Definition

Sexual preference disorder, or what in medical language is called paraphilia, is a condition in which a person's sexual arousal and satisfaction depend on fantasizing and engaging in atypical sexual behavior (which is unusual and is not generally considered sexually arousing by other people). and extreme. Paraphilia comes from Greek; para means around or beside, and filia means love. The definition of paraphilia is any emotional disorder characterized by sexually arousing fantasies, urges, or behaviors that are recurrent, intense, occur for at least 6 months, and cause significant distress or interfere with the sufferer's work, social functioning, or other important areas of functioning.

Paraphilias can take the form of an attraction to certain objects (children, animals, underwear) or certain behaviors (inflicting pain, exposing oneself). This attraction creates a sense of satisfaction that causes dependence on the object or behavior for sexual purposes. The focus of paraphilic attraction is usually very specific and unchanging. Most paraphilias are much more common in men than women. It is difficult to get data on the number of paraphilia sufferers, because most sufferers feel embarrassed and are reluctant to admit it.

Causes

The exact cause of paraphilia in a person is not yet clearly known. Some experts believe that paraphilias are caused by childhood trauma, such as sexual abuse. Another theory states that an object or situation can cause sexual arousal if these things are often and repeatedly associated with sexual activities that give rise to satisfaction. In most cases, individuals with paraphilias have difficulty establishing personal and sexual relationships with other people. Most cases of paraphilia occur in adolescence and continue into adulthood. The intensity and occurrence of fantasies associated with paraphilias vary among individuals but usually decrease with age.

Risk Factor

Several factors can increase a person's risk of suffering from paraphilia, including:

• Biological factors. It is suspected that there are several differences in brain structure and brain activity during sexual activity in paraphilia sufferers. Apart from that, it is often associated with lower IQ scores than those who do not suffer from paraphilia.
• Have other mental disorders, such as anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• Having problems in childhood psychological development stages such as:
• Temperament: the tendency to be too easily triggered by emotions and unable to control one's behavior.
• Early relationship formation stage: lack of stable sense of self and difficulty managing emotions, as well as in seeking help and comfort from others.
• Repetitive trauma: People who are victims of sexual abuse or other forms of abuse, especially if it occurred during childhood, may identify with the perpetrator to such an extent that they act out what was inflicted on them at the expense of others in several ways.
• Disturbed sexual development: Patterns that give rise to sexual satisfaction tend to form during adolescence. People who grow up in households that are too permissive or closed regarding matters of sex education are at higher risk of developing paraphilia.
• Family factors, such as high conflict between parents or low parental supervision, lack of love from the mother, and generally not feeling treated well by parents. People with paraphilias tend to have difficulty making and maintaining friends and other relationships.

Symptoms

Symptoms of paraphilia usually include interest or interest in an object or behavior to obtain sexual satisfaction, until obsession occurs which can interfere with the person's efforts to think about other things or engage in more conventional sexual activities. Paraphilia sufferers may experience temporary depression or anxiety that may resolve after engaging in paraphilic behavior, leading to a cycle of addiction. The desired sexual stimulants for paraphilia sufferers vary according to the type of paraphilia they are experiencing. Paraphilias involve behavior that goes against norms or rules, often causing symptoms of guilt and fear of punishment.

Here are several types of paraphilia, each of which has a different focus on the sufferer's sexual desire:

• Voyeurism: watching/peeping without permission on another person being naked, changing clothes, or engaging in sexual activity
• Exhibitionism: exposing one's genitals to other people in public places
• Frotteurism: touching or rubbing another person's genitals without consent
• Masochism: getting satisfaction from being humiliated, beaten, or tied up
• Sadism: obtaining sexual gratification from viewing another person's physical or emotional suffering
• Pedophilia: interest in sexual activity with children or preteens (usually 13 years of age or younger)
• Fetishism: sexual attraction to inanimate objects (underwear, shoes, latex clothing, etc.) or very specific body parts (partialism), for example breasts, buttocks, and feet. Examples of specific fetishism include somnophilia (sexual arousal derived from an unconscious person) and urophilia (obtaining sexual pleasure from the sight or thought of urine or urination)
• Transvetism: getting sexual satisfaction by wearing clothes of the opposite sex (cross-dressing)
• Autogynephilia is a form of transvetism that refers specifically to men who become aroused by thinking or visualizing themselves as a woman.
• Certain other paraphilias: some paraphilias do not meet full diagnostic criteria for a paraphilic disorder but may have uncontrolled sexual impulses that cause the sufferer enough distress to be recognized. Examples of such specific paraphilias include necrophilia (corpses), scalogia (obscene phone calls), coprophilia (feces and defecation), and zoophilia (animals).

Diagnosis

In diagnosing paraphilia, the doctor will start by conducting an interview. You may be asked a series of questions from a standard questionnaire or self-test to help assess the presence of paraphilia symptoms. The doctor will also conduct a thorough exploration of any previous medical history and current symptoms so that paraphilia can be differentiated from other types of mental disorders. To qualify for a diagnosis of paraphilia, sufferers must experience:

• Recurrent and significant sexual desire for the object of their attraction
• Acting on that interest in an urge, fantasy, or behavior
• Experiencing these symptoms for at least 6 months to the point where the sufferer is experiencing a significant level of distress or interference with his or her work, social functioning, or other important aspects of life

Management

Treatment for most paraphilia cases usually takes the form of counseling and therapy to help the person change their behavior, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Medications can also help reduce the compulsions associated with paraphilias and reduce the number of deviant sexual fantasies and behaviors. In some cases, medications that affect a person's sexual hormones may be prescribed for individuals who frequently experience abnormal or dangerous sexual behavior. These medications work by reducing an individual's sex drive.

Complications

Often, paraphilic behavior is felt by the sufferer to be necessary to fulfill their sexual needs, even though in reality this can also be a source of significant suffering. Paraphilias can cause personal, social, and work problems, and someone with paraphilia can be called a "pervert." Related behavior may also have serious social and legal consequences.

Prevention

There is no known definite way to prevent paraphilia from appearing in someone. Prevention of paraphilic behavior usually involves reducing psychosocial risk factors during its development. In addition, preventing future paraphilic behavior usually focuses on preventing paraphilic sufferers from having access to the object or objects that trigger it.

When to see a doctor?

If you experience symptoms of paraphilia that have disrupted your personal, social and work life, and caused excessive stress and pressure, then consult a doctor for help.

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