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Weird Fetishes From Around The World

By Abhay Saxena

The word "fetish" originated from the 15th century Portuguese word, ‘feitico', meaning false power, object or charm. The fetishists were those who worshiped the unusual. Later on the word carried with itself a whole different meaning.

A fetish is having a strong inclination towards something not inherently sexual that satisfies your needs in a sexual way or something that turns you on. A fetish can enhance sexual satisfaction or even become obsessive. It is a fixation to certain things or some acts that generally differs from those of the majority of population. Psychologists around the globe have identified many fetishes prevalent in humans, some falling drastically outside the purview of being called normal behavioural deviations. Some of these abnormal or weird fetishes are as under:

Weird Fetishes

1. Symphorophilia: Symphorophilia is deriving an arousal from disasters, either natural or man-made. Events like earthquakes, fires or road accidents can trigger this. Symphorophilia can have serious legal implications. While some mild symphorophiles get satisfaction by watching a car accident, others might feel the urge to stage accidents to feel the excitement.

2. Hierophilia: Hierophilia or Theophilia is a strong sexual attraction towards religious figures or sacred objects and usually diagnosed in persons extremely devout to their faith. It is a common belief that Hierophilia is common among nuns though no confirmed studies exist in testimony of this belief.

3. Formicophilia: A form of Zoophilia, Formicophilia is seeking a sexual pleasure in being crawled upon or nibbled by insects or bugs. This fetish involves application of insects on genitals or other parts for a much desired stinging or tickling sensation. It is reported to develop during the childhood as is the case with most fetishes.

4. Apotemnophilia: This is the fetish for having an amputation. The person fantasies being an amputee to seek sexual arousal. Some extreme Apotemnophiliacs seek surgeons to perform amputations on their healthy limbs. In some cases, they tend to injure themselves with a purpose to get an amputation.

5. Teratophilia: Teratophilia is characterised by a carnal craving for deformed or monstrous people. From Greek, teratos: monstrous, and phile: lover, the word originally signified the ability to see beauty in the unusual.

6. Dacryphilia: Dacryphilia is a fetish to witness a person tearing up and crying. This paraphilia can be quite disturbing because of its close association with sadism. Dacryphilia is typically observed in males who intimidate others to the extent of making them cry as a form of submission, getting a psychological feeling of superiority. Dacryphilia can even cause a sexual arousal while experiencing one's own tears.

7. Ursusagalmatophilia: Ursusagalmatophilia is a fetish for Teddy bears. The sufferer derives sexual pleasure and arousal from Teddy bears. Ursusagalmatophilia is considered to be a sub-type of two general categories of fetishes, Plushophilia, a fetish for stuffed toys or people in animal costume, such as theme park characters, and Agalmatophilia, a fetish in which individuals derive sexual arousal from statues, dolls, mannequins or other similar body shaped objects.

8. Vorarephilia or the Cannibalism Fetish: Those who have this fetish, fantasize about either eating someone or being eaten to derive sexual kick. Since this fantasy is almost impossible to actualise, the majority of Vorarephiles satiate their urges by viewing pictures and videos of people getting roasted or other cannibal-related imagery.

Story first published: Monday, October 14, 2013, 15:29 [IST]
Read more about: bizarre