Is Tickling a Fetish or a need for sensory enjoyment?

[ThatLaugh_:-)]

Disregard

Disregard

 

[chicago]

It's a paraphilia - if you can't function sexually without it.

 

[milagros317]

To me, tickling and being tickled are erotic interests.
I leave to medical professionals to define what a fetish is.

 

[chicago]

To me, tickling and being tickled are erotic interests.
I leave to medical professionals to define what a fetish is.

Pretty much how I define it too. I just refer to it as a kink. xD

 

[ticklehappy]

maybe a bit of both, and it does have a kinky aspect for sure .

It revolves around how you view and tickle its not a sexual thing for a lot of people, but for others it is, some like the bondage aspect of it, for others its the teasing aspect, to me i like all the aspects of it hence my answer above lol
"ohh to hell with this bring out the feathers lol.

 

[milagros317]

Pretty much how I define it too. I just refer to it as a kink. xD

Yes. My pragmatic definition of a kink is an erotic interest held by less than 10 per cent of the population. Hence men's interest in women's breasts is not a kink here and now, but was a kink in the South Pacific in the early 20th century.

 

[duderino84]

I think I know what you mean. Like do you mean lack of touch makes you hornier than average?

There's times lately I think of tickling as a fetish and other times I think it's a gap between other fetishes. Some days I'll be seemingly infinitely into it, other days I'll just not be feeling it. Either way it's been a consistent interest.

 

[Sandisk444]

I hope this doesn't come off like I'm calling out the OP in any way and feel free to ignore if it feels like I'm derailing, but why are people so keen on slapping a label to stuff like this? It seems like everything needs to have a specific category to fall into. "I have a sexual interest in tickling" doesn't seem to satisfy lol.

I'm not particularly bothered by it, I'm just curious as to the need for a strict definition. I've been told a bunch of times that I don't have a tickling "fetish" because it doesn't fit that specific definition and all I can do is throw my hands up and say "Well call it whatever you want, I just find it sexy when a girl giggles after I poke her side."

 

[chicago]

I took it as a pretty lighthearted thread despite answering literally. I don't think anyone was really desperate to label anything

 

[The Tickle Room]

I would say regardless it's a fetish by definition but in my opinion I feel like anything else there are levels to it. I don't think everyone enjoys the feeling of tickling on a sensory level. Some enjoy it for various reasons. Me personally I am one of the sensory people. I love touch with willing partners. Because I'm not ticklish whenever someone lightly touches my body and I feel it that's arousing to me. Or whenever I touch someone lightly and they react positively its attractive. But that's just a piece of the puzzle I feel. Because I already have to be attracted to someone and have a connection for this to work. Idk I'm rambling but ya I disagree that it's just sensory

 

[OmahaTickler]

I don't have a problem with such a question, considering that to those outside our realm, it makes sense that they might assume that we, or at least, 'lees, are sensory-deprived or somesuch. And as someone said, there are most definitely degrees. As another person said, some in this group view it as a kink, i.e., something they use merely to spice up their regular sex lives. Others have fused it with their sex lives consistently and view it almost as a sexual act. Those under the paraphilia category, as mentioned, require it in their sex lives. Those in the "super-paraphilia" category, like me, don't have any sexual urges beyond tickling and foot play, and never did.

 

[Myriads]

A fetish, by definition is when a paraphilia becomes a necessary to achieve sexual satisfaction.

So tickling CAN become a fetish.

It doesn't for all folks, and in many cases is simply a strong preference, or technically a paraphilia. \\


Myriads

 

[RevyBL]

I definitely don't need tickling in order to engage in anything sexually. It's just something I like to do from time to time.

 

[Tenebrae]

I hope this doesn't come off like I'm calling out the OP in any way and feel free to ignore if it feels like I'm derailing, but why are people so keen on slapping a label to stuff like this? It seems like everything needs to have a specific category to fall into. "I have a sexual interest in tickling" doesn't seem to satisfy lol.

I'm not particularly bothered by it, I'm just curious as to the need for a strict definition. I've been told a bunch of times that I don't have a tickling "fetish" because it doesn't fit that specific definition and all I can do is throw my hands up and say "Well call it whatever you want, I just find it sexy when a girl giggles after I poke her side."

I am with you here. This tendency to slap tags on everything (and even more regrettably, everyone) annoys me. It scares me a bit too, because it tends to reduce a person to one or two things. "This is Mike, the foot fetishist", doesn't matter that he likes to collect coins, is a loving husband or a very humane manager at the office. It's kinda sad.

I also hate the word "paraphilia". It sounds like we have some kind of disease. Maybe it's my European upbringing talking, but I don't like to make sexuality a big thing. I prefer to simply say that tickling is something I love, and live my life outside of the box the "cognitive scientists" or whatever the hell they call themselves have made for me. I woudn't fit in it anyway 😉

 

[ticklehappy]

Most of us enjoy tickling sex and bondage and maybe one or two other things just except it for what it is and enjoy it to the full,maybe tickling is all things to all people

 

[Sandisk444]

I took it as a pretty lighthearted thread despite answering literally. I don't think anyone was really desperate to label anything

My bad if I took the lightheartedness out of it, was just curious about why people want there to be a specific definition in the first place since I'm perfectly happy leaving it at "I find tickling sexy". Like I said before it wasn't like I was bothered, just curious.

I am with you here. This tendency to slap tags on everything (and even more regrettably, everyone) annoys me. It scares me a bit too, because it tends to reduce a person to one or two things. "This is Mike, the foot fetishist", doesn't matter that he likes to collect coins, is a loving husband or a very humane manager at the office. It's kinda sad.

I dunno if I see a whole lot of it stripping people down to a few labels since the only times I've really encountered these discussions were under the pretense of "I acknowledge that I'm into A and you're into B". It's been more in a "first person" situation where it's more personal as opposed to a "third person" situation where you're essentially talking about someone outside of the conversation... If that makes any sense what-so-ever lol. I guess the reason I don't understand why people want the labels is because people are so complex that you'd spend endless hours just trying to define each aspect of them, making the labels pointless? I dunno... I feel like now this is slightly derailing, haha.

I also hate the word "paraphilia". It sounds like we have some kind of disease. Maybe it's my European upbringing talking, but I don't like to make sexuality a big thing. I prefer to simply say that tickling is something I love, and live my life outside of the box the "cognitive scientists" or whatever the hell they call themselves have made for me. I woudn't fit in it anyway 😉

I do agree with you here though, 100%... without the European upbringing though, I didn't have that 😛

 

[Taliesin]

While I couldn't make out the actual implications of the original post itself, which was oddly confusing... the title sounded like it was trying to make an entirely different comparison to me: is it a sexual fetish, or is it primarily a craving for a specific kind of touch (or reaction, in the case of 'lers) that may contribute or not to enjoyment of other sexual activities?

Even taken in this light, I think the answer is still very dependent on the person. I know that for some people, the act of tickling is exclusively and strongly sexual, to the point they wouldn't even consider doing it to a friend, a member of a sex or gender that is not preferred, or a child, regardless of the behavior of other adults who do not share this paraphilia. Then there are others who simply crave the sensation of that particular touch, or that reaction, who will tickle or be tickled by pretty much anybody they know well and trust, because it is not in and of itself a sexual thing for them.

I'm closer to the latter half of this example... for me, tickling is only a sexual thing when I'm sharing it with a partner who I'm already intimate with, or think of in those terms. Most of the time, tickling is an entirely different thing for me, and yes, there are times I crave it much in the same way as a friend of mine with ASMR craves that sensation. It is, as the second half of the title states, a "need for sensory enjoyment." It's not for erotic reasons, but it just gives a sense of physical pleasure that is often completely separate from sexual arousal.

That being said, as it is by definition a sense-oriented experience, when I -am- with a partner, it most definitely adds to my arousal to include tickling in the foreplay, and sometimes even during the act. But that's highly situational.

 

[Tenebrae]

I dunno if I see a whole lot of it stripping people down to a few labels since the only times I've really encountered these discussions were under the pretense of "I acknowledge that I'm into A and you're into B". It's been more in a "first person" situation where it's more personal as opposed to a "third person" situation where you're essentially talking about someone outside of the conversation... If that makes any sense what-so-ever lol. I guess the reason I don't understand why people want the labels is because people are so complex that you'd spend endless hours just trying to define each aspect of them, making the labels pointless? I dunno... I feel like now this is slightly derailing, haha.

Not necessarily pointless. I agree with you, we need labels to a degree. Just, I think it's a slippery slope. And slapping tags based on sexuality on people is even more dubious IMO.

Also, please don't be so modest. It was a great response to a complex problem.

I do agree with you here though, 100%... without the European upbringing though, I didn't have that 😛

Hahaha, glad to hear it 😀

The reason I said that is that I find that the Americans, for all their awesomeness, are always SO FUSSY when it comes to sexuality. Some make it political, others make it the center of their life. Dating over there has so many steps and unspoken rules that if written I think it would look something like the Bill of Rights. And don't get me started on the MASSIVE complex you guys have towards nudity...

Where I come from, sexuality is a natural thing. It's not complex. It has no rules. It's just something people do, privately, without giving it much thought.

 

[chicago]

Not necessarily pointless. I agree with you, we need labels to a degree. Just, I think it's a slippery slope. And slapping tags based on sexuality on people is even more dubious IMO.

Also, please don't be so modest. It was a great response to a complex problem.



Hahaha, glad to hear it 😀

The reason I said that is that I find that the Americans, for all their awesomeness, are always SO FUSSY when it comes to sexuality. Some make it political, others make it the center of their life. Dating over there has so many steps and unspoken rules that if written I think it would look something like the Bill of Rights. And don't get me started on the MASSIVE complex you guys have towards nudity...

Where I come from, sexuality is a natural thing. It's not complex. It has no rules. It's just something people do, privately, without giving it much thought.

Lolwat? Maybe when it comes to emotionally immature people this is the case, but otherwise nah lol

Then again, I've been in a successful relationship for 6 years so lol

 

[The Tickle Room]

Lolwat? Maybe when it comes to emotionally immature people this is the case, but otherwise nah lol

Then again, I've been in a successful relationship for 6 years so lol

I second this. like what? lol Why do other countries stereotype all Americans so hardcore. This is the 5th statement today I've seen of someone saying americans have complicated and stupid rules with dating and I'm over here like......I think we have the most free type of relationships with common sense and communication being a major factor. Now its FAR from perfect but to single us out specifically is a little far fetched imo