Automysophilia is a fetish for being dirty or being defiled. The word is a combination of several Ancient Greek words: auto meaning self, myso meaning filth, and philia meaning love.
People with automysophilia are called automysophiles. They may enjoy fantasizing about being dirty or defiled as well as the physical act of being dirty or defiled.
Automysophilia is the opposite of automysophobia, a fear of being dirty.
More About Automysophilia
Automysophiles are likely turned on by dirty sexual activity because it’s taboo. We’re told clean is attractive and that good hygiene is essential for sex. That can make going against the grain incredibly exciting and arousing for some people.
Automysophilia is considered a fairly harmless fetish and may be satisfied as part of a healthy sex life. Automysophiles may want to make themselves dirty or defile themselves, but they may also take pleasure in someone else making them dirty or defiling them. This can be a great way for an automysophile to satisfy their urges while maintaining a healthy relationship.
However, some care must be taken. If automysophiles start feeling they are being too focused on their fetish, especially if they are compromising other aspects of their life like their professional and personal relationships, they may need help. Therapy, either one-on-one or as a couple, can be beneficial in managing automysophilia.
Engaging in any kind of sex act when you’re dirty also carries greater health risks. For example, bacteria on dirty hands can enter the vagina and urethra and cause yeast infections. A simple urinary tract left untreated can spread to the kidneys and even trigger sepsis, which can be fatal.
