Three intimacy experts explain why some people fall in love with inanimate objects

For some people, romantic attraction does not necessarily involve another human being.

Instead, they can develop profound emotional, romantic and even sexual feelings toward inanimate objects, with experts suggesting that personal experiences and the need for connection may help explain why.

The phenomenon is known as objectum sexuality, also called objectophilia, and can involve everything from cars and buildings to clothing and technology.

But why does it happen?

Three experts have shared their insights into the psychology behind these relationships, explaining how familiar objects can take on deeply personal meanings: while emphasizing that there is no single explanation for everyone's experiences.

According to Sofie Roos, some people can fall in love with inanimate objects, like bridges (Getty Stock Image)

What is objectum sexuality and how does it work?

Sofie Roos, a licensed sexologist and relationship therapist who contributes to Swedish relationship magazine Passionerad, explained that objectum sexuality involves romantic, emotional or sexual attraction directed toward an inanimate object.

She said: "Objectum sexuality, also known as 'object sexuality' or 'objectophilia', means that a person experiences romantic, emotional and sometimes even sexual attraction to a lifeless object, such as to a building, a vehicle, a bridge, to machines, to a piece of clothing or to something completely else!"

Roos explained that experiences vary considerably, with some people feeling a strong sense of belonging to an object, while others experience sexual attraction.

However, she stressed that feeling attached to something does not automatically mean someone identifies with the term.

"Just because you feel strongly for an object, it doesn't mean that you're object sexual!" she said.

Anna Richards, sex educator and founder of Frolicme.com, also identified technosexuality as a subtype of object sexuality in which a person's primary attraction is directed toward technology.

She explained that objects involved in these experiences can include cars, shoes, statues, sex robots, toys and dolls.

Richards added that some people may subscribe to belief systems that attribute a spirit or divine presence to objects.

While the subject may sound unfamiliar to some, psychologist Esther Lapite-Garrett, founder of Alafiora, said the underlying ability to form attachments to things is a familiar part of human psychology.

She explained: "As we know, objectum sexuality, also known as objectophilia, is an emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction focused on specific inanimate objects, structures, or abstract concepts rather than other human beings or living creatures."

A toy is one object that somebody might be attracted to (Getty Stock Image)

Lapite-Garrett noted that people routinely give objects human qualities, from naming their cars to developing childhood attachments to stuffed animals.

Films such as Toy Story and Transformers also portray toys and vehicles as characters with their own personalities and relationships.

These examples do not necessarily indicate objectum sexuality, but they demonstrate how people can associate non-living things with emotions and human characteristics.

Why do people fall in love with inanimate objects?

According to Lapite-Garrett, an object's emotional significance can sometimes be connected to the people and experiences associated with it.

A gift received from someone important, for example, might become a lasting reminder of that relationship, even after the person is no longer part of someone's life.

She explained that the object can retain some of the emotional meaning attached to the individual.

The same principle can apply to vehicles, which may represent independence, protection or a sense of identity.

People have been known to fall in love with their cars (Getty Stock Image)

Lapite-Garrett said: "A car may represent protection, take us where we need to go, and provide a relatively consistent presence in our lives."

She added that people can associate particular emotional experiences with romantic or erotic feelings, potentially influencing the way they experience attraction.

Roos also highlighted the possible role of personal memories, explaining that objects can represent positive experiences, identity and security.

She said: "An object can also stand as a symbol for positive experiences, memories, your identity, the feeling of safety or even for a person you once had in your life."

However, Roos cautioned that research into the phenomenon remains limited, meaning there is no definitive answer for why some people develop these feelings.

She suggested that possible contributing factors could include loneliness, past trauma, skepticism toward other people and differences in how individuals experience social relationships.

But these remain theories rather than established explanations.

Richards similarly suggested that some people may feel drawn to objects because they do not judge them, while others might develop attraction through previous experiences involving particular items.

She also discussed how increasingly advanced sex robots can become the focus of emotional and romantic attachments, potentially providing a form of connection for some people.

Many individuals with objectophilia genuinely believe that objects have energy, feelings, or a way of communicating and reciprocating affection. (Getty Stock Image)

Does objectum sexuality mean someone has a mental health condition?

Not necessarily, according to Roos, who emphasized that experiencing an unusual form of attraction does not automatically indicate a mental health problem.

She explained: "However, objectum sexuality is rare, an unusual form of attraction doesn't mean that you're having any mental issues if you're experiencing it."

Roos added that the important consideration is whether the attachment is positive, freely experienced and does not negatively affect someone's everyday life.

Lapite-Garrett also stressed that understanding the individual should take priority over assuming a single cause.

She said: "As a psychologist, it would be my role to understand their experience rather than assume one explanation."

Although some psychological theories may help explain why objects become the focus of romantic or sexual feelings, the available research is not sufficient to establish one universal reason.

As Roos put it: "This is a field that we hopefully will get more clarity in within the next few years!"