Sexual and Cognitive Disorders, Essay Example

Introduction

This paper examines the condition known as ‘Paraphilla’ a sexual disorder that involves fantasising  and engaging in different forms of sexual behaviour.  This from the lens of psychology and the symptoms of the disorder.

Paraphilla

This type of sexual disorder is mostly associated with men, rather than women.  It can range from sexual fetishes, inflicting self-harm and exposing yourself.   The disorder is generally consistent, for example the person who gains sexual gratification by exposing himself in public.  This form of arousal often includes the person fantasising about himself at the same time.  The concept of watching pornographic movies may be considered as sexually stimulating and this may be a healthy preoccupation if done occasionally as a means towards obtaining sexual gratification with your partner.  However, if this starts to become an habitual act it then becomes a psychological condition of ‘paraphilla’.  (Discovery Fit & Health, 2012).

Treatment for men with habits of sexually deviant behaviour can be treated with “psychotherapy, antidepressant drugs, progestin’s, and ant androgens, but these treatments are often ineffective.” (Rösler, A. 1998).    Hormone treatment is often effective where the sexual behaviour is reduced by reducing the emiting testosterone levels “long-acting agonist analogue of gonadotropin-releasing hormone” ( Rösler,  A. 1998).  This paraphilla has also been linked to causative factors with paedophiles and as such hormone treatment has been used successfully to eliminate or significantly reduce the behavioural patters of men with this sexual disorder.

Extensive research carried out within the auspices of the National Institute of Health in the state of Massachusetts has had successful results in this area. ( Comite, F. 1981)

Works Cited

Ariel Rösler, M. a. (1998). Treatment of Men with Paraphilia with a Long-Acting Analogue of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone. The New England Journal of Medicine, 416-422.

Discovery Fit & Health. (2012, 7 24). Paraphilia. Retrieved from Discovery Fit & Health: http://health.howstuffworks.com/sexual-health/sexuality/paraphilia-dictionary.htm

Florence Comite, M. G. (1981). Short-Term Treatment of Idiopathic Precocious Puberty with a Long-Acting Analogue of Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone — A Preliminary Report. New England Journal of Medicine (305), 1546-1550.