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Farm assist? A brief look at 'tractor sex'
One of my good friends, Dr. Mike Sutton, recently sent me a story he'd come across with the headline "Suffolk man had sex with 450 tractors". Given my academic interest in paraphilias and fetishism, I decided to try and track down the original source of the story and found that it was first published by the Suffolk Gazette back in 2015. According to the news report:
"Ralph Bishop, 53, was found by police with his trousers around his ankles "interfering" with a tractor parked in a field outside Saxmundham. He was arrested on suspicion of outraging public decency, and admitted to having had sex with around 450 tractors all over the Suffolk countryside. When officers searched his terraced home they found a collection of more than 5,000 tractor images on his laptop. The photos showed Bishop had a special desire for John Deere and Massey Ferguson tractors, particularly green ones. A police insider said: "We couldn't believe it when we found him in the field. He was wearing a white t-shirt and Wellington boots and very little else. He was clearly in state of high excitement at the rear of the machine. Thankfully nobody else was around, but the field is close to a village primary school so we had to arrest him and educate him about the error of his ways. He told us he was particularly 'in to' axle grease and the presence of this around the back of tractors was all too much for him." Bishop, twice divorced, was released without charge on condition he sought psychological help. He was put on the sex-offenders' register. "He is also banned from the countryside and is now forbidden to go within one mile of a farm," the police insider added. "So he has to live and remain in the middle of Ipswich to comply with that. However, we are watching him because we are worried about the safety of several street-cleaning machines." Another policeman added: "He'll also need to keep away from the town's gardens – if he takes a fancy to a lawn mower he might find he loses more than just his liberty."
Since the publication of this story, it has been re-reported dozens of times including the Daily Star and has even had follow-up stories (also in the Suffolk Gazette) – just type in the words 'Ralph Bishop' and 'tractor' and you'll see what I am referring to. Given that I have written a number of articles on what has been termed 'objectum sexuality' (involving individuals who have sexual relationships with cars, trains, and bicycles) I wouldn't have been overly surprised to hear of such a story, but the story is a hoax. My suspicions were raised by some of the alleged quotes from the nameless police officers in the story but the real clue to the story being a hoax (along with the follow-up stories) was that these stories were written by a 'Crime correspondent' called 'Hugh Dunnett' ('whodunit').
Despite the story being a hoax I decided to see if there were any real examples of 'tractor sex'. A quick bit of Googling demonstrated that there is certainly a niche market for pornographic videos featuring individuals having sex in tractors including Porn Hub and elsewhere (please be warned that clicking on these links leads directly to sexually explicit material). I also found the occasional admission in online forums of individuals who had sexual fantasies concerning tractors but these appeared to be nothing more than isolated dreams rather than being a fetish that was enacted. I also discovered that there is a sexual practice colloquially known as a 'Kentucky Tractor Puller'. According to online sources, the description is as follows:
"The act of a male and a male or male and a female preforming anal sex. During sex the receiver clenches their butt-cheeks tightly and runs with the penis still in the buttocks".
I then went onto Google Scholar, and a just published 2018 paper appeared after I had typed in the words 'tractor sex'. A paper in the journal Medical Journal Armed Forces India by Antonio Ventriglio and colleagues entitled 'Sexuality in the 21st century: Leather or rubber? Fetishism explained'. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by what I found. In the very first paragraph of the paper, the authors repeated the hoax story:
"In the UK, in early October 2015, a man was arrested for having had sex with 450 tractors. According to the news report, he was found to have over 5000 tractor images on his laptop. He had a special desire for John Deere and Massey Ferguson tractors, particularly the green ones. He was into axle grease, which apparently turned him on sexually. He was placed on the Sexual Offenders' Register".
Although academics (including myself) can be fooled by hoaxes, the authors of the paper clearly didn't even check out the original source. In fact, the authors cited the article that appeared in the Daily Star but if they had continued to read the story to the very end, they would have seen the fact that even the newspaper believed the story to be a hoax.
I then found a 2016 paper by Brian Holoyda and William Newman in the International Journal of Law and Psychiatry entitled 'Childhood animal cruelty, bestiality, and the link to adult interpersonal violence'. I knew the word 'tractor' appeared in the paper but I had no idea in what context. I emailed Dr. Holoyda who sent me the paper. I had been expecting to read that there was some kind of bestial act relating to a tractor but this wasn't the case. It cited a paper published in a 1963 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry by Dr. John Macdonald which related sadistic acts by a farmer (the so-called 'homocidal triad') towards animals:
"Macdonald described some patients who were "very sadistic," including one patient who "derived satisfaction from telling his wife again and again of an incident in which he assisted in the birth of a calf by hitching the cow to a post and tying a rope from the presenting legs of the calf to his tractor," the result being that he "gunned the motor and eviscerated the cow" (p. 126). He claimed that "in the very sadistic patients, the triad of childhood cruelty to animals, fire setting and enuresis was often encountered" (p. 126–127), though he never explicitly stated how many patients had a history of these comorbid behaviors. Macdonald reported that within six months of his study, two patients killed a person, neither of whom he identified as having a history of animal cruelty (or enuresis or fire setting, for that matter), and that one patient with schizophrenia committed suicide".
I ought to add that bestial acts by farmers is not uncommon. The Kinsey Reports (of 1948 and 1953) arguably shocked its readers when it reported that 8% of males and 4% females had at least one sexual experience with an animal. As with necrophiliacs who are often employed in jobs that provide regular contact with dead people, the Kinsey Reports provided much higher prevalence for zoophilic acts among those who worked on farms (for instance, 17% males who had worked on farms had experienced an orgasmic episode involving animals). A more recent reference by Dr. Anil Aggrawal outlining his new typology for zoophilia (which I overviewed in a previous blog) noted the cases of what he described as opportunistic zoosexuals who have normal sexual encounters but who Aggrawal argued would not refrain from having sexual intercourse with animals if the opportunity arose. Aggrawal claims that such behaviour occurs most often in incarcerated or stranded persons, or when the person sees an opportunity to have sex with an animal when they are sure no-one else is present (e.g., farmhands). Aggrawal claims that opportunistic zoosexuals have no emotional attachment to animals despite having sex with them.
Thankfully, I did manage to locate one paper in the academic literature where tractors were inextricably linked with paraphilic behaviour. In 1993, a paper by P.E. Dietz and R.L. O'Halloran entitled 'Autoerotic fatalities with power hydraulics' published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences. They reported two case studies of men who used "the hydraulic shovels on tractors to suspend themselves for masochistic sexual stimulation". One of the men was an objectophile (although the authors didn't call him that – I am using Dr. Amy Marsh's definition in a 2010 paper on objectum sexuality in the Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality to classify him as such). This man actually developed a romantic attachment to his tractor, and went as far as giving his tractor a name and writing poetry about it. Unfortunately, the man "died accidentally while intentionally asphyxiating himself through suspension by the neck, leaving clues that he enjoyed perceptual distortions during asphyxiation".
The second case was a man who was found dead in a barn lying on his front pinned under the hydraulic shovel of his tractor. His body was covered with semen stains and there was evidence of masochistic sexual bondage. His clothes were folded neatly away nearby. He was found naked except for a pair of women's red shoes (with 8 inch heels), knee high stockings and tape duct wrapped around his ankles. Ropes led from his feet to the tractor which when raised would lift his inverted body causing complete suspension. It is not known exactly what happened but it is likely that the engine stalled and he was crushed underneath the tractor shovel. He died of positional asphyxiation by chest compression. This was an atypical autoerotic fatality because he did not purposely use asphyxiation but it did cause his death.
Dietz, P. E., & O'Halloran, R.L. (1993). Autoerotic fatalities with power hydraulics. Journal of Forensic Science, 38(2), 359-364.
"Dunnett, H." (2015). Suffolk man 'had sex with 450 tractors'. Suffolk Gazette. Located at: https://www.suffolkgazette.com/news/suffolk-man-sex-with-tractors/
Holoyda, B. J., & Newman, W. J. (2016). Childhood animal cruelty, bestiality, and the link to adult interpersonal violence. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 47, 129-135.
Kinsey, A. C., Pomeroy, W. B., Martin, C.E., Gebhard, P.H. (1953). Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Company.
Kinsey, A. C., Pomeroy, W. B., Martin, C.E., (1948). Sexual Behavior in the Human Male. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Company.
Macdonald, J. M. (1963). The threat to kill. American Journal of Psychiatry, 120(2), 125-130.
Rawle, T. (2015). Perv who romped with 450 TRACTORS caught with 5,000 racy pics of farming vehicles. Daily Star, October 21. Located at: https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/471306/Pervert-tractor-sex-fetish-farm-vehicles-arrested
Ventriglio, A., Bhat, P. S., Torales, J., & Bhugra, D. (2018). Sexuality in the 21st century: Leather or rubber? Fetishism explained. Medical Journal Armed Forces India. Epub ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mjafi.2018.09.009
Posted in Case Studies, Compulsion, Crime, Gender differences, Obsession, Pornography, Psychology, Sex, Unusual deaths
Tags: Autoerotic asphyxiation, Autoerotic fatality, Hoaxes, Homocidal triad, Hypoxyphilia, Kentucky tractor puller, Masochism, Objectophile, Objectum Sexuality, Sadomasochism, Sexual fetishism, Sexual paraphilia, Tractor sex, Zoosexuals
Making scents of it all: A brief look at sex, smell and olfactophilia
Olfactophilia (also known as osmolagnia, osphresiolagnia, and ozolagnia) is a paraphilia where an individual derives sexual pleasure from smells and odours. Given the large body of research on olfaction, it is unsurprising that in some cases there should be an association with sexual behavior. The erotic focus is most likely to relate to body odors of a sexual partner, including genital odors. One of my favourite papers examining sex and smell was a 1999 paper by Dr. Alan Hirsch and Dr. Jason Gruss published in the Journal of Neurological and Orthopaedic Medicine and Surgery. As they note in the introduction to their study, sex and smell have a long association:
"Historically, certain smells have been considered aphrodisiacs, a subject of much folklore and pseudoscience. In the volcanic remnants of Pompeii, perfume jars were preserved in the chambers designed for sexual relations. Ancient Egyptians bathed with essential oils in preparation for assignations; Sumarians seduced their women with perfumes. A relationship between smell and sexual attraction is emphasized in traditional Chinese rituals, and virtually all cultures have used perfume in their marriage rites. In mythology, rose petals symbolized scent, and the word 'deflowering' describes the initial act of sex…Dramatic literature abounds with sly references to nasal size as symbolic of phallic size, as in the famous play Cyrano De Bergerac…Psychoanalysis has made much of these associations. Fliess, in his concept of the phallic nose, formally described an underlying link between the nose and the phallus. Jungian psychology also connects odors and sex".
In contemporary society, perfumes for women and colognes for men are marketed aggressively because it is a multi-billion pound business and are advertised in a way that suggests sexual success for those who use such fragrances. Hirsch and Gruss argue that:
"The prominent connection between odors and sex among diverse historical periods and cultures implies a high level of evolutionary importance. Freud suggested that odors are such strong inducers of sexual feelings that repression of smell sensations is necessary to civilization. Anatomy bears out the link between smells and sex: the area of the brain through which we experience smells, the olfactory lobe, is part of the limbic system, the emotional brain, the area through which sexual thoughts and desires are derived. Brill [1932] suggests that people kiss to get their noses close together, so that they can smell each other (the Eskimo kiss). Or possibly they kiss to get their mouths together so they can taste each other since most of what we call taste is dependent upon olfaction".
One of the research areas that I have published a couple of papers with Dr. Mark Sergeant (see 'Further reading' below) in is on the area of pheromones (i.e., chemical substances "produced and released into the environment by an animal, especially a mammal or an insect, affecting the behaviour or physiology of others of its species"). Pheromones are known to exist across the animal kingdom from insects to primates (possibly including humans but most robust scientific studies have shown the evidence is relatively weak, and if pheromones do exist in humans the effects are likely to be very subtle). As Hirsch and Gruss note:
"Inside the human brain, near the top of the nose is an anatomical feature that gives us reason to believe that human pheromones exist: the vomeronasal organ. Its function is unknown, but in subhuman primates, this is the area where pheromones act to increase the chance of procreation…When we exercise, we sweat through endocrine glands. But when we are embarrassed or sexually excited, we sweat through apocrine glands that release high-density steroids under the arms and around the genitalia; their role is unknown. In subhuman primates, the same apocrine glands release pheromones".
Other evidence for the existence of pheromones are the studies showing that women's menstrual cycles tend to synchronize over time when living or working closely together (the so-called 'McClintock Effect' named after Martha McClintock, the person who first reported it in a 1971 issue of the journal Nature). Other research by Dr. Hirsch has shown evidence that links smell with sexual response. For instance, in one of his studies, 17% of patients that had "olfactory deficits" had developed some kind of sexual dysfunction.
In Hirsch and Gruss' 1999 study, they examined the effects of 30 different smells on male sexual arousal of 31 American male participants (aged 18 years to over 60 years). They underwent various (question-based) smell tests and their sexual arousal was assessed experimentally by measuring penile blood flow with a penile plethysmograph. The smells comprised 24 different odourants in addition to six combination odourants. All 30 odours produced an increase in penile blood flow (Table III). They reported that:
"The combined odor of lavender and pumpkin pie had the greatest effect, increasing median penile-blood flow by 40%. Second in effectiveness was the combination of black licorice and doughnut, which increased the median penile-blood flow 31.5%. The combined odors of pumpkin pie and doughnut was third, with a 20% increase. Least stimulating was cranberry, which increased penile blood flow by 2%…Men with below normal olfaction did not differ significantly from those with normal olfaction, nor did smokers differ significantly from nonsmokers".
The findings supported their hypothesis that positive smelling odours would increase sexual arousal, and then speculated a number of reasons why this might be the case:
"The odors could induce a Pavlovian conditioned response reminding subjects of their sexual partners or their favorite foods. Among persons raised in the United States, odors of baked goods are most apt to induce a state called olfactory-evoked recall. Possibly, odors in the current study evoked a nostalgic recall with an associated positive mood state that affected penile blood flow. Or the odors may simply be relaxing. In others studies, lavender, which increased alpha waves posteriorly, an effect associated with a relaxed state. In a condition of reduced anxiety, inhibitions may be removed and thus penile blood flow increased…Another possibility, odors may act neurophysiologically…Nor can we rule out a generalized parasympathetic effect, increasing penile blood flow rather than specific sexual excitation…The specific odors that affected penile blood flow in our experiment were primarily food odors…Does this support the axiom that the way to a man's heart (and sexual affection) is through his stomach?…We certainly cannot consider the odors in our experiment to be human pheromones, therefore we believe they acted through other pathways than do pheromones".
Shortly after this study, Hirsch and his colleagues repeated the study on females (assessing their vaginal blood flow) and found similar effects that they reported in the International Journal of Aromatherapy. In this second study they found that the largest increases in vaginal blood flow were from candy and cucumber (13%), baby powder (13%), pumpkin pie and lavender (11%), and baby powder and chocolate (4%). Obviously there are major limitations with both of these studies (such as small sample sizes, all the odours being selected by the researchers, and blood flow being the sole measure of arousal).
Odours that are sexually arousing are likely to be very specific and (in some cases) strange and/or bizarre. For instance, I published the world's first case study of eproctophilia (sexual arousal from flatulence and a sub-type of olfactophilia) in a 2013 issue of the Archives of Sexual Behavior (a topic that I examined in a number of previous blogs such as those here and here). I've also come across anecdotal evidence of other strange smells that sexually arouse people. For instance, in an article on '15 Surprising & Weird Fetishes', number 11 in the list was 'air freshener' fetish:
"One Reddit user reports becoming aroused as a teenager whenever he walked into a room that uses a specific brand and scent of air freshener! After some questioning from other conclusions, he suspects that the scent has become associated withe the first time he watched porn. Other users report being turned on by scents such as perfume samples that were included in 'Playboy' magazine".
Some paraphilias may have an element of olfaction. For instance, antholagnia refers to individuals who are sexually aroused by flowers (and the arousal may depend on the sight and/or smell of the flowers). The Kinkly website notes (without empirical evidence to back up any of the claims made):
"People with antholagnia typically have a preference for certain flowers, just as most people are sexually aroused by certain body types. They are likely to become aroused while visiting a florist shop, a floral nursery, or a botanical garden. They may also seek out images of flowers online for sexual gratification. Most people with antholagnia learn to manage their condition and enjoy healthy sex lives. They may even use the scent of flowers during foreplay or intercourse. However, if antholagnia starts to interfere with a person's professional or personal life, he or she may wish to seek treatment. Treatment for antholagnia may consist of cognitive or behavioral therapies, psychoanalysis, or hypnosis"
I also came across an online 2013 article ('Scents that trigger sexual arousal') by Susan Bratton that summarized recent research (although she based most of it from material in Dr. Daniel Amen's 2007 book Sex On The Brain). More specifically, the article note that:
"Current research also suggests the scent of musk closely resembles that of testosterone, the hormone that enhances healthy libido in both sexes. In scent studies at Toho University in Japan, floral and herbal essential oils were found to impact sexual arousal in the nervous system. But depending on whether you need to stimulate or relax your partner to get them in an amorous mood, you would use different scents. To stimulate the Sympathetic Nervous System use jasmine, yang-ylang, rose, patchouli, peppermint, clove and bois de rose. To relax the Parasympathetic Nervous System use sandalwood, marjoram, lemon, chamomile and bergamot…Many of these scents are also commonly found in tea such as peppermint and chamomile. Many candles are scented with rose, jasmine, patchouli, sandalwood and bergamot".
There are plenty of websites that list various scents that turn people on and a lot of these appear to be based upon on the research carried out by Dr. Hirsch and his colleagues. Research into sex, smell and olfactophilia appears to be a growing area and hopefully my own research has played a small part in stimulating research into the area.
Amen, D. (2007). Sex on the Brain: 12 Lessons to Enhance Your Love Life. London: Harmony.
Bratton, S. (2013). Scents that trigger arousal. Personal Life Media, October 10. Located at: http://personallifemedia.com/2013/10/scents-that-trigger-arousal/
Brill, A.A. (1932). Sense of smell in the neuroses and psychoses. Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 1, 7-42
Gilbert, A. N. (2008). What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life. Crown.
Graham, C.A., & McGrew, W.C. (1980). Menstrual synchrony in female undergraduates living on a coeducational campus. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 5, 245-252.
Hirsch, A., & Gruss, J. (1999). Human male sexual response to olfactory stimuli. Journal of Neurological and Orthopaedic Medicine and Surgery, 19, 14-19.
Hirsch, A. R., Schroder, M., Gruss, J., Bermele, C., & Zagorski, D. (1999). Scentsational sex Olfactory stimuli and sexual response in the human female. International Journal of Aromatherapy, 9(2), 75-81.
Hirsch, A.R., & Trannel, T.J. (1996). Chemosensory dysfunction and psychiatric diagnoses. Journal of Neurological and Orthopaedic Medicine and Surgery, 17, 25-30.
McClintock, M. (1971). Menstrual synchrony and suppression. Nature, 229, 244-245.
Sergeant, M., Davies, M.N.O., Dickins, T.E. & Griffiths, M.D. (2005). The self-reported importance of olfaction during human mate choice. Sexualities, Evolution and Gender, 7, 199-213.
Sergeant, M.J.T., Dickins, T.E., Davies, M.N.O. & Griffiths, M.D. (2007). Hedonic ratings by women of body odor in men are related to sexual orientation, Archives of Sexual Behavior, 36, 395-401.
Posted in Case Studies, Gender differences, Paraphilia, Psychology, Sex, Uncategorized
Tags: Antholagnia, Aphrodisiac, Eproctophilia, McClintock Effect, Menstrual cycle, Nasophilia, Olfactophilia, Osmolagnia, Osphresiolagnia, Ozolagnia, Pheromones, Sexual fetishism, Sexual paraphilia
Digital desires: A brief look at sexual thumb sucking and thumb fetishism
In previous blogs I have examined a number of extreme behaviours involving hands (both sexual and non-sexual) including hand wear fetishism, fingernail fetishism, 'hands on hip' fetishism, alien hand syndrome, 'touch the truck' endurance television, and thumb sucking as an addiction. However, it was while I was researching a previous blog on belly inflation fetishes that I came across a man who on the Yahoo! Answers website claimed he had a belly inflation fetish and a thumb fetish along with another person who responded saying he also shared the same fetish:
Extract 1: "Another weird fetish I have is 'hitchhiker's thumb'. Hitchhikers thumb is when the top part of your thumb bends backwards when pushed on or fully extended…The hitchhiker's thumb fetish developed when I found out that my cousins could do it. I would ALWAYS ask questions about it and I would bend her thumbs back and forth for hours. And I just get turned on by it now…is this weird?" (Male, sexual orientation unknown)
Extract 2: "I [also] have a fetish for bendy thumbs hence the profile pic. It's all good I say whatever turns u on and if not hurting anyone then it's cool" (Male, sexual orientation unknown)
Although I have read about (i) thumb bondage (mentioned in a 2007 book chapter on themes of sadomasochistic expression by Dr. Charles Moser and Dr. Peggy Kleinplatz) and (ii) thumb sucking by adult babies that are into paraphilic infantilism, I had never read anything on standalone thumb fetishes. (I would also point out that the 'thumb sucking' is just one of many baby-like behaviours that paraphilic infantilists enjoy but do not necessarily see as a source of arousal in and of itself). There is also those who say that they engage is 'thumb sex' and defined by the online Urban Dictionary as "when two people hold hands and run their thumbs around the other persons thumb or twiddle the thumbs". There are also (for want of a better word) 'cultural' references to thumb fetishes such as the instrumental song 'Mayor Oscar Goodman's Thumb Fetish' by US deathcore band Molotov Solution.
As far as I am aware there has never been any empirical research on thumb fetishism. There are various online websites and forums that feature individuals that claim to have very specific types of thumb fetishes. This is one of the more specific that I found:
Extract 3: "I'm a 34 year old men and I have thin thumbs (each ones have the same width as an American/Canadian penny, that's 0.74 inch or 19 millimeters). I got a fetish that seems to be pretty rare. It consists of being turn on by comparing my thin thumbs with a woman that has larger ones than mine. Also, the younger the woman is with larger thumbs, the better. It's pretty inoffensive, but rare I think" (Male heterosexual).
There are also whole webpages dedicated to the sexiness of thumb sucking. Here are some of the online accounts I found on the Thumb Sucking Adults website. They begin by noting that adult thumb sucking is "sexy. This fact shouldn't be too surprising in that it involves the sensual oral center [and] so much of what is human has become sexualized in one way or another that thumb sucking adults is just another part of the total picture". They then highlight some of their readers' experiences:
Extract 3: "I am a bisexual woman who finds other women sucking their thumbs extremely erotic…First of all, growing up, I had a very close friend who lived down the street from me who also sucked her thumb. Experimenting with sex at a very early age…[she] and I would spend hours together exploring our bodies and touching each other. We learned how to masturbate and although I was so young, I discovered how to reach orgasm. I think perhaps Janice and I shared a certain closeness in our friendship and later in our intimacy because we both sucked our thumbs and felt accepted by each other if not by peers who seemed to ridicule us…I can summarize that my earliest, deepest feelings of sexual desire were connected to both thumb sucking and a female partner. Many years passed and I dated men here and there, but never quite felt emotionally or sexually fulfilled [as with women]…From the e-mails I've read on your site, I have also noticed that it is mostly the men who find thumbsucking erotic. Perhaps as a woman who is mostly gay and possesses some traits and attributes more commonly associated with men…I am more turned on by this than other women. And why does it turn me on? I'm sure it has to do with my childhood friend and the feelings associated with that particular behavior"(Bisexual female).
Extract 4: "The arousal that naturally occurs when I do it. Thumb in mouth…hand on penis. This goes way back. I had contributed an early 'embarrassment' to [another website] saying that I watched a home movie in front of all our relatives and there was this shot of me, around 3 years old, standing by the garage, thumb in mouth, hand holding crotch. I had never seen that before. There was devilish laughter. I laughed along, but was shocked. I do remember a dry climax sucking my thumb when I was about 6 or 7. And my first real emission at age 12 or 13 involved thumb sucking in my bed. So it is very ingrained in me. The physical feeling of doing it brings such erotic pleasure. When I first insert my thumb in my mouth, pressing it against my palate and rubbing it back and forth about 1/2″, the stimulus begins. I don't suck continuously. I do it for 1-2 minutes and take my thumb out for about 20 seconds and then put it back in. Each time it gets better and better. The key thing is that my thumb gets wetter and softer and SMOOTHER against my palate. I am very curious if anyone else sucks their thumb this way. I don't actually SUCK it. I rub it. The other important part is that as I rub it, my tongue proceeds to pulsate. It's involuntary. There's no stopping it as long as I connect with the right spot on my palate. This enhances the feeling greatly. This dual rubbing, pulsating action. My thumb would have to be cut off to stop me from doing it. The last part of sexuality in thumb sucking is observing others doing it. I have to be honest in saying that watching…is an immense turn-on. Fortunately, I know I can control my desires" (Heterosexual male)
Extract 5: "Larry finds many things attractive in a woman. One of these things, apparently, is that she sucks her thumb. It probably is not essential that she does so (if it was, we'd be talking more along the lines of a fetish) but, if she does suck her thumb, he finds that attractive, whatever the underlying psychodynamics. I propose that his preferences aren't much different than, say, another man's predilections for big-breasted women, though both allures aren't necessarily exclusive…There are societal stigmas associated with the habit. Try sucking your thumb whenever you want to and you'll see that at least an undue amount of attention will be focused your way for a while. The point is, perhaps as adult thumb sucking becomes more widely known, it is natural that some out there will find it an endearing quality in a person…For the adult thumb sucker, this site has been liberating…And, in the case of Larry, the fact that he has felt solitude in his thumb sucking, all his adult life, it's certainly understandable to me that among all the feelings that are engendered when he sees it in another for the first time…[This website] simply proposes that adult thumb sucking is more common than otherwise assumed and should be accepted since it is, essentially, harmless and, for those that indulge, beneficial. As for thumb sucking being sexually provocative, I suppose that anything human can be sexualized by others eventually. As long as it's legal, what's wrong with that?" (Gender and sexual orientation unknown)
Extract 6: "I love adult women who still suck on their thumb. Since I was a kid, I felt an attraction for girls sucking their thumbs. My twin sister sucked her thumb till she was 16 years old! When I first started masturbating at age 12, I thought of a girl sucking her thumb. I've always looked for women that sucked their thumb and then ask them to suck it for me. When I was 18, I met a girl I suspected of still sucking her thumb. Strangely, I noticed she didn't have any marks or callus on her thumb. But from time to time, I saw teeth marks and lipstick marks on her thumb…We started to have thumb sucking sex and I loved it. She liked it also. We stayed together four years. It became a habit. She'd suck her thumb for me and then I'd suck her thumb while we made love. I never sucked my thumb but now I suck my thumb while masturbating and thinking about my former girlfriend's thumb or another girl's thumb. I always look for women sucking their thumbs in their cars while driving. I have seen three in all the years I have looked. Those times were awesome. I never tried to make contact. I am married now, but my wife never sucks her thumb. She will do it if I ask her, but that isn't the same. I like it when an adult woman does it naturally…I love a woman with a thumb callus and nice teeth (there are a few). I love to see a wet thumb. I like it when an adult sucks her thumb with the index finger over the nose. I find that very sexy" (Heterosexual male).
Extract 7: "I find thumb sucking sensual, sexual, erotic, comforting, calming…It's like catching someone at their most vulnerable. Partly because of its social taboo, it can even be slightly 'naughty'…But it is an exciting thought to me to perhaps one day 'catch' someone else thumb sucking. Thumb sucking provides sensations around the mouth and nose that can be reproduced during sex or loveplay, although thumb sucking is less tiring. It feels nice, smells nice, tickles [the] pleasure centers. It provides the sensations of skin-to-skin warmth that I think everyone of us craves…It's sensual, it's intimate. But it's also sensual and sexual. I find myself sucking my thumb after sex much like I might grab for a cigarette…But I think that thumb sucking is by far more satisfying and truly far less addicting [than smoking]. And definitely far less damaging…Quite honestly I didn't find out how much I found finger and thumb sucking an exciting part of foreplay and sex until I was 23" (Heterosexual female).
Extract 8: "I suck my thumb for the usual reasons, tension relief, to go to sleep, it feels good. But, I notice that other contributors here suck their thumb because it also feels erotic, and, I have to say, I agree…When I'm aroused, it enhances the feeling so much more. So it's obvious that I've learned to associate my thumb sucking with something sexual…When I look at the photos of women at this site, sucking away, I just find them so beautiful, so sexually enthralling….First off, there's the lips. I think most people can understand why lips can be very erotic. I don't want to get into heavy psychology, but, let's face it, lips are sexy, especially full lips, parted ever so slightly. They're like an invitation to something exciting…When I see a woman's full lips open just a bit, my tongue gets an irresistible urge to explore her sweet mouth…If her teeth were affected by thumb sucking, all the better. The thought that she can't stop her habit, and the pleasure she derives from it, even if her teeth are affected to the point of obvious buckedness adds that much more to my sensation…She looks like something innocent, childlike but not a child. Her profile, exaggerating her now protrusive lips, wrapped around a phallus-like object that is her compulsion, her requirement, her urgency…I want her thumb to feel comfortable in my mouth as I experience, once again, her essence, her habit as mine" (Heterosexual male).
Obviously this is just a small selection of online accounts of sexual thumb sucking I have come across and I can't know for sure that they are genuine (but they appear that way to me). Also, I have no idea whether these are typical but I can make a few tentative conclusions. Firstly, both males and females can find thumb sucking sexually stimulating. Secondly, sexual thumb suckers tend to be heterosexual (although one account was from a bisexual woman). Thirdly, most experiences of sexual thumb sucking are rooted in childhood experiences and that the acquisition and development of such behaviour is related with associative pairing (i.e., classical conditioning). Fourthly, no-one pathologizes the behaviour, and as long as the act is consensual, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the behaviour as a sexual preference. Finally, none of the accounts suggest the sexual thumb sucking is fetishistic – just that it is a non-normative sexual expression that fits alongside their other sexual experiences.
While researching this article I also came across the remarkable story of American Rafe Briggs (from Oakland, California) in a 2013 issue of the International Business Times. In 2004, Biggs fell off a roof and broke his neck leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. He obviously thought he would never experience any kind of sexual pleasure again but he was wrong:
"Turns out he can. Biggs, 43, says that his thumb is his 'surrogate penis', and that he gets 'orgasmic sensations' whenever it's stimulated. 'I never thought it would be possible, but massaging and sucking on my thumb, feels a lot like my penis used to feel – it's really hot" said Biggs, whose girlfriend helped him discover this phenomenon a year after the accident. Sex therapists like Lisa Skye Carle, who works with Biggs, calls it a 'transfer orgasm – where another place on the body gives the same sensation". Biggs has made it his mission to helping quadriplegics lead sexually fulfilling lives, working with the group 'Sexability' an 'organization committed to empowering people with disabilities to explore sexuality and creating intimate loving relationships. Since our beginning in 2006, we have been working with individuals, groups and organizations to transform sexuality and disability'. "
Huffington Post (2013). Rafe Biggs' thumb has become his 'surrogate penis' after accident left him paralyzed, April 22, Located at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/22/rafe-biggs-thumb_n_3132325.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news
Moser, C., & Kleinplatz, P. J. (2007). Themes of SM expression. In D. Langdridge & M. Barker (Eds.) Safe, sane & consensual: Contemporary perspectives on sadomasochism. (pp. 35-54). Hampshire, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Thumb Sucking Adults (undated). Why [thumb sucking] is sexy. Located at: http://www.thumbsuckingadults.com/mytsingissexypage.htm
Tungol, J.R. (2013). Paralyzed man Rafe Biggs has 'orgasmic sensations' through his thumb, 'surrogate penis' International Business Times. April 22. Located at: http://www.ibtimes.com/paralyzed-man-rafe-biggs-has-orgasmic-sensations-through-his-thumb-surrogate-penis-1208099
Posted in Addiction, Case Studies, Compulsion, Gender differences, Obsession, Paraphilia, Psychology, Sex
Tags: Fingernail fetishism, Hand fetish, Handwear fetishism, Molotov Solution (band), Paraphilia, Paraphilic infantilism, Rafe Biggs, Sexual fetishism, Thumb fetish, Thumb sucking
Drowning gory: A brief look at quicksand fetishes
"[There] is a natural or unexpected form of bondage where girls step into cement, wander into spider webs or sink into quicksand. Often girls find themselves in perilous or humiliating situations like being in danger of sinking under quicksand or unable to stop the advances of a horny teenager after having stepped into superglue" (Weird and Sexy website).
I used the opening quote in a previous blog on 'stuck fetishism' but is just as appropriate in the context of this article on quicksand fetishes. Such fetishes appear to be a sub-type of taphephilia (that I also examined in a previous blog on claustrophilia [sexual arousal from being in confined spaces]). Dr. Anil Aggrawal in his book Forensic and Medico-legal Aspects of Sexual Crimes and Unusual Sexual Practices defines taphephilia as deriving sexual pleasure and arousal from being buried alive. I noted in my previous blog that when I first read about this paraphilia I had major doubts about it's existence until I came across groups such as the Six Feet Under Club and the Buried Stories website. As the Buried Stories homepage asserts:
"Buried or burial whilst still alive is a nightmare to some but a joy or fetish to others. The desire to be boxed, bagged and buried is a great turn on for many. The feeling of utter helplessness as the sounds of the first shovel of dirt hits the top of their coffin. The fantasy may also involve being placed in a casket, bodybag, or other enclosure before being buried either on the beach, in dirt or even in quicksand. Encased or entombed, enclosed or just bagged. 'Buried Stories' contains stories of people being buried, sunk in quicksand or encased within an enclosure. Some may have acted out their desires whilst others have written about their fantasy to share with you"
An article about 'stuck fetishism' (on the now defunct Nation Master website) provided a typology of all the different types of stuck fetishes. There was no empirical evidence supporting the typology but has good face validity based on what I have read about the topic. The different type of stuck fetishism includes (i) sticky substance immobilization fetishes, (ii) non-sticky substance immobilization fetishes, (iii) situational immobilization fetishes, (iv) perceived situational immobilization fetish, (v) stuck clothing fetish, (vi) stuck transport fetish, (vii) stuck transformation fetish, (viii) stuck multi-person fetish, and (ix) stuck conjoinment fetish (for a detailed description of each of these fetishes, see my previous blog on stuck fetishism). These fetishes – while specific – may not be mutually exclusive, and some stuck fetishists may gain sexual arousal from more than one of these scenario. Quicksand fetishes are an example of 'non-sticky substance immobilization fetishes' (i.e., the individual is rendered immobile and derives sexual arousal from a substance that is not sticky but stops the individual from being able to move such as quicksand, mud or cement).
In an article on the Cracked.com website, 'Girls stuck in quicksand' was one of the six most bizarre safe for work fetishes they listed. The article noted:
"There's no official name for this weird fetish – yet – but that doesn't mean the Internet isn't full of videos and photos depicting it. For some people, the idea of a person, especially a woman, nearly drowning in quicksand is quite the turn on. Perhaps these viewers imagine themselves as a hero who can swoop in and save the day. Or maybe these people are aroused by the woman's fear. Either way, this is a fetish we hope you won't experience any time soon. This is a perfect example of a nearly 'safe for work' fetish – it requires no nudity or sex, and it in fact involves a situation in which sex would be utterly impossible. It's people who get aroused at the sight of fully clothed women sinking in quicksand".
The article then went on to say things that I have confirmed for myself when visiting such sites as Quicksand Visuals and Quicksand Fans:
"A cursory search online would reveal tons of sites dedicated to compiling clips from various sources of girls drowning in quicksand, and then there are the niche video sites dedicated to providing original content (there probably is a booming industry in quicksand pit installation these days). On those sites, elaborate storylines are created to justify how these lovely ladies came to be trapped in the unforgiving, bottomless pit of certain-yet-sexy death. So … maybe the quicksand thing triggers some 'damsel in distress' response in the [brain's cortex]? If there's anything lonely Internet tough guys love, it's sitting behind their keyboards visualizing all the many ways they would totally jump in and save the unfortunate lady fake drowning in a boggy marsh".
Reference was made in the paragraph above to a "damsel in distress response". In a previous blog I examined 'damsel in distress' (DiD) fetishes. I noted in thatblog that (like quicksand fetishes) it is mostly males who have DiD fetishes and that they can be very specific including (but not restricted to) such things as (i) 'kidnap and rescue' fetishes (sexual pleasure from watching or engaging in women being kidnapped and/or rescued from potentially life-threatening scenarios where they are cuffed, bound and/or controlled by another person or persons), (ii) tickle bondage fetishes (sexual pleasure from watching or tickling women while they are tied up), (iii) quicksand fetishes (sexual pleasure from watching women sink in quicksand), and (iv) 'pedal pumping' and 'cranking' fetishes (sexual pleasure from watching women stranded in their cars with repeated pressing of the gas pedal and revving up – which also has elements of foot fetishism – while turning the key in an attempt to get the engine to start).
Unsurprisingly, there are no academic papers on quicksand fetishes and very few articles of any description on the topic. One article by Jagger Gravning on the Motherboard news site wrote an interesting article on 'The fetish for video game characters trapped in quicksand' (and could arguably be classed as a sub-type of quicksand fetishism). This could also be classed as a type of toonophilia (sexual arousal from cartoon characters) that I also examined in a previous blog.
Gravning's article concentrated on the 'quicksand artists' (and other types of fetish illustrations on the Deviant Art website) rather than the quicksand fetishists (such as A-020, an artist who "draws women trapped in quicksand for the titillation of those with a predilection for such imagery") as well as interviewing various academics about the fetishistic side of the practice. However, A-020 admitted he was also a quicksand fetishist. When asked about the origins of his fetish, which he claimed were integrated with other types of fetish behaviour: "I think it could be a distant cousin of fetishes like vore and bondage with a combination of muddy and stuck elements. Those similarities may be why I find it interesting mixed with an attractive female".
Gravning wanted to know whether witnessing human beings stuck in quicksand in cartoons over and over as a child possibly lead to this unusual fetish. She asked Dr. Catherine Salmon, an evolutionary psychologist, who wrote the book Warrior Lovers: Erotic Fiction, Evolution and Female Sexuality:
"It could be something like that. Whether it's quicksand or tar pits, there are things like that in children's cartoons. It could be something as simple as that. Part of it is the damsel in distress kind of image. Watching 'Wonder Woman' caught in that kind of circumstance when people are younger—[it's] an image that's eroticized, a very sexually drawn, very feminine image. And they might enjoy watching that sort of thing or the struggle, as she's trying to get out of whatever that circumstance is. There are a lot of unusual circumstances in cartoons and fantasy and you may get aroused while you're watching it and then carry some of that too".
Gravning also interviewed Dr. Elizabeth Larson, the Director of the Seattle Institute for Sex Therapy, Education and Research. Like me, Dr. Larson sees the development of such fetishes as most likely the consequence of associative pairing early in childhood or adolescence. More specifically she noted:
"These associations that come to be associated with an aroused state and are 'accidents of learning'. These accidents of learning are most potent in the early sexual learning history, although it's not impossible later. They don't have to be exactly like the fantasy that comes. It just has to resemble it…[Quicksand fetishists] probably fantasized and got into the feeling that goes with that, not just watching. It could [also] be identifying with it. The kid imagining himself stuck in quicksand in the victim's place, for example, could be part of its erotic appeal. You could either be observing it or experiencing it. You could be doing both at the same time in a fantasy. Some evidence certainly suggests that sexual patterns are already there, for sure in males, by the age of eight [years of age]. They may or may not have begun masturbating to fantasies until adolescence but something is going on internally at a very young age".
Gravning also spoke to the US computational neuroscientist Dr. Ogi Ogas who was quoted as saying:
"While uncommon, the notion of being smothered or trapped is universal in the sense that it exists to greater and lesser degrees 'all over' [the world]. It's not just one or two people that have it. It is found in a lot of places. Clearly our normal brain design is not that far removed from [wanting to be] enveloped. It's probably something to do with our tactile system, our touch system of the brain, that's quite naturally wired to our sexual arousal system. The tactile system is also interconnected with sensations like being smothered and being interred, being doused with water. Probably, somehow – and I'm speculating here – that's what got crossed up for whatever reasons…A quirk in the brain, essentially…As we're learning more about the genetics of brain construction, we're coming to understand the genetic expression that leads to different neural wiring is highly variable and dependent on so many things [that] could happen in the womb, things that happen in early life, different environmental things. There's just myriad, myriad factors that can cause unusual neural wiring to arise. Following this logic, some boy who just happens to have the notion of being smothered or trapped somehow interconnected to his arousal system becomes aroused when he sees an attractive woman struggling in quicksand, and that image burns into his mind".
I have no idea how common quicksand fetishes are (but I would suspect it's a very niche fetish), and I doubt whether the fetish is the only type of fetishistic behaviour among such people as there is so much crossover with many other different niche fetishes (stuck fetishism, buried fetishism, etc.). As with many other extreme sexual behaviours I have examined, I can't see this becoming an area of serious academic study any time soon, but that doesn't mean it's not an interesting topic.
Encyclopedia Dramatica (2016). Quicksand fetish. May 4. Located at:https://encyclopediadramatica.se/Quicksand_Fetish
Gravning, J. (2015). The fetish for video game characters trapped in quicksand. Motherboard, March 19. Located at: http://motherboard.vice.com/read/quicksand
Ntumy, E.K. (2013). The 6 most bizarre safe for work fetishes. Cracked.com. November 7. Located at: http://www.cracked.com/article_20691_the-6-most-bizarre-safe-work-fetishes.html
Pop Crunch (2010). Quicksand, pedal pumping, tickle bondage, women in distress in general. May 11. Located at: http://www.popcrunch.com/the-17-most-wtf-fetishes-imaginable/
Posted in Case Studies, Compulsion, Obsession, Pain, Psychology, Sex, Uncategorized
Tags: Car cranking fetishism, Claustrophilia, Damsel in distress fetishes, Immobilisation fetishes, Pedal pumping fetishism, Quicksand fetishes, Sexual fetishism, Sexual paraphilia, Stuck fetishism, Taphephilia, Tickle bondage fetishism, Vorarephilia, Vore
Surprise, surprise: A brief overview of our recent papers on strange addictions and behaviours
Following my recent blogs where I outlined some of the papers that my colleagues and I have published on mindfulness, Internet addiction, gaming addiction, youth gambling, workaholism, exercise addiction, and sex addiction, here is a round-up of recent papers that my colleagues and I have published on strange and/or surprising addictions and behaviours.
Background: Muscle dysmorphia (MD) describes a condition characterised by a misconstrued body image in which individuals who interpret their body size as both small or weak even though they may look normal or highly muscular. MD has been conceptualized as a type of body dysmorphic disorder, an eating disorder, and obsessive–compulsive disorder symptomatology. Method and aim: Through a review of the most salient literature on MD, this paper proposes an alternative classification of MD – the 'Addiction to Body Image' (ABI) model – using Griffiths (2005) addiction components model as the framework in which to define MD as an addiction. Results: It is argued the addictive activity in MD is the maintaining of body image via a number of different activities such as bodybuilding, exercise, eating certain foods, taking specific drugs (e.g., anabolic steroids), shopping for certain foods, food supplements, and the use or purchase of physical exercise accessories). In the ABI model, the perception of the positive effects on the self-body image is accounted for as a critical aspect of the MD condition (rather than addiction to exercise or certain types of eating disorder). Conclusions: Based on empirical evidence to date, it is proposed that MD could be re-classified as an addiction due to the individual continuing to engage in maintenance behaviours that may cause long-term harm.
Background: Following the publication of our paper 'Muscle Dysmorphia: Could it be classified as an addiction to body image?' in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions, two commentaries by Jon Grant and Johanna Nieuwoudt were published in response to our paper. Method: Using the 'addiction components model', our main contention is that muscle dysmorphia (MD) actually comprises a number of different actions and behaviors and that the actual addictive activity is the maintaining of body image via a number of different activities such as bodybuilding, exercise, eating certain foods, taking specific drugs (e.g., anabolic steroids), shopping for certain foods, food supplements, and purchase or use of physical exercise accessories. This paper briefly responds to these two commentaries. Results: While our hypothesized specifics relating to each addiction component sometimes lack empirical support (as noted explicitly by both Nieuwoudt and Grant), we still believe that our main thesis (that almost all the thoughts and behaviors of those with MD revolve around the maintenance of body image) is something that could be empirically tested in future research by those who already work in the area. Conclusions: We hope that the 'Addiction to Body Image' model we proposed provides a new framework for carrying out work in both empirical and clinical settings. The idea that MD could potentially be classed as an addiction cannot be negated on theoretical grounds as many people in the addiction field are turning their attention to research in new areas of behavioral addiction.
Maraz, A., Király, O., Urbán, R., Griffiths, M.D., Demetrovics, Z. (2015). Why do you dance? Development of the Dance Motivation Inventory (DMI). PLoS ONE, 10(3): e0122866. doi:10.1371/ journal.pone.0122866
Dancing is a popular form of physical exercise and studies have show that dancing can decrease anxiety, increase self-esteem, and improve psychological wellbeing. The aim of the current study was to explore the motivational basis of recreational social dancing and develop a new psychometric instrument to assess dancing motivation. The sample comprised 447 salsa and/or ballroom dancers (68% female; mean age 32.8 years) who completed an online survey. Eight motivational factors were identified via exploratory factor analysis and comprise a new Dance Motivation Inventory: Fitness, Mood Enhancement, Intimacy, Socialising, Trance, Mastery, Self-confidence and Escapism. Mood Enhancement was the strongest motivational factor for both males and females, although motives differed according to gender. Dancing intensity was predicted by three motivational factors: Mood Enhancement, Socialising, and Escapism. The eight dimensions identified cover possible motives for social recreational dancing, and the DMI proved to be a suitable measurement tool to assess these motives. The explored motives such as Mood Enhancement, Socialising and Escapism appear to be similar to those identified in other forms of behaviour such as drinking alcohol, exercise, gambling, and gaming.
Although recreational dancing is associated with increased physical and psychological well-being, little is known about the harmful effects of excessive dancing. The aim of the present study was to explore the psychopathological factors associated with dance addiction. The sample comprised 447 salsa and ballroom dancers (68% female, mean age: 32.8 years) who danced recreationally at least once a week. The Exercise Addiction Inventory (Terry, Szabo, & Griffiths, 2004) was adapted for dance (Dance Addiction Inventory, DAI). Motivation, general mental health (BSI-GSI, and Mental Health Continuum), borderline personality disorder, eating disorder symptoms, and dance motives were also assessed. Five latent classes were explored based on addiction symptoms with 11% of participants belonging to the most problematic class. DAI was positively associated with psychiatric distress, borderline personality and eating disorder symptoms. Hierarchical linear regression model indicated that Intensity (ß=0.22), borderline (ß=0.08), eating disorder (ß=0.11) symptoms, as well as Escapism (ß=0.47) and Mood Enhancement (ß=0.15) (as motivational factors) together explained 42% of DAI scores. Dance addiction as assessed with the Dance Addiction Inventory is associated with indicators of mild psychopathology and therefore warrants further research.
Objectives: Dacryphilia is a non-normative sexual interest that involves enjoyment or arousal from tears and crying, and to date has never been researched empirically. The present study set out to discover the different interests within dacryphilia and explore the range of dacryphilic experience. Methods: A set of online interviews were carried out with individuals with dacryphilic preferences and interests (six females and two males) from four countries. The data were analyzed for semantic and latent themes using thematic analysis. Results: The respondents' statements focused attention on three distinct areas that may be relevant to the experience of dacryphilia: (i) compassion; (ii) dominance/submission; and (iii) curled-lips. The data provided detailed descriptions of features within all three interests, which are discussed in relation to previous quantitative and qualitative research within emotional crying and tears, and the general area of non-normative sexual interests. Conclusions: The study suggests new directions for potential research both within dacryphilia and with regard to other non-normative sexual interests.
Aims: Recent research has suggested that for some individuals, educational studying may become compulsive and excessive and lead to 'study addiction'. The present study conceptualized and assessed study addiction within the framework of workaholism, defining it as compulsive over-involvement in studying that interferes with functioning in other domains and that is detrimental for individuals and/or their environment. Methods: The Bergen Study Addiction Scale (BStAS) was tested — reflecting seven core addiction symptoms (salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, relapse, and problems) — related to studying. The scale was administered via a cross-sectional survey distributed to Norwegian (n = 218) and Polish (n = 993) students with additional questions concerning demographic variables, study-related variables, health, and personality. Results: A one-factor solution had acceptable fit with the data in both samples and the scale demonstrated good reliability. Scores on BStAS converged with scores on learning engagement. Study addiction (BStAS) was significantly related to specific aspects of studying (longer learning time, lower academic performance), personality traits (higher neuroticism and conscientiousness, lower extroversion), and negative health-related factors (impaired general health, decreased quality of life and sleep quality, higher perceived stress). Conclusions: It is concluded that BStAS has good psychometric properties, making it a promising tool in the assessment of study addiction. Study addiction is related in predictable ways to personality and health variables, as predicted from contemporary workaholism theory and research.
Background and aims: 'Study addiction' has recently been conceptualized as a behavioral addiction and defined within the framework of work addiction. Using a newly developed measure to assess this construct, the Bergen Study Addiction Scale (BStAS), the present study examined the one-year stability of study addiction and factors related to changes in this construct over time, and is the first longitudinal investigation of study addiction thus far. Methods: The BStAS and the Ten Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) were administered online together with questions concerning demographics and study-related variables in two waves. In Wave 1, a total of 2,559 students in Norway and 2,177 students in Poland participated. A year later, in Wave 2, 1,133 Norwegians and 794 Polish who were still students completed the survey. Results: The test-retest reliability coefficients for the BStAS revealed that the scores were relatively stable over time. In Norway scores on the BStAS were higher in Wave 2 than in Wave 1, while in Poland the reverse pattern was observed. Learning time outside classes at Wave 1 was positively related to escalation of study addiction symptoms over time in both samples. Being female and scoring higher on neuroticism were related to an increase in study addiction in the Norwegian sample only. Conclusion: Study addiction appears to be temporally stable, and the amount of learning time spent outside classes predicts changes in study addiction one year later.
Griffiths, M.D. (1996). Behavioural addictions: An issue for everybody? Journal of Workplace Learning, 8(3), 19-25.
Griffiths, M.D. (1999). Dying for it: Autoerotic deaths. Bizarre, 24, 62-65.
Griffiths, M.D. (2001). Stumped! Amputee fetishes. Bizarre, 44, 70-74.
Griffiths, M.D. (2001). Heaven can wait: The psychology of near death experiences. Bizarre, December, 63-66.
Griffiths, M.D. (2012). The use of online methodologies in studying paraphilia: A review. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 1, 143-150.
Griffiths, M.D. (2013). Bizarre sex. New Turn Magazine, 3, 49-51.
Posted in Addiction, Case Studies, Compulsion, Obsession, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Pain, Paraphilia, Popular Culture, Psychiatry, Psychological disorders, Psychology, Sex, Uncategorized, Work, Workaholism
Tags: Addiction to Body Image, Dacryphilia, Dance psychology, Dancing, Dancing addiction, exercise addiction, Muscle Dysmorphia, Paraphilia, Sexual behaviour, Sexual fetishism, Study addiction, Work psychology, Workaholism
To pee or not to pee? Another look at paraphilic behaviours
Strange, bizarre and unusual human sexual behaviour is a topic that fascinates many people (including myself of course). Last week I got a fair bit of international media coverage being interviewed about the allegations that Donald Trump hired women to perform 'golden showers' in front of him (i.e., watching someone urinate for sexual pleasure, typically referred to as urophilia). I was interviewed by the Daily Mirror (and many stories used my quotes in this particular story for other stories elsewhere). I was also commissioned to write an article on the topic for the International Business Times (and on which this blog is primarily based). The IBT wanted me to write an article on whether having a liking for strange and/or bizarre sexual preferences makes that individual more generally deviant.
Although the general public may view many of these behaviours as sexual perversions, those of us that study these behaviours prefer to call them paraphilias (from the Greek "beyond usual or typical love"). Regular readers of my blog will know I've written hundreds of articles on this topic. For those of you who have no idea what parahilias really are, they are uncommon types of sexual expression that may appear bizarre and/or socially unacceptable, and represent the extreme end of the sexual continuum. They are typically accompanied by intense sexual arousal to unconventional or non-sexual stimuli. Most adults are aware of paraphilic behaviour where individuals derive sexual pleasure and arousal from sex with children (paedophilia), the giving and/or receiving of pain (sadomasochism), dressing in the clothes of the opposite sex (transvestism), sex with animals (zoophilia), and sex with dead people (necrophilia).
However, there are literally hundreds of paraphilias that are not so well known or researched including sexual arousal from amputees (acrotomophilia), the desire to be an amputee (apotemnophilia), flatulence (eproctophilia), rubbing one's genitals against another person without their consent (frotteurism), urine (urophilia), faeces (coprophilia), pretending to be a baby (infantilism), tight spaces (claustrophilia), restricted oxygen supply (hypoxyphilia), trees (dendrophilia), vomit (emetophilia), enemas (klismaphilia), sleep (somnophilia), statues (agalmatophilia), and food (sitophilia). [I've covered all of these (and more) in my blog so just click on the hyperlinks of you want to know more about the ones I've mentioned in this paragraph].
It is thought that paraphilias are rare and affect only a very small percentage of adults. It has been difficult for researchers to estimate the proportion of the population that experience unusual sexual behaviours because much of the scientific literature is based on case studies. However, there is general agreement among the psychiatric community that almost all paraphilias are male dominated (with at least 90% of all those affected being men).
One of the most asked questions in this field is the extent to which engaging in unusual sex acts is deviant? Psychologists and psychiatrists differentiate between paraphilias and paraphilic disorders. Most individuals with paraphilic interests are normal people with absolutely no mental health issues whatsoever. I personally believe that there is nothing wrong with any paraphilic act involving non-normative sex between two or more consenting adults. Those with paraphilic disorders are individuals where their sexual preferences cause the person distress or whose sexual behaviour results in personal harm, or risk of harm, to others. In short, unusual sexual behaviour by itself does not necessarily justify or require treatment.
The element of coercion is another key distinguishing characteristic of paraphilias. Some paraphilias (e.g., sadism, masochism, fetishism, hypoxyphilia, urophilia, coprophilia, klismaphilia) are engaged in alone, or include consensual adults who participate in, observe, or tolerate the particular paraphilic behaviour. These atypical non-coercive behaviours are considered by many psychiatrists to be relatively benign or harmless because there is no violation of anyone's rights. Atypical coercive paraphilic behaviours are considered much more serious and almost always require treatment (e.g., paedophilia, exhibitionism [exposing one's genitals to another person without their consent], frotteurism, necrophilia, zoophilia).
For me, informed consent between two or more adults is also critical and is where I draw the line between acceptable and unacceptable. This is why I would class sexual acts with children, animals, and dead people as morally and legally unacceptable. However, I would also class consensual sexual acts between adults that involve criminal activity as unacceptable. For instance, Armin Meiwes, the so-called 'Rotenburg Cannibal' gained worldwide notoriety for killing and eating a fellow German male victim (Bernd Jürgen Brande). Brande's ultimate sexual desire was to be eaten (known as vorarephilia). Here was a case of a highly unusual sexual behaviour where there were two consenting adults but involved the killing of one human being by another.
Because paraphilias typically offer pleasure, many individuals affected do not seek psychological or psychiatric treatment as they live happily with their sexual preference. In short, there is little scientific evidence that unusual sexual behaviour makes you more deviant generally.
Abel, G. G., Becker, J. V., Cunningham-Rathner, J., Mittelman, M., & Rouleau, J. L. (1988). Multiple paraphilic diagnoses among sex offenders. Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 16, 153-168.
Buhrich, N. (1983). The association of erotic piercing with homosexuality, sadomasochism, bondage, fetishism, and tattoos. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 12, 167-171.
Collacott, R.A. & Cooper, S.A. (1995). Urine fetish in a man with learning disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 39, 145-147.
Couture, L.A. (2000). Forced retention of bodily waste: The most overlooked form of child maltreatment. Located at: http://www.nospank.net/couture2.htm
Denson, R. (1982). Undinism: The fetishizaton of urine. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 27, 336–338.
Massion-verniory, L. & Dumont, E. (1958). Four cases of undinism. Acta Neurol Psychiatr Belg. 58, 446-59.
Money, J. (1980). Love and Love Sickness: The Science of Sex, Gender Difference and Pair-bonding, John Hopkins University Press.
Mundinger-Klow, G. (2009). The Golden Fetish: Case Histories in the Wild World of Watersports. Paris: Olympia Press.
Skinner, L. J., & Becker, J. V. (1985). Sexual dysfunctions and deviations. In M. Hersen & S. M. Turner (Eds.), Diagnostic interviewing (pp. 211–239). New York: Plenum Press.
Spengler, A. (1977). Manifest sadomasochism of males: Results of an empirical study. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 6, 441–456.
Posted in Compulsion, Gender differences, Obsession, Pain, Paraphilia, Popular Culture, Pornography, Psychiatry, Psychology, Sex, Unusual deaths
Tags: Acrotomophilia, Agalmatophilia, Coprophilia, Dacryphilia, Dendrophilia, Donald Trump, Emetophilia, Eproctophilia, Exhibitionism, Frotteurism, Hypoxyphilia, Klismophilia, Necrophilia, Paedophilia, Paraphilia, Sexual fetishism, Sexual psychology, Sitophilia, Somnophilia, Transvestism, Urophilia, Vorarephilia, Zoophilia
Stitches brew: A brief look at self-harm lip sewing
In previous blogs I have examined both self-harming behaviour (such as cutting off one's own genitals, removing one's own eye, removing one's own ear, self-asphyxial risk taking in adolescence, and religious self-flagellation) and extreme body modification. One area where these two areas intersect is lip sewing. According to the Wikipedia entry on lip sewing:
"Lip sewing or mouth sewing, the operation of stitching together human lips, is a form of body modification. It may be carried out for aesthetic or religious reasons; as a play piercing practice; or as a form of protest. Sutures are often used to stitch the lips together, though sometimes piercings are made with needle blades or cannulas and monofilament is threaded through the holes. There is usually a fair amount of swelling, but permanent scarring is rare. Lip sewing may be done for aesthetic reasons, or to aid meditation by helping the mind to focus by removing the temptation to speak. BMEzine, an online magazine for body modification culture, published an article about a 23-year-old film student Inza, whose quest for body modifications was very varied. She spoke about her experiences with lip sewing as a form of play piercing".
My reason for writing this blog was prompted by a case study published by Dr. Safak Taktak and his colleagues in the journal Health Care Current Reviews. (I ought to add that I have read a number of papers by Taktak and his colleagues as they have reported some interesting other interesting case studies including those on shoe fetishism, semen fetishism, and fetishes more generally – see 'Further reading' below). In this particular paper, they reported the case of a male prisoner who had continually sewed his lips together. Although they were aware of cases of sewing lips together as a form of protest, they claimed that there had never been any case reported in the medical literature.
The case report involved a male 37-year old Turkish (imprisoned) farmer, father of two children, with only basic education. After sewing his lips together, the man was brought into the hospital by the police, along with a handwritten note that read: "My jinns imposed speech ban to me and they made me sew my lips unwillingly. Otherwise, they threaten me with my children. I want to meet a psychiatrist urgently". (Jinns I later learned are – in Arabian and Muslim mythology – intelligent spirits of lower rank than the angels, able to appear in human and animal forms and are able to possess humans). Not only were his lips sown together with black thread but he had also sewn both of his ears to the side of his head (these are also photographed in the paper and you can download the report free from here). This was actually the fourth time the man had sewed his lips together (but the first that he had sewn his ears). Each time, the doctors took out the stitches and dressed the wounds. The authors examined previous documentation about the man and reported that the man had been in prison for four years after injuring someone (no details were provided) and had been diagnosed with both anxiety disorder and anti-social personality disorder. On a prison ward comprising ten other prisoners, he had attempted suicide when trying to hang himself (in fact, you can clearly see the marks on his neck in the paper's photographs). The authors reported that:
[The man] had blunted affect. He wasn't able to stay in the [prison] ward because of the directive voices in his head. He declared he needed to stay in the ward alone. He heard all the words as swearing and he was punished by some people as well as some entities. He also said that some jinns in the form of animals threatened him not to speak and listen to anyone; otherwise they were going to kill his kids. He wanted to protect his children [and] he stitched his lips not to speak anyone and stitched his ears not to hear anyone. In his family history, he stated that his uncle committed suicide by hanging himself and saying 'the birds are calling me'; his father was schizophrenia-diagnosed".
The authors then reported:
"The patient stated that he sewed his lips with any colour of thread he could find. He had approximately fifteen pinholes on his upper and lower lips. He tended to suicide with directive auditory and visual hallucination (sic) and reference paranoid delirium. As he was imprisoned, he wasn't able to use drugs. The patient who was thought to have a psychotic disorder was injected [with] 10 mg haloperidol intramuscularly and he was sent to a safe psychiatry hospital".
As I have noted in my previous blogs on self-harming behaviour (and as noted in this particular paper), there are many different definitions of what constitutes self-destructive behaviour. This particular case was said to be suited to the psychotic behaviours characterised by Dr. Armando Favazza's three self-destructive behaviours (i.e., compulsive, typical, and psychotic) outlined in his 1992 paper 'Repetitive self-mutilation' (published in the journal Psychiatry Annals). In their discussion of the case, the authors noted:
"The cases like sewing one's own lips which we observe as a different type of destructing oneself in our case are mostly regarded as intercultural expression of feelings. The ones, who sew their lips in order to protest something, show their reactions by blocking the nutrition intake organ to the ones who want to continue their superiority. It can be expected in psychotic cases that the patients or his beloved ones might be harmed, damaged or affected emotionally. Thus, the patient who is furious and anxious might react by [attempting] violence as a reaction to these repetitive threats. Auditory hallucinations giving orders can cause the aggressive behaviours to start…In our psychotic case, this kind of behaviour is a way to prevent the voices coming from his inner world, not to answer them and hence making passive defending to world which he does not want to interact. By this means, he may harmonise with the secret natural powers which affect him and he may protect himself his children…[also] there can be a relief through sewing lips and ears or strangulation against the oppression created by the person not being able to adapt the prison…It should not be forgotten that the prison is a stressful environment and stressful living [increases] the disposition to psychopathologic behaviour that the living difficulties in prisons can affect the way of thinking and the capacity of coping and it may cause different psychiatric incidences".
As noted at the start of this article, lip sewing is typically attributed to religious reasons, reasons of protest or aesthetic reasons. In this particular case, none of these reasons was apparent (and therefore notable – in the medical and psychiatric literature at the very least). The addition of sewing his ears appears to be even more rare, and thus warrants further research.
Favazza, A.R. (1992). Repetitive self-mutilation. Psychiatric Annals, 22(2), 60-63.
Taktak, S., Ersoy, S., Ünsal, A., & Yetkiner, M. (2014). The man who sewed his mouth and ears: A case report. Health Care Current Reviews, 2(121), 2.
Taktak, S., Karakus, M., & Eke, S. M. (2015). The man whose fetish object is ejaculate: A case report. Journal of Psychiatry, 18(276), 2.
Taktak, S., Karakuş, M., Kaplan, A., & Eke, S. M. (2015). Shoe fetishism and kleptomania comorbidity: A case report. European Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Research, 2, 14-19.
Taktak, S., Yılmaz, E., Karamustafalıoglu, O., & Ünsal, A. (2016). Characteristics of paraphilics in Turkey: A retrospective study – 20years. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, in press.
Wikipedia (2016). Lip sewing. Located at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lip_sewing
Posted in Case Studies, Compulsion, Culture Bound Syndromes, Gender differences, Mindfulness, Obsession, Pain, Paraphilia, Psychological disorders, Psychology, Religion, Sex
Tags: Anti-Social Personality Disorder, Attempted suicide, Auditory hallucination, BMEzine, Body modification, Body self-mutilation, Extreme body modification, Genital self-mutilation, Intelligent spirits, Jinns, Lip sewing, Meditation, Play piercing, Psychotic illness, Psychoticism, Repetitive self-mutilation, Self-harm, Self-harming behaviour, Self-mutilation, Sexual fetishism, Stitching human lips, Visual hallucination


text:
Q: With what frequency is my script calling the API? I don't want to get cut off I'm using a json script from another stack overflow post and don't know with what frequency I'm calling the external data (from Seatgeek).
I don't want to get cut off from the Seatgeek api so I want to make sure I'm not going to bog down the system - I really only need the data to refresh twice a day.
I would not consider myself a developer so I'm not sure where to look. Can someone please help by taking a look at the script?

A: According to the Google Sheets API documentation:

Google Sheets API has a limit of 500 requests per 100 seconds per project, and 100 requests per 100 seconds per user. Limits for reads and writes are tracked separately. There is no daily usage limit.

Also, if you want to find the usage and more statistics regarding the API, you can check the Google API console and find all the information there.
For more information regarding your issue, you could check the following documentation:
[1] Google Sheets API;
[2] Google Console API Quota

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


With experience as an afterschool professional and a DJ, Jeff knows how to engage an audience. Jeff will present his latest book and help students understand what an illustration is and what it can be. Each student will have the opportunity to create their own foil under-sculpture and discover the power of imagination that resides in each of them. The group will work with Jeff to design a character. He will create a how-to video when he sculpts the character the students have designed so that the students can follow along later at home or in the classroom to create their own versions.
Call to plan out details for a custom tailored visit that will fit the age groups, students and budget at your school. Additional travel and material expenses may apply. Email or Call Jeff Today!
Contact Jeff today to book your school visit.


text:
Adenoporea é uma classe de vermes cilíndricos ecdizoários do filo Nematoda. Seu uso foi abandonado pela taxonomia moderna devido a fortes evidências de que é um grupo parafilético.
Possui as seguintes subclasses:

 Subclasse Enoplia
 Subclasse Chromadoria

Nematoda

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
package com.mangopay.core;

/**
 * Base64 encoder class
 */
public class Base64Encoder {

    private static final String base64code = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"
            + "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz" + "0123456789" + "+/";

    /**
     *
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    public static byte[] zeroPad(int length, byte[] bytes) {
        byte[] padded = new byte[length]; // initialized to zero by JVM
        System.arraycopy(bytes, 0, padded, 0, bytes.length);
        return padded;
    }

    /**
     *
     * @param string
     * @return
     */
    public static String encode(String string) {

        String encoded = "";
        byte[] stringArray;
        try {
            stringArray = string.getBytes("UTF-8");  // use appropriate encoding string!
        } catch (Exception ignored) {
            stringArray = string.getBytes();  // use locale default rather than croak
        }
        // determine how many padding bytes to add to the output
        int paddingCount = (3 - (stringArray.length % 3)) % 3;
        // add any necessary padding to the input
        stringArray = zeroPad(stringArray.length + paddingCount, stringArray);
        // process 3 bytes at a time, churning out 4 output bytes
        // worry about CRLF insertions later
        for (int i = 0; i < stringArray.length; i += 3) {
            int j = ((stringArray[i] & 0xff) << 16) +
                ((stringArray[i + 1] & 0xff) << 8) +
                (stringArray[i + 2] & 0xff);
            encoded = encoded + base64code.charAt((j >> 18) & 0x3f) +
                base64code.charAt((j >> 12) & 0x3f) +
                base64code.charAt((j >> 6) & 0x3f) +
                base64code.charAt(j & 0x3f);
        }
        // replace encoded padding nulls with "="
        return encoded.substring(0, encoded.length() - paddingCount) + "==".substring(0, paddingCount);

    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


While some of my blog entries will focus on my condo and things like decorating, cooking, and entertaining, I also want to share some of my favorite things about living in Atlanta – great restaurants, attractions, and events. As a bit of a foodie, I love trying out new places to eat. (Would love to go through restaurants that Atlanta Magazine covers and check them all off!) Unfortunately, my mortgage payments don't always leave me with a ton of money to spend each month. So I have had to get a little creative with satisfying my culinary appetite.
I don't know how it is in other cities, but in Atlanta we have a lot of restaurant groups - clusters of restaurants started by one or two main celebrity chefs. Buckhead Life is a fab example. Owned by a guy named Pano and Chef Paul, they kicked off a whole bunch of spots varying in cuisine, but with the same elite BHLG theme at each.
The Here to Serve restaurant group has also become one of my go-to places for eating out. Twist, a joint offering sushi, tapas, and awesome cocktails, also has just the right combination for me of food, atmosphere, and people when I am in the mood to hit the town. I have also enjoyed exploring their other restaurants, like Shout!, Prime, and Noche.
As an early H2S fan, I was there with an old friend one time, who managed to hook us up with Friend of Tom cards. Tom is the owner of the group, and being a FoT has traditionally given you a percentage off the total bill. In more recent days though (thanks in part to this awesome economy and restaurants having less patrons), H2S is one example of a restaurant getting more creative with their offerings. Recently they have been giving out things like 50% off the total bill (as in buy one dinner, get one free!) and free appetizers. So we have been able to try out some of the restaurants like Home (amazing) that I usually wouldn't have considered for a random Tuesday night Date Night, since they are slightly more expensive.


Zingy is a new dog walking app that lets people book a dog walker. The service could become the Uber of dog walking. Zingy says the service lets you book a "trained and educated dog walker." Zingy says dog walkers are put through a background check and in-person interviews.
The app is available for both iOS and Android devices. The app includes options for the length of dog walking service and extra options, such as food, water and treats. You can find out more about Zingy here.
Zingy CEO and founder Tobi Skovron, says in a statement, "We know that being busy at work or with the kids, going on vacation, or just having a lifestyle that's not conducive to routine plans, are all factors when choosing to become a dog owner. Even for existing dog owners, circumstances are always changing. We wanted to create an environment that makes it easier for both dog owners and the dogs themselves."


text:
Oona Orpana (born 21 January 2001) is a Finnish professional tennis player.

On the ITF Junior Circuit, she has a career-high ranking of 41, achieved on 26 February 2018.

Orpana won Finnish outdoor and indoor singles championship in 2016, and outdoor singles again in 2019 and 2021. On 29 June 2019, she won her first national doubles title (with Venla Ahti). The pair also won the national outdoor title in 2021. On national level her team is Smash-Kotka. Previously with HVS (Helsinki).

In the 2019 season, she was mainly coached by Zdenek Kubik at Prague, that was her main base in 2019. Ville-Petteri Ahti is her hitting partner/coach at Finland weeks. Her playing/training/traveling budget for 2019 was over 100,000 Euro.

In November 2019, she was awarded "Female Tennis Player of the Year" in Finland.

In autumn 2021, she moved to United States, and now represents Oklahoma State University.

Playing for the Finland Fed Cup team, Orpana has a win–loss record of 7–7.

ITF Circuit finals

Singles: 5 (1 title, 4 runner–ups)

Doubles: 9 (4 titles, 5 runner–ups)

National representation

Fed Cup
Orpana made her Fed Cup debut for Finland in 2015, while the team was competing in the Europe/Africa Zone Group II, when she was 14 years and 15 days old. This made her the youngest Fed Cup player in Finland's history.

Singles (5–5)

Doubles (2–2)

Notes

References

External links

2001 births
Living people
Finnish female tennis players
People from Hamina
Sportspeople from Helsinki


text:
Hotels That Will Scare The S*** Out Of You This Halloween
Whether you're celebrating Halloween this year or turning off the lights to avoid trick-or-treaters, something about the day makes the scary could-be happenings–that probably will never happen (knock on wood)–seem more plausible.
In honor of the spooky season, take a look at some of the scariest hotels in America.
The Stanley hotel 'shines' atop the Rockies
Although the Stanley hotel didn't actually appear in Stanley Kubrick's thriller The Shining, it did inspire Stephen King to write his famous horror novel by the same name. The Stanley, opened in 1909, is famed as one of America's most haunted hotels. Rooms 217 (where King stayed and where a hotel maid nearly fell to her death in an explosion) and room 418 (haunted by children) are where most of the paranormal activity takes place. Guests have repeatedly reported apparitions and belongings not being in the same place they had left them. The hotel itself offers resort-like amenities and outstanding panoramic views of the Colorado Rocky Mountain Range.
The Stanley Hotel
7.8 Good (790 reviews)
Meet a 'Beautiful Stranger' at the Hotel del Coronado
This Victorian masterpiece has more than 125 years of history to contribute to her haunting, but there is one ghost in particular that roams the antique corridors of the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. Her name was Kate Morgan and she killed herself on the Del's grand staircase in 1892–the result of being left waiting in vain for her love who never arrived. Hotel guests report sightings of Kate and inexplicable sudden breezes in her guestroom, as well as TV sets that sporadically switch on and off throughout the night. Kate's ghost inspired the Del's Heritage Department to write the book Beautiful Stranger, which you can pick up in the historical gift shop at the Del. Apart from beautiful Kate, the hotel offers luxurious guestrooms. modern amenities, a full-service spa and ocean-front views!
Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton
7.6 Good (2404 reviews)
Get goosebumps at the snowy Timberline Lodge
That's 'goosebumps' in the literal sense–the Timberline Lodge in Oregon is (unfortunately) not haunted — however, its exterior was used in areal shots of Kubrick's terrifying film The Shining. The Stanley hotel was the inspiration for the story of The Shining, but Kubrick wasn't satisfied with the amount of snow on The Stanley's roof, so shooting for the film moved to the Lodge for sufficient snow shots. Don't be too disappointed with the lack of paranormal occurrences, the Lodge offers cozy rooms complete with wood-burning fireplaces, snowy mountain views, and plush blankets.
Timberline Lodge
8.2 Very good (271 reviews)
Solve a murder at the Salish Lodge & Spa
Just 30 miles from Seattle, nestled in the lush Washington forestry, you may recognize the Salish Lodge from David Lynch's hit TV show Twin Peaks. The iconic setting of the resort, which overlooks the Snoqualmie Falls, was the perfect set for the eerie murder mystery unfolding on the show. Off-screen, the resort still takes center stage with each of its 84 guestrooms — all complete with an in-suite Jacuzzi and cozy fireplace. Guests can spend the day skiing the nearby slopes or hiking the misty trails then wind down in the resort's luxurious spa.
Salish Lodge & Spa
Snoqualmie
8.8 Excellent (1617 reviews)
The Roosevelt sets the scene for a psychological nightmare
The Roosevelt Hotel opened its doors to the New York streets in 1924 and now, nearly 90 years later, guests can still see feel the energy of the Roaring Twenties upon entering the Roosevelt's grand lobby. The hotel served as the backdrop to Mikael Håfström's psychological thriller 1408, starring John Cusack. In the film, Cusack's character carries the unfortunate responsibility of investigating paranormal activity in room 1408 of the 'Dolphin Hotel' (The Roosevelt), an investigation which turns to complete terror within the hotel's guestroom. Apart from its film cameo, The Roosevelt has its grand decor and classic charm to offer guests, plus modern amenities like high-speed internet, flat screen TVs and a fitness center.
The Roosevelt
7.4(13995 reviews)
A Hollywood haunting at the Roosevelt
Don't miss your chance to meet Marilyn Monroe, the starlet who captured America's hearts and became a Hollywood icon after her death in 1962, at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, California. Miss Monroe spent so much time at this posh hotel, which gained fame for hosting the first ever Academy Awards in 1929, that she purchased a full-length antique mirror for her favorite suite located above the hotel pool. Today, guests have reported seeing Monroe's ghost applying lipstick and fixing her hair in the mirror's reflection. Other celebrities like four-time Oscar nominee Montgomery Clift and ultra-glam actress Carole Lombard (catch her roaming the halls on the 12th floor where she often stayed with her husband, Clark Gable) have also made spooky appearances at the Roosevelt. Stay and play with Hollywood stars in the 20s- built hotel tower or the 50s-style cabanas.
The Hollywood Roosevelt
8.4 Very good (1763 reviews)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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