Philias And Paraphilias: Definition, Types And Characteristics
Although the term “philia” has a very broad meaning and can refer to any type of hobby, in Psychology we use it especially in the field of sexuality. When the philias are very marked and atypical, we speak of paraphilia..
In this article we will describe the characteristics of the most common or striking types of philias and paraphilias. To contextualize these categories, it is important to previously define the concepts of philia and paraphilia.
The word “filia” comes from the Greek “philos”, which we could translate as “love” or “friendship”. It is usually used as a suffix to designate the intense fondness or taste for a certain elementwhich may or may not be sexual; Thus, a cinephile is someone who really enjoys cinema, and philately is the hobby of collecting stamps.
However, in psychology, sexuality is the field where this concept appears most commonly. Within this area, the filiations overlap with the paraphilias, defined as patterns of sexual behavior in which desire, excitement or pleasure depend largely on atypical elements, although this does not necessarily lead to pathology.
Paraphilias are harmless if they do not cause discomfort to the person or others, so in many cases they simply consist of a sexual preference. This usually happens in fetishism (getting excited about an object or part of the body), among other philias. However, sometimes these preferences involve people who do not consent or simply make relationships difficult.
The term “philia” is contrasted with “phobia”which is used to refer to irrational fears or aversions. Like philias, phobias can sometimes be sexual; For example, erotophobia or genophobia is the aversion to sexual relations, while the word “medomalacuphobia” refers to the fear of losing an erection.
Types of affiliation and their characteristics
Below we will make a brief description of the main characteristics of different types of philias and paraphilias. Assigning one label or another depends on the intensity of the preference, the discomfort it causes to the person or others, and the point of view of each expert.
1. Fetishism
Fetishism is the sexual preference for inanimate objects or specific parts of the body. Two of the best-known fetish affiliations are podophilia, which involves the feet, and retifism or taste for shoes. Preference for objects designed for sexual stimulation, such as vibrators, is not considered fetishism.
2. Exhibitionism
This philia consists of obtaining sexual excitement and pleasure by expose body parts, usually the genitalsto other people. It is common for the intensity of exhibitionist behavior to increase with practice, and may take on a compulsive nature.
3. Voyeurism or scoptophilia
Voyeurism is defined as the taste marked by watching people who are naked or having sex. Voyeurs usually prefer that the person being observed does not know that they are being watched, and they normally do not seek sexual relations with them.
4. Frotteurism
The frotteurists, or frotteurs, seek the physical contact with other people to masturbate afterwards; In their pathological form, they do so without permission and/or against their will. It usually takes place in places where there are many people, such as public transport or nightclubs. Frotteurism is much more common in young people.
Masochism includes the sexual pleasure obtained by receive physical harm or humiliationas well as any other type of suffering. This is the most common paraphilia in women, and is frequently associated with sadism.
6. Sexual sadism
Sadistic people take sexual pleasure in the idea or practice of harming others. Although pathological sexual sadism is frequently talked about, there are many sadistic people who only fulfill their fantasies with people who consent to it; This happens for example in BDSMwhich encompasses the practices of bondage, discipline, domination, submission, sadism and masochism.
7. Transvestite fetishism
This philia involves obtaining sexual pleasure by dressing as a person of another gender. It has only been described in heterosexual men, who in some cases do not identify with the male gender. When a man becomes excited by seeing or imagining himself as if he were a woman, we speak of autogynephilia.
8. Pedophilia
The DSM manual defines pedophilia as sexual preference for people who have not reached puberty (approximately under 13 years old). The difference with pedophilia is that this term designates the practice of abusive behavior against children, while pedophilia can also refer to habitual impulses or fantasies that have not been fulfilled.
9. Gerontophilia
Gerontophilia is the sexual preference for elderly people. If the attraction is towards elderly men, this philia is known as alphamegamy, while if the object of desire is women it is matronolagnia.
10. Necrophilia
Necrophilous people are attracted to corpseswhether from humans or other animals. Although logically necrophilia is usually carried out without the consent of the deceased person, there have been cases of necrophilia with prior permission from the dead person, such as the famous episode of Armin Meiwes, the “Cannibal of Rothenburg”.
Asphyxiophilia consists of obtaining pleasure from the sensation of drowning. Sexual asphyxiation can be carried out with a partner or as a method of masturbation; In this case we would talk about autoerotic asphyxiation.
12. Zoophilia or bestiality
In zoophilia the person feel desire or engage in sexual activities with animals. It is especially common in rural environments and in psychiatric patients, and cases of exclusive zoophilia are only very rarely detected.
13. Urophilia and coprophilia
In urophilia, fantasies include the presence of urine, while in coprophilia the same thing happens with feces. A related paraphilia is diaper fetishism. When a person becomes excited by the idea of urinating or defecating on a sexual partner, we talk about salerophilia.
14. Xenophilia
Understood from a sexual point of view, xenophilia is the preference for people who are perceived as members of an exotic or different ethnic group than one’s own. However, in a broader sense, xenophilia is the liking for people or objects of unknown origin, and technically it has a meaning opposite to that of the word “xenophobia.”
15. Gynandromorphophilia or gynemimetophilia
This philia refers to the preferred attraction, whether exclusive or not, towards transgender or transsexual people. The conception of gynandromorphophilia as a type of paraphilia is frequently criticized since it can favor the stigmatization of transgender people and those who feel attracted to them.
