Objectum Sexuality: Can you fall in love with an object?

Have you ever heard of someone being romantically attracted to a bridge, a monument, a statue, or even a household object, like a piece of clothing or furniture? It might be surprising, but for some people, these connections with objects are very real and strong. This experience is known as objectum sexuality.  In this article, we’ll dive into knowing what objectum sexuality really means, how it originated, what science says about its possible causes, and when someone should consider seeking help. 

What Is Objectum Sexuality- Where Did It Come From?

The term “objectum sexuality” refers to falling for an object. These feelings can come out of emotional, psychological, or sexual concerns for an object. People who are in deep love with objects are known as objectum sexuals or objectophiles.  Are you surprised that this is real? Yes, this is not something hypothetical. If you search for objectum sexuality on different forums and platforms, you will find people sharing their love stories. Objectum sexuals have used these platforms to express their feelings for the objects they love.  But how did it start? Where did this term come from?  The term came into existence in the early 1970s [1], when a woman named Eija-Ritta married the Berlin Wall. She changed her name to Eija-Riitta Eklöf Berliner-Mauer, where her surname referred to the Berlin Wall. She considered the Berlin Wall as her husband and referred to it as “him.”  This is another incident from a woman named Erika [1] who had sexual feelings for the Eiffel Tower, and she ended up marrying it in 2007. She changed her name to Erika Eiffel. These incidents have gained a lot of attention in the media and made people curious about objectophiles.

What Causes Objectum Sexuality

When it comes to knowing about where this love of objects comes from, there is very limited knowledge and research present all over the internet. Many experts are still exploring how and why these strong emotional and romantic feelings toward objects develop. But from what we do know so far, objectum sexuality seems to be connected to two main areas:

1. Neurological traits – how a person’s brain processes emotions, senses, and relationships.
2. Psychological experiences – things someone has gone through in life, like social struggles, trauma, or emotional needs.

In the next sections, we’ll look at each of these causes in more detail to understand what might lead someone to form deep connections with objects.

Neurological Causes For Objectum Sexuality

There are two neurological traits and determinants that have been held responsible for this tendency of some people to form relationships with objects. These include autism and synesthesia. 1. Autism: Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, is a disorder of the brain that affects a person’s ability to interact and socialize with others. Autistic people react to things in a different way than the people who are non-autistic [2]. A study comparing objectum sexuals with the general population found that 30% of objectum sexuals among them were also diagnosed with autism [3].   There may be following reasons for this-

• The difficulties faced by autistic people to socialize may be a contributing factor for them forming connections with the objects rather than people [4].
• Autistic people see and feel objects more intensely in terms of their features, like shape, texture, and color. This can be the reason for them being more attracted towards the objects. 

While autism has become an important determinant of objectophiles, it does not mean that every autistic person is an objectophile [4]. 2. Synesthesia: This is a neurological condition where two or multiple senses start working at the same time. It can be seen when people hear something and they perceive something else. Synesthesia affects 2-4% of the population [5]. The same study that found autism as a trait in objectophiles concluded the same for synesthesia. People with synesthesia perceive and treat objects as humans, and they may assign gender or personality traits to the objects they love. [5]

Psychological Causes For Objectum Sexuality

Besides neurological factors, some psychological determinants for objectum sexuality have also been studied. These may include social isolation, childhood traumas, fear of rejection, and gender discrimination.

1. Social isolation: people who are shy have very few social interactions, and they lack interest in social activities. So instead of humans, they prefer making deep connections with objects [6]. 
2. Fear of rejection in relationships: Some people who are so afraid and tired of arguments, fights, and rejections in relationships prefer developing connections with objects over humans. 
3. Childhood and sexual traumas: Incidents that happen during childhood can have a long-lasting impact on a person's personality. It has been found out that some objectophiles have suffered from sexual and childhood traumas, which play a role in their personality development [7]. However, there is very limited research on this, and more study is needed.

Objectum-Sexuality Internationale: Love Without Judgements

The women we talked about earlier — Eija-Riitta and Erika Eiffel — didn’t just love objects, but they also wanted to help others like them. Together with their families, they created a website called Objectum-Sexuality Internationale [3] . This website is a safe space for people who are in love with objects. It doesn't try to brainwash anyone. Instead, it gives support, hope, and a sense of belonging to objectum sexuals. Now, many people wonder — is this a mental disorder? The answer is no. No, objectum sexuality is not a mental disorder. Objectum sexuality has not been included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) [8]. This manual is used by the doctors to diagnose mental health conditions. It may look weird or something unusual to some people, but it should not be criticized or looked down upon unless it causes distress or any functional impairment [6]. And is it normal to love objects? For the people who experience it — yes, it feels completely real and natural. There’s nothing to be fixed unless it’s causing pain or problems in everyday life. If someone also has conditions like autism or synesthesia, then getting professional help might be helpful — not to change who they are, but to support them better. Conclusion Objectum sexuality is a personal experience that is different from the usual ideas of love and attraction. Objectum sexuals describe this feeling as natural, real, and satisfying.  It’s important to realize that love and attachment in humans might not always be toward other people but can involve objects as well. So long as they are not harmful or cause discomfort, such relationships should be treated with the same respect. Objectum sexuality is not a mental disorder, and unless it causes serious emotional problems, it does not need treatment.