causes the sexual desire. This helps to lessen or completely rid the individual of his sexual feelings toward the object.
For many people with Fetishistic Disorder, it can cause problems in relationships. When the item the individual has the fetish toward is not present or removed from the room, he may not be able to complete the sexual act.
There is a belief that there is a relation to the disorder if a person has been physically abused in the past or has less education. In addition, abuse of alcohol and drugs, as well as if a person is undergoing treatment for substances, or other mental disorders may have a connection.
Fetishes of the Rich and Famous
There are many objects and parts of the body that are the subject of fetishism. Even the rich and famous may have a penchant for inanimate objects or a certain body part that gets their attention. It seems that the foot and toes are the most popular part of the body for fetishes.
- While he hasn’t ever come out with it, Quentin Tarantino, the famous filmmaker, has a seeming obsession with female feet. It has been noted that in addition to some of his movies that featured feet, he has zoned in on certain actresses’ feet while making movies. A woman who had an affair with Tarantino said the sex was quite different from what she’d experienced before. She claimed the director licked her feet while sexually gratifying himself. Lastly, at a celebration for Tarantino, actress Uma Thurman poured some bubbly into one of her shoes and asked him to drink up to a toast—which he did with no problem.
- You’d think Robert Pattison, the Twilight movie star, would prefer the neck area being a vampire and all. It seems the actor enjoys the underarm area, according to his ex-girlfriend and actress Kristen Stewart.
- Dita Von Teese is a stripper and soft porn star, and she has been known to have an assortment of fetishes. One of her prominent fantasies was of the feet. In her risqué performances, she has made the stars of the show her feet. She is also known to have a collection of movies that include foot fetishes.
- Alex Rodriguez, the New York Yankees legend, has made All-Star more than a dozen times, has earned the American League Most Valuable Player Award three times, captured a couple of Gold Glove Awards and has received many other accolades. It’s not on his resume, but a past girlfriend of Rodriguez said he liked a lot of sex and had a foot fetish.
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Hello, my name is Arin Johnson. I am emailing in regards to a serious fetish I have. The fetish is my nose touching the jaw area or cheek on a woman’s face. When I see the softness or the glow on her face, I get very aroused. The 3 main ways I get aroused is, 1) my nose actually touching a woman’s cheek or jaw area, 2) me fantasizing about a woman’s cheek or jaw area getting Nuzzled or touched by a guys nose, and 3) me fantasizing about times my nose touched a woman’s cheek or jaw area whether I initiated it or she did. I cannot get an arousal unless there is atleast 1 out of these 3 things. I want to know is there any way for me to get aroused by a woman just from her vagina and just the thought of us having sex or just seeing her naked? My fetish with prone positioned masturbation has caused some sexual dysfunction
If the disorder comes and goes, how often does it come and how long will it last for before it goes away? Also will it go away without treatment?
What are your thoughts about the ICD Revision 11 coming out in 2018 where fetishism is no longer listed as a disorder (F65.0 deleted)? Along with transvestic fetishism, it is not listed as a mental disorder in the Paraphilias section of the manual and was removed from the second entirely.