10 Fetishes You've Probably Never Heard Of: A Sex Therapist's Guide to Kinks, Fetishes, and Paraphilias

If you've ever Googled something sexually curious at 2 a.m. and immediately felt like the world's most unusual person — this post is for you. Human sexuality is extraordinarily diverse, and the clinical and research literature makes clear that attraction, arousal, and desire operate along a vast spectrum that extends far beyond what most of us grew up learning about (Joyal et al., 2015).

As a sex and relationship therapist, one of the most important things I do is help people understand that having an unusual sexual interest does not automatically mean something is wrong with them. The science backs this up: research consistently shows that atypical sexual interests are far more common than we assume (Baier, 2024; Joyal et al., 2015).

In this post, we're taking a tour through ten of the most fascinating, little-known paraphilias documented in the psychological and sexological literature. Some will make you laugh. Some will genuinely surprise you. And at least one might make you quietly think, "Huh... actually..." Along the way, we'll ground everything in research and keep the framing clinical, compassionate, and judgment-free.

But first — a few important definitions, because the words kink, fetish, and paraphilia are often used interchangeably, even though they mean different things.

And if you'd rather watch than read, feel free to check out my YouTube video on this topic!

Kink vs. Fetish vs. Paraphilia: What's the Difference?

Understanding the distinction between these three terms helps reduce stigma and creates a more accurate framework for talking about sexuality.

A kink is broadly defined as any sexual interest, practice, or fantasy that falls outside what is considered conventional or mainstream. The word is colloquial rather than clinical, and it carries a relatively neutral or even positive connotation in modern usage. Kinky activities are typically consensual and practiced without psychological distress (Weiss, 2006).

A fetish, in both popular usage and clinical psychology, refers to sexual arousal that is specifically and consistently tied to a particular object, body part, or material. The person with a fetish may find it difficult or impossible to achieve sexual satisfaction without the presence — real or imagined — of the fetish object. The DSM-5 describes fetishistic disorder only when the pattern causes "clinically significant distress or impairment" (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). In other words, having a fetish is not inherently a disorder — the suffering or harm associated with it is what determines clinical significance.

A paraphilia is the broader clinical umbrella term. According to the DSM-5, a paraphilia is "any intense and persistent sexual interest other than sexual interest in genital stimulation or preparatory fondling with phenotypically normal, consenting adult humans" (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 685). Critically, a paraphilia becomes a paraphilic disorder only when it causes significant distress to the individual or involves harm or lack of consent. This distinction — between paraphilia and paraphilic disorder — is essential and is frequently misunderstood.

Research by Joyal and colleagues (2015) surveyed a demographically representative sample and found that nearly half of respondents reported interest in at least one paraphilic category, and roughly one-third had acted on such an interest at least once. Fetishism, masochism, voyeurism, and frotteurism all crossed the threshold of statistical unusualness — meaning that in some sense, unusual sexual interests are statistically quite normal (Baier, 2024; Joyal et al., 2015).

With that framing in place, let's explore ten paraphilias you've probably never heard of.

The Top 10 Fetishes You've Probably Never Heard Of

1. Spectrophilia: Attraction to Ghosts

Yes, really. Spectrophilia (sometimes called phasmophilia) refers to sexual attraction to ghosts or spirits, as well as reported accounts of sexual encounters between humans and supernatural entities. The phenomenon has roots in folklore across many cultures and has been documented in contemporary sexological literature (Pulliam & Fonseca, 2016).

While it may be tempting to dismiss this as pure fantasy — and for most people with spectrophilic interests, it likely operates entirely in the imagination — the psychological dynamics at play are genuinely interesting. Some researchers connect spectrophilia to broader patterns of objectophilia (discussed below) and the role of the imagination in constructing idealized, non-threatening sexual partners. Spectrophilia represents one of the clearest examples of how the human mind can eroticize almost any concept, including the intangible.

2. Formicophilia: Arousal from Insects

Formicophilia is the sexual interest in being crawled upon, tickled, or nibbled by small creatures — most commonly ants or other insects. The term was introduced in 1986 by sexologists Dewaraja and John Money following the first formally documented clinical case (Dewaraja & Money, 1986). The desired sensation typically involves the crawling, tickling, or stinging that small organisms produce on the skin, often but not exclusively on the genitals.

From a psychological standpoint, some researchers have theorized that formicophilia may involve tactile hypersensitivity or an unusual cross-activation between sensory and arousal pathways. As with many paraphilias, the etiology is not well understood, and the research base is limited. No causal mechanism has been established (Aggrawal, 2009). What is clear is that, when practiced without harm to self or others, it represents one of the more unusual entries in the catalog of human sexual diversity.

3. Coulrophilia: Sexual Attraction to Clowns

Coulrophilia is a paraphilia involving sexual attraction to clowns or clown personas. It has an active subculture and intersects meaningfully with the BDSM and kink communities, where costume, persona, and performance already play central roles (Aggrawal, 2009).

What makes coulrophilia psychologically interesting is the range of motivations its practitioners describe. Some cite the playfulness and silliness of clowns — a kind of permission for absurdity that defuses the social stakes of sex. Others connect it to themes of erotic humiliation, given the cultural image of clowns as figures of mockery (Griffiths, 2013). Still others describe an overlap with coulrophobia — the fear of clowns — which points toward the well-documented relationship between fear and arousal, sometimes referred to as excitation transfer (Dutton & Aron, 1974). When anxiety activates the sympathetic nervous system, the physiological arousal it produces can, in some contexts, be misattributed to or fused with sexual excitement — making the creepy, for some, curiously compelling.

4. Objectophilia: Falling in Love with Objects

Objectophilia (also called object sexuality or OS) goes considerably beyond having a fetish for an object. Individuals with objectophilia experience genuine feelings of romantic love, emotional attachment, and sometimes sexual desire for inanimate objects — including specific structures, machines, or artifacts. Well-documented cases in the literature include individuals who identify as being in committed relationships with landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower or the Berlin Wall (Griffiths, 2013).

Recent neuropsychological research has offered a compelling model for understanding objectophilia. A study of self-identified objectophiles found that rates of autism spectrum diagnoses were up to 30 times higher in this group compared to the general population, and rates of synaesthesia — particularly the variant in which inanimate objects feel imbued with personality or gender — were 14 times higher (Simner & Carmichael, 2015). The researchers proposed that objectophilia may arise at the intersection of two neurodevelopmental traits: a reduced preference for human social interaction (common in autism) combined with a brain that attributes personality and emotional presence to objects (characteristic of personification synaesthesia).

This is one of the more scientifically rich areas of paraphilia research, and it illustrates beautifully how unusual sexual interests can emerge from identifiable neurological differences rather than pathology or moral failing.

5. Chrematistophilia: Arousal from Being Robbed

Chrematistophilia refers to sexual arousal derived from the experience — real, staged, or fantasized — of being robbed. Its counterpart, kleptolagnia, involves arousal from the act of stealing or breaking and entering (Aggrawal, 2009). Both exist on the broader continuum of paraphilias involving power, transgression, and danger.

Psychologically, chrematistophilia shares theoretical terrain with paraphilias involving submission, vulnerability, and loss of control. The element of being "taken from" or dominated by a stranger activates themes that resonate with BDSM dynamics — specifically non-consent fantasy and power exchange — except that the vehicle for those themes is financial or material rather than physical. As with all paraphilias in this category, the ethical and clinical line is determined by consent: staged or fantasized scenarios differ entirely from actual victimization.

6. Autassassinophilia: Arousal from the Risk of Being Killed

Autassassinophilia is defined as sexual arousal derived from the experience or fantasy of being in mortal danger — specifically, the risk of being killed (Money, 1986). The term was introduced by sexologist John Money, who also described its reciprocal counterpart, erotophonophilia, involving arousal from the idea of killing a partner. Both were classified by Money within the "sacrificial/expiatory" subtype of paraphilias.

Autassassinophilia sits at an extreme end of the risk-arousal continuum and overlaps conceptually with autoerotic asphyxiation — a practice that carries significant documented risk of accidental death (Shields et al., 2009). The psychological mechanism likely involves the intense sympathetic nervous system activation produced by perceived mortal danger, which under the right circumstances becomes fused with sexual arousal. Understanding the neuroscience here is clinically important: excitation transfer theory (Dutton & Aron, 1974) and the biology of adrenaline and dopamine co-release help explain why danger and desire can, for some people, become inseparably linked.

7. Mechanophilia: Sexual Attraction to Machines

Mechanophilia refers to sexual attraction to machines — particularly vehicles such as automobiles, motorcycles, helicopters, and aircraft (Aggrawal, 2009). It is classified as a form of objectophilia but with a specific orientation toward mechanical, human-made devices. Case reports in the clinical literature describe individuals who experience genuine arousal from the sensory characteristics of machines: their form, power, vibration, and smell.

Cultural critics have noted that the erotic aesthetics of automobiles are heavily embedded in advertising and popular culture — raising interesting questions about how fetishistic interests are shaped by cultural conditioning versus individual neurological variation (Griffiths, 2013). Some philosophers of sexuality have drawn connections between mechanophilia and broader Western themes around power, control, and technological dominance. From a clinical standpoint, mechanophilia is largely harmless unless it leads to illegal acts; in several jurisdictions, sexual contact with a vehicle in public has resulted in prosecution under indecent exposure statutes.

8. Hybristophilia: Attraction to Criminals

Hybristophilia is the sexual attraction to individuals who have committed serious crimes — particularly violent crimes. Colloquially, it underlies the phenomenon sometimes called "killer groupies" or "prison wives" and explains the documented pattern of high-profile criminals receiving romantic correspondence from strangers (Purcell & Arrigo, 2006).

This paraphilia is notably more common in women than most others on this list, though it is not exclusively female. Researchers have proposed several theoretical explanations. From an evolutionary psychology perspective, some argue that attributes associated with dominance, risk-tolerance, and social fearlessness — which in certain contexts are adaptive — become attached to extreme manifestations of those traits in criminal figures (Purcell & Arrigo, 2006). Others situate hybristophilia within a framework of fantasy and idealization, where the person is attracted not to the real criminal but to a projected image of dangerous charisma. Still others point to media coverage as a distorting lens that glamorizes violent offenders. The psychodynamics are complex and not fully resolved in the literature — which makes this one of the richer areas for continued research.

9. Agalmatophilia: Attraction to Statues and Mannequins

Agalmatophilia (from the Greek agalma, meaning "statue") involves sexual attraction to statues, mannequins, dolls, or similar human-shaped inanimate forms. It is one of the oldest documented paraphilias in Western literature, with roots in the Greek myth of Pygmalion — the sculptor who fell in love with his own ivory statue and whose story was later popularized by Ovid (Aggrawal, 2009).

The attraction may include a desire for physical contact with the object, elaborate fantasy scenarios involving animated versions of the figure, or in some cases, the arousing fantasy of being transformed into such an object oneself (a phenomenon called agalmatophilic transformation fantasy). The static, idealized, and non-responsive nature of the figure may function as an anxiety-reducing element for some individuals, eliminating the uncertainty and vulnerability of human interaction. Agalmatophilia overlaps with objectophilia in its broader category but is distinguished by its focus on anthropomorphic forms — objects that are specifically shaped like people.

10. Narratophilia: Arousal from Dirty Talk and Erotic Stories

And here is the one on this list that you may actually relate to. Narratophilia refers to sexual arousal derived from erotic language — dirty talk, explicit storytelling, audio erotica, or written sexual narratives (Aggrawal, 2009). If you've ever found a well-written erotic passage more arousing than a visual image, or if your partner's voice saying certain things sends you over the edge — welcome to the narratophilia spectrum.

This is worth discussing clinically because it illustrates an important principle: the line between paraphilia and everyday erotic variation is not always bright. Joyal and colleagues (2015) found that narratophilic interests were among the more widely reported in their population-representative sample. The human brain is, at its core, a language-processing organ — which may explain why words, stories, and imagination are such powerful erotic triggers. Audio erotica platforms and the rising popularity of written erotica suggest that narratophilia is far more prevalent than the clinical label implies.

What All of This Tells Us About Human Sexuality

If there's one takeaway from this tour through ten of psychology's more unusual entries, it's this: human sexual diversity is vast, and the architecture of what arouses us is shaped by a complex interplay of neurobiology, developmental history, sensory experience, and culture. None of these paraphilias — absent harm, coercion, or significant personal distress — constitute a disorder. They are, in the words of the research literature, simply unusual (Joyal et al., 2015).

The DSM-5's framework makes this explicit: a paraphilia becomes a paraphilic disorder only when it causes clinically significant distress or functional impairment, or when it involves acting on urges with a non-consenting person (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The presence of an atypical sexual interest, on its own, is not a diagnosis.

As a sex therapist, I encourage curiosity over shame. Understanding what arouses you — even if it's unusual, even if it doesn't fit neatly into cultural scripts about "normal" sex — is part of a healthy relationship with your own sexuality. If a paraphilic interest is causing you distress or getting in the way of the intimacy and connection you want, that is absolutely something worth exploring with a qualified sex therapist. But curiosity itself? That's just being human.

If you found this post useful, share it with someone who could benefit from a more expansive, science-based conversation about sex. And don't forget to subscribe to the blog and follow along on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@DrHollyWoodPhD for more evidence-based content on sex, relationships, and the beautiful complexity of human desire.

References

• Aggrawal, A. (2009). Forensic and medico-legal aspects of sexual crimes and unusual sexual practices. CRC Press.

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

• Baier, D. (2024). Paraphilic interests in the Swiss population: Results of a representative survey in the canton of Zurich. Sexualities, 27(4), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/26318318241255783

• Dewaraja, R., & Money, J. (1986). Transcultural sexology: Formicophilia, a newly named paraphilia in a young Buddhist male. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 12(2), 139–145. https://doi.org/10.1080/00926238608415401

• Dutton, D. G., & Aron, A. P. (1974). Some evidence for heightened sexual attraction under conditions of high anxiety. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 30(4), 510–517. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0037031

• Griffiths, M. D. (2013). Unusual sexual fetishes: A brief overview of the paraphilias. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-excess

• Joyal, C. C., Cossette, A., & Lapierre, V. (2015). What exactly is an unusual sexual fantasy? Journal of Sexual Medicine, 12(2), 328–340. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsm.12734

• Money, J. (1986). Lovemaps: Clinical concepts of sexual/erotic health and pathology, paraphilia, and gender transposition in childhood, adolescence, and maturity. Irvington Publishers.

• Pulliam, J., & Fonseca, A. J. (2016). Encyclopedia of the vampire: The living dead in myth, legend, and popular culture. Greenwood Press.

• Purcell, C. E., & Arrigo, B. A. (2006). The psychology of lust murder: Paraphilia, sexual killing, and serial homicide. Academic Press.

• Shields, L. B. E., Hunsaker, D. M., Hunsaker, J. C., & Ward, M. R. (2009). Atypical autoerotic death: Part I. American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 26(1), 16–23. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.paf.0000155199.10048.6a

• Simner, J., & Carmichael, D. A. (2015). Is synaesthesia a dominantly female trait? Cognitive Neuroscience, 6(2–3), 68–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/17588928.2015.1019441

• Weiss, R. (2006). Cruise control: Understanding sex addiction in gay men. Alyson Books.

About the author

Dr. Holly is a leading expert in sexual health based in Orange County, certified as both a clinical sexologist and AASECT sex therapist. With extensive experience in sex therapy, sexual wellness, and relationship counseling, Holly provides evidence-based insights to clients in Orange County, the state of California and beyond. Recognized for expertise in sexual trauma recovery, sexual dysfunction, and intimacy, Holly is dedicated to empowering individuals with practical advice and research-backed strategies. For more, follow Holly for expert advice on sexual health and relationships.

Visit www.thehollywoodsexologist.com to learn more and request a consultation.