Addiction

[fillthebase]

Hello,

I had a nagging little question for everybody. Do you consider yourself a slave to your fetish? Is it an addiction kind of like heroin? How much self control does it take for you to get a handle on it? Do you find yourself indulging in tickling sites and what not would you have other responsibilities? Do you feel it runs your life....maybe a little bit more then you want it to? Does it sometimes feel like it's more of an addiction, something your a slave to, then a fetish?
Let me know your thoughts.

 

[Strelnikov]

I've felt this way several times over the past 30-some years. Usually it has been a precursor to THE PURGE.

You other old guys out there - has your experience been the same?

Strelnikov

 

[daddy]

I am not a slave to the fetish and it does not run my life...it's just a "part" of my life that I so much enjoy. I have had the tk fever since I was 5 years old, and yes it is on my mind every day that I live...but it does not dictate my everyday actions nor does it interfere with my responsabilities. I just simply enjoy it when the moment comes along and presents itself. I must admit, I help create some of those moments, but I don't do anything that would cause me to focus all my attention on the subject and lose track of what life is really about. The tickling stuff is like desert to me...when it happens, I am a happy man. I don't sulk if it doesn't happen the way I want it to. To many other things to accomplish to worry about it. But I still love it!!!!!!

daddy

 

[Giantfan]

Im like 'daddy'.............

Im much like daddy, I don't consider myself a slave to my tickle fetish. All my life I've loved female feet and most especially tickling those feet. There may have been days that it became an obsession, but only for a moment. I say this because I believe I've learned that this thing of ours isn't the sum and total of life. Its just a small part. It's something sexual and we all know we spend much more time thinking about sex, rather than engaging in sex.

I've dated all kinds of women both ticklish and non-ticklish. I married a women with ticklish feet. Unfortunately she was so ticklish that it almost was painful for her to be tickled. I respected that. Now Im divorced but believe me it had nothing to do with my love of tickling. Since my divorce I met someone who became very important to me. She loved it when I played with her feet. She wasn't ticklish. I'll tell you, it didn't matter. What mattered was how I felt about her completely, not just how much I could tickle her feet.

I would truly worry about myself if I started making decisions about people based on my fetish. I'd worry because of how narrow my overall focus would be. Man I really appreciate this group. It means alot to me. But I try to keep it in its proper perspective.......tickling is FUN, not LIFE!

 

[Bootman]

Here's my take on this...I have a fetish just like my boot fetish..It doesn't take over my life, but I appericate everytime I see a woman getting tickled in real life, on the computer or tv. As far as my marriage goes, my wife at the time was ticklish..As time grew on she lost it..It was important to me and other things and so the marriage fell apart..But it wasn't the only factor. It just my release or the thing in life that makes me happy. My next wife will be ticklish..Hopefully she won't grow out of it..🙂

 

[lacorneja]

There is a silver lining to this cloud.

As I see it, if you are not hurting anyone and not breaking any laws, you strugle is one that must be fought from within. If tickling has at any time in your life caused you to do either one of these two things then it's time to take a long look inside. Anything we encounter in life that is an enjoyable pass-time must be regulated with a measure of self control or it will in fact consume us. That is the stuff addictions are made of, and if you think that kind of behavior reserves itself for just drugs and alcohol you are fooling your self.

Now for the lighter side. I consider myself lucky to have this extra measure of appreiation for the human (female in this case) experience.
How shallow and un-imaginative sex and relaionships must be for people who do not have or cannot face their kinks and fetishes! People like us are special because we bring so much more to the table in our relationships. Never let the "main-stream" make you feel like an out-sider or a minority. The fetish is something that brings a little sunshine in to your life. I approach the concept of how much time I spend pursuing this interest as the time and energy anyone
would spend on any hobbie. A small pocket of enjoyment to keep us from going over the edge.
🙄

 

[thefeatheroom95]

i dont see it as an addiction. i enjoy coming here and reading and responding as a stress reliever from my dat, but that doesnt mean i come here everytime im stressed out. Tickling is more of a hobby than an addiction for me.

 

[Oblesklk]

This is a great topic.

That being said, I don't think I've ever been a slave to my interests. Self delusion talking? Well perhaps, but I like to look at things realistically.

I don't feel as though I'm addicted by any means. On the other hand, when there's a tickling related project I'm doing, I tend to get focused to the point of addiction. You all know what I"m talking about...when you get really excited about something. Whether it's writing a book, drawing, or anything else that requires creativity. Sometimes you just lose track of the outside world when you focus on one project too much.

But as for the feelings themselves, they come and go with the tides. There are days I barely think about tickling at all. Odd, but true. On September 11th, since that second I turned on my radio, tickling was not even close to being even 10th on my list of important thoughts that day. Then there are other days in which it does drive me. But I enjoy that drive, because it usually ends in something productive.

I think constant exposure to the net and tickling has dulled that initial heartbeat skip that I used to get when I was growing up. But every once in awhile, it comes back.

 

[dvnc]

Slave to tickling? Nope. More focused within this community, now that it's present in my world. More focused on the folks into this, after datin' women who liked bein' tickled to begin with.

Doesn't run my live any more than being heterosexual runs my life. I recognize that aspects of this fascination are present in my sexuality, so I'm not surprised when I *do* have a stronger interest when a woman responds well to tickling.

Recall that, unless you were of decreased libidal drive as a teen, everyone I recall from puberty's onset was over-focused on their sexual interest. If you're JUST NOW getting "in-touch" with interest, and accepting it as a truth for you, it does take a while before the response decrements to a more reasoned level.

Wait until you've played a number of times. Many at gatherings, here on the West Coast and in others, find that the more agressive fascination matures and becomes a lot more managable. Can't recall the last time I felt even remote guilt when a tickling in public caught my interest. I find I just laugh with those playing. No one notices anything unusual, 'cause it ain't unusual.

Like anything with a sexual aspect, you have to accept it for what it is, and accustom to it. Once you've done that, it ceases to tweak you. I don't sweat anyone knowing, anymore. I've friends who've "discovered" this interest of mine through former lovers (most of whom later apologized like they outted some dark secret, oddly enough). My friends don't really care. My friends generally don't want to know my sexual side, and I don't want to know much about theirs. That's something that can stay private, as far as I'm concerned, unless we share interests.

Those that know, think it's no big deal. No harm, no foul, so to speak. I've had some ask about "fair-play" aspects, and once I've explained consentual play, and the rules for such, no one seems to sweat this.

If they did, I'd be short a friend. I don't need the grief, and I've many friends.

It wanes as you accept it, like the libidal drive in "normal" interests. Recall your responses to attractive, scantily-clad folk of the opposite gender, as a youth. Does this still happen? Not likely. Wait'll your thirties. In the mean time, accept that the interest is there, and broaden your perspective. As my wise friend, Oblesklk, illustrates, there are greater things on which to focus.

dvnc

 

[fillthebase]

I appreciate the response and advice.


Thanks,
-Fill

 

[Dave2112]

I am 33 and I've been into tickling even before puberty, so I don't even think it's a sexuality thing, per se...although now it of course has those leanings. There are times where it's the only thing on your mind, but that is true with any fetish. It's only when it totally consumes your life tht there may be a problem. Let's also recognize the difference between an addiction and an obsession.
Am I ADDICTIED to tickling...yes. It is a part of my life and my psychological make-up. I couldn't imagine not thinking about it, nor could I just "decide" to never do it again.
Am I OBSESSED with tickling...no. I have other interests, and it doesn't consume my EVERY thought. I don't find myself planning my life around it.

So don't worry about it. Back in the '80's when some of us older guys thought we were the only ones, it got kind of rough at times. No one to talk to about it, and almost impossible to find decent media. Nowadays we've got forums such as this and a wealth of friends in the community. Maybe a bit of overload from time to time? Sure. But that's true with anything good...chocolate cake, pizza, whiskey, pot. If you start annoying people by tickling them in public (and I mean really going at it, not just an innocent poke)...then maybe you should search yourself. But if you're just like the rest of us...simply enjoy the ride.