Is It Possible to “Get Rid Of” a Fetish?

Fetishes, along with fetishism, have a variety of definitions depending on the severity of the individual’s obsession level. Fetishes are considered any recurring and intense sexual fantasy involving an object or nonsexual body part. For example, one could have a fetish for the feeling of lace, or for feet in general. While many fetishes are seen more as a sexual preference, they may become problematic when this sexual preference persists for longer than 6 months and causes distress for the individual, which is known as paraphilia. Most existing research (while there is very little) understands that fetishism to this degree is primarily encountered by men, though women can also have fetishes.

Negative Effects of Paraphilia

Paraphilia is a known sexual interest or impulse disorder that can result in great shame, guilt, or embarrassment within the individual dealing with it, therefore causing distress. For example, it may not be enough for a person to just see lace fabric or touch it when they feel like performing sexual activity. A person with a strong lace fetish may seek lace material at all times in an effort to perform sexual activity, regardless of appropriateness in that moment.

Those with a distressing fetish may feel stuck, and may begin to experience alternative psychological problems, such as panic attacks. They also may face issues with public anxiety, for fear of running into their fetish trigger in front of others and experiencing arousal or feeling the urge to perform sexual acts. This can be incredibly debilitating and often requires professional help.

Potential Treatments

The most common way to treat paraphilia and fetishism is through therapy. Namely, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is a way to help identify and change negative feelings or thought patterns. In paraphilia patients, this may look like reconditioning, which is when an individual is provided immediate feedback in order to change behavior right away. One example of this is wearing some sort of responsive device related to the action needing change. When it triggers, the individual finds something else to do or focus on.

Another treatment that may be useful to paraphilia patients is couples’ therapy. Many times, the obsessive and impulsive nature of these fetishes can severely disrupt a relationship. This is especially true if the individual begins requiring their fetish to become aroused, as opposed to enjoying the additional help every once in a while. Attending couples therapy may help partners talk through how to proceed sexually.

The final route that may be taken for paraphilia patients is that of medications. While testosterone is not the culprit of developing paraphilias, taking anti-androgen medications (testosterone regulators), such as medroxyprogesterone and cyproterone, may help with reducing the physical reactions to seeing fetishistic triggers. This is done by reducing testosterone, and therefore sex drive and aggression, leading to reduced frequency in erections, sexual fantasies, and initiation of sexual behaviors.

Additionally, mood-stabilizing medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have very recently been recommended as useful for sexual impulse disorders. Perhaps more importantly, they may be used to treat other psychological conditions that may accompany paraphilia or fetishism like panic disorder, anxiety, and depression.

Conclusion

So, is it possible to “get rid of a fetish”? Not entirely. Many fetishes remain long-term. Additionally, impulsive desires and triggers change over time, so therapeutic care may need to continue long-term as well. However, it is still possible to mitigate distress from obsessive fetishes through therapeutic intervention, keeping in mind that not all fetishes are considered paraphilic, and the fact that some paraphilias may be due to physical damage, rather than psychological, and may need more intense interventions. Always speak with a sexual health professional or therapist if you are concerned about your sexual habits.

References:

Brown, G. R., & Zimmerman, Ma. (2023, July). Fetishistic disorder - psychiatric disorders. MSD Manual Professional Edition. https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/paraphilias-and-paraphilic-disorders/fetishistic-disorder

Kafka, M. P. (1995). Current concepts in the drug treatment of paraphilias and paraphilia-related disorders. CNS Drugs, 3(1), 9–21. https://doi.org/10.2165/00023210-199503010-00002

Pang, N. T., Kassim, M. A., Lee, S. C., Ng, C. K., Lim, P. K., & Alimuddin, A. S. (2023). Fetishism and panic disorder-an uneasy coexistence. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, 24(08). https://doi.org/10.54615/2231-7805.47327

Shekarchi, R., Mollaioli, D., Ciocca, G., Dettore, D., Jannini, E. A., & Limoncin, E. (2025). Comparison of psychopathological and socio-cultural outcomes among distinct fetishism subgroups: A cluster analysis approach. Sexuality & Culture. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-025-10352-1

Staff. (2022, March 23). Fetishistic disorder. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/conditions/fetishistic-disorder