Sexplained: Why Some People Want to Get HIV: The Psychology of Bug Chasing

What could possibly drive someone to eroticize contracting HIV? This question landed in my DMs and sparked one of our most challenging explorations yet into the hidden corners of human sexuality.

Bug chasing—the fetishization of becoming HIV positive—exists at the complicated intersection of risk, power, identity, and desire. Though rare and certainly not mainstream, this phenomenon has been documented among small communities where the psychological thrill centers around intentionality rather than the physical act itself. For some, it represents surrender; for others, control; and for many, a complex reclaiming of something once feared.

The psychological underpinnings reveal fascinating insights about human sexuality. While frequently connected to risk fetishism, this isn't simply about unprotected sex—it's about the mental charge that comes from transgression. Many explore this purely through fantasy, roleplay, or erotic storytelling without crossing into real-world behavior. And though modern medicine has transformed HIV into a manageable condition rather than a death sentence, the serious lifelong implications make understanding this fetish all the more important.

We don't need to condone potentially harmful behavior to approach it with curiosity rather than judgment. When we examine even the most confronting aspects of sexuality through a compassionate lens, we create space for people to be seen, seek support, and potentially shift their relationship with these desires. Human sexuality is rarely simple—it can be messy, scary, and challenging to understand—but dragging it into the light helps us all develop healthier perspectives on desire, consent, and risk.

Keep the conversation going on Instagram and YouTube by searching Super Sex Podcast. Your recommendations help us grow, so please share with someone who approaches the weird and wonderful with genuine curiosity. Until next time, keep it sexy, keep it smart, and always keep it consensual.

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Chapters

• 0:01 Introducing Bug Chasing
• 1:29 Psychology Behind the Fetish
• 3:14 Understanding Without Condoning
• 4:46 Episode Wrap and Call to Action

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

All right, let's talk about one of the most taboo topics out there. Can someone actually want to contract an STI, specifically HIV? Now, I know it sounds shocking, it's confronting and it's controversial. And yes, it is absolutely real. It is absolutely real. This episode was sparked by a listener who slid into my DMs with a bold but honest question Is bug chasing actually real and why is it such a turn on for some people? So buckle up, because today we're diving into the complex of the misunderstood and deeply layered world of bug chasing, a fetish that lives at the intersection of risk, power, identity and desire.

Speaker 1: 0:55

In kink and fetish circles, bug chasing refers to people who are turned on by the idea of becoming HIV positive. On the flip side, gift-giving describes someone who eroticizes transmitting the virus. Now, let's be clear this isn't a common fetish, it is not mainstream, but it is real and it's been documented in research media and lived experience in research media and lived experience. So what is actually going on here? At its core, bug chasing isn't just about having unprotected sex. It's about intentionality. The arousal doesn't necessarily come from the sex itself. It comes from the risk, the transgression and, in many cases, a deep psychological charge around surrender, power or connection. For some it's about letting go, for others it's about taking control and for a few it's about reclaiming a sense of belonging by eroticizing what was once feared, in this case HIV. Psychologists sometimes place this under the broader umbrella of risk fetishism, barebacking or even paraphilic interest. But it's important to remember not every unusual sexual interest is a disorder. The critical difference is harm If it causes distress, dysfunction or non-consensual outcomes. That's when we move into clinical territory and that's where consent becomes absolutely essential. If someone lies about their STI status or knowingly infects someone without consent, that's not kink, it's abuse. But in some tightly negotiated communities, two consenting adults might eroticise the idea of transmission without actually wanting or intending it to happen. This is psychological edge play the fantasy of danger without the real life harm. Still, we need to talk about the risks. Thanks to modern medicine, hiv is no longer a death sentence, but it is still a serious lifelong condition that requires ongoing care. Some people in bug-chasing communities are already HIV positive and explore the fantasy through roleplay, dirty talk or erotica. Others chase the psychological thrill but never cross the line into real-life exposure.

Speaker 1: 3:40

The fetish lives more in the mind than in the bloodstream. So why does this happen? Well, it's complicated, like most things in sexuality. Some people trace the fetish back to shame, trauma or social isolation. For others, it's about reclaiming control over something that once felt terrifying or stigmatizing. And for some queer men it's deeply tied to desire, identity and even intimacy the fantasy of being marked, of being claimed or irrevocably connected to someone. Does that make it safe? No, does it make a human, absolutely. You see, we don't have to condone a fetish to try to understand it. Human sexuality isn't always easy to explain. Sometimes it's messy, scary or hard to look at. But when we drag it into the light with curiosity instead of judgment, we give people space to feel, seen, get support and maybe even shift their relationship with it. And that's a wrap on this Sexplained episode. Thanks for sticking with me through one of the most confronting corners of sexual psychology.

Speaker 1: 4:57

Now, if you found this episode interesting, eye-opening or even just a little bit, what the actual fuck? Do me a favor like, subscribe and share this podcast with someone you trust to handle the weird and wonderful with curiosity. Podcasts don't grow through some magic algorithm. They grow because real people like you say hey, you've got to hear this. So your recommendation? Well, it means the world to us Now. If you do want to keep the conversation going, come hang out with us on Instagram and YouTube. Just search Super Sex Podcast or click the links in the show notes. We post the spicy stuff that doesn't always make it to an episode Plus, behind the scenes takes research, deep dives and your favorite kind of chaos. Anyways, until next time, keep it sexy, keep it smart and, as always, keep it conceptual.