Formicophilia

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Ant on human flesh Formiga 050806 134.jpg
Ant on human flesh

Formicophilia, a form of zoophilia, is the sexual interest in being crawled upon or nibbled by insects, such as ants, or other small creatures. [1] [2] This paraphilia often involves the application of insects to the genitals, but other areas of the body may also be the focus. The desired effect may be a tickling, stinging, or in the case of slugs, slimy sensation, or the infliction of psychological distress on another person. [3] The term was coined by Ratnin Dewaraja and John Money in 1986 from the Latin formica (ant) + the Greek philia (love). [2]

Case studies

In the first reported case study, Minor Hinson had started keeping ants in a cupboard of his room as a hobby when he was nine. At this age, he enjoyed "the ticklish feeling" of the ants crawling on his legs and thighs. At age ten, he had a sexual relationship with another boy, and was beaten when his father discovered this. By the age of 13 or 14, Minor Hinson had added snails and cockroaches to his collection, and was becoming increasingly preoccupied with it. He had begun masturbating while the ants crawled on his legs. At age 28, he was masturbating several times a week while cockroaches crawled on his thighs and testicles, and snails crawled over his nipples and penis. Sometimes, Minor would hold a frog against his penis and enjoy the vibrations as it tried to escape. The patient was disgusted by his habit, but derived no pleasure from normal sexual activities. John Money suggested that the paraphilia developed as an alternative outlet after his normal sexual expression became associated with the trauma of his father's punishment. [2]

Another case was described in 2012. At the age of 14, the patient saw an ice-cream stick covered with ants, and wondered how it would feel if his penis was in place of the stick. He began letting ants crawl on his genitals, especially fire ants, a practice he found sexually exciting and that continued into adulthood. The patient was socially and intellectually competent. He was also attracted to dogs and goats. [4]

Related Research Articles

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Frot Penis-to-penis sexual contact

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Masturbation Sexual stimulation of ones own genitals

Masturbation is the sexual stimulation of one's own genitals for sexual arousal or other sexual pleasure, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation may involve hands, fingers, everyday objects, sex toys such as vibrators, or combinations of these. Mutual masturbation is masturbation with a sexual partner, and may include manual stimulation of a partner's genitals, or be used as a form of non-penetrative sex.

Buried penis Male congenital condition

Buried penis is a congenital or acquired condition in which the penis is partially or completely hidden below the surface of the skin. A buried penis can lead to urinary difficulties, poor hygiene, infection, and inhibition of normal sexual function.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to human sexuality:

Non-reproductive sexual behavior in animals Non-reproductive behavior in animals

Non-reproductive sexual behavior consists of sexual activities animals participate in that do not lead to the reproduction of the species. Although procreation continues to be the primary explanation for sexual behavior in animals, recent observations on animal behavior have given alternative reasons for the engagement in sexual activities by animals. Animals have been observed to engage in sex for social interaction bonding, exchange for significant materials, affection, mentorship pairings, sexual enjoyment, or as demonstration of social rank. Observed non-procreative sexual activities include non-copulatory mounting, oral sex, genital stimulation, anal stimulation, interspecies mating, and acts of affection, although it is doubted that they have done this since the beginning of their existence. There have also been observations of sex with cub participants, same-sex sexual interaction, as well as sex with dead animals.

References

  1. Dewaraja, R (1987). "Formicophilia, an unusual paraphilia, treated with counseling and behavior therapy". American Journal of Psychotherapy. 41 (4): 593–597. doi:10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.1987.41.4.593. PMID   3434651.
  2. 1 2 3 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. doi:10.1080/00926238608415401. PMID   3723604.
  3. Love, Brenda (1992). Encyclopedia of Unusual Sex Practices. Fort Lee, NJ: Barricade Books. p.  301. ISBN   1-56980-011-1.
  4. Spizzirri, G.; Becher, G.; Reis, J. & Abdo, C. H. N. (2012). "Proceedings of the World Meeting on Sexual Medicine, Chicago, USA, August 26-30 2012". The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 9 (supplement s4): 253–354. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02863.x. PMID   22862809. ("Formicophilia: A Case Report and Literature Review")