Sexual disorders – types and treatment of sexual dysfunctions
Sexual disorders or psychosexual disorders are pathological deviations related to the human sexual sphere. Sexual disorders are divided into paraphilias, gender identity disorders and sexual dysfunctions. Symptoms of the course of a given disorder usually concern the mental sphere, but it happens that they also have a biological or physiological basis. If you suspect any deviation in the sexual sphere that makes life difficult or causes pain to the sick person or relatives, you should immediately contact a sexologist. Check what types of sexual deviations there are and find out what treatment for sexual disorders looks like.
Sexual dysfunction can have different origins and course characteristics. According to the main classification of sexual disorders, three types can be distinguished: gender identity disorders, sexual preference disorders (paraphilias) and sexual dysfunctions. According to research, almost half of the population has symptoms of sexual dysfunction and disorders (43% of women and as much as 46% of men).
The reasons for this state of affairs may have various grounds: physiological, social, cultural, psychological or psychosomatic. Treatment of sexual disorders is carried out using pharmacological agents and sexological, psychological and even psychiatric therapies.
Untreated sexual disorders and dysfunctions can make the life of the sick person and their relatives much more difficult, and lead to the development of serious mental and even physical diseases.
Sexual disorders – types
Sexual disorders can be divided into three main types. Among them, the most common ones are worth mentioning:
1. Disorders of gender identity
Transsexualism is one of the basic and main gender identity disorders. It is a disorder in the course of which gender identity is inconsistent with morphological sex. As a result, we have a strong desire (maintaining for a period of at least 2 years) to change the current sex to the opposite one. The causes of this disorder have different background: genetic, neurological, environmental, endocrine and occur in both sexes. Gender reassignment surgery is performed to bring the mental and physical identifications into line.
2. Disorders of sexual preference (paraphilias)
Disorders of sexual preferences, or paraphilias, were formerly colloquially called perversion or perversion. Today, they are treated as serious disorders that should not be underestimated. Paraphilias are sexual deviations concerning the course of sexual intercourse and activities related to it. A person suffering from a given type of paraphilia cannot achieve full sexual fulfillment without the occurrence of certain situations and rituals or without the appearance of specific objects during sexual intercourse.
The most common disorders of sexual preference include:
- BDSM – is the most complex type of sexual preference disorder, because it can consist of many types. The main essence of BDSM is sexual dominance, where one person is the dominant or dominatrix (in this case a woman) and the other person plays the submissive role. This sexual disorder is done through the method of punishments and rewards, and the partners must agree to it. BDSM does not only apply to the bed sphere, some partners also introduce it to everyday life.
- Exhibitionism – is a disorder that consists in publicly exposing intimate places and masturbation, most often in front of a surprised and unexpected person.
- Fetishism – is feeling a strong desire for specific parts of the body, e.g. feet, breasts, buttocks or parts of clothing, e.g. stockings, underwear or shoes.
- Pedophilia – is a pathological sexual deviation that consists in feeling arousal through intercourse with a child who has not yet entered puberty.
- Sexual masochism (sadomasochism) – a person suffering from this type of disorder derives pleasure from experiencing pain during sexual intercourse.
- Sexual sadism is physical arousal obtained by causing another person physical and mental pain and suffering.
- Voyeurism – is a sexual disorder that consists in obtaining sexual fulfillment by spying on a naked person or people having sex, not realizing that they are being watched.
- Transvestic fetishism is the act of dressing up as a heterosexual person of the opposite sex.
3. Sexual dysfunctions
Sexual dysfunction affects more and more people and is currently the most common type of sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunctions can have various symptoms and usually have a physiological and psychological background at the same time. This type of sexual disorder consists in the inappropriate course of sexual reactions.
The most common dysfunctions include:
- Erectile dysfunction (impotence) – is the inability to achieve a full erection or the problem with maintaining it. There are three degrees of this dysfunction: mild (short-term), moderate (occasional) and severe (permanent erectile dysfunction).
- Hypolybidemia – commonly known as sexual frigidity. It consists in the lack of sexual needs in the phase of excitement and desire.
- Anorgasmia is the physical inability to achieve orgasm despite sexual attraction.
- Premature ejaculation – statistics show that as many as 37% of men suffer from premature ejaculation. This disorder involves reaching arousal and orgasm too quickly against the will of a man.
- Vaginismus – is an unpleasant ailment among women, which consists in involuntary contractions of the vagina (leading to its tightening), which prevent sexual intercourse. Vaginismus can be both somatic and psychological.
- Dyspareunia – is the feeling of pain during sexual intercourse, which can have many different sources. Dyspareunias can be caused most often by infectious, postpartum, psychogenic, menopausal and contraceptive factors.
Sexual disorders – causes
Sexual dysfunction can have a number of different causes, among which there are three main sources of origin:
1. Biological factors
Biological factors that influence the development of sexual disorders are most often diseases and addictions. Numerous studies have shown that diseases such as stroke, diabetes, multiple sclerosis or ischemic heart disease can have a significant impact on the formation of sexual dysfunctions in both women and men. Addictions are another significant factor causing sexual deviations. Stimulants that promote the development of such disorders as premature ejaculation, erection problems, hypolibidemia or numerous sexual preference disorders are primarily drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.
2. Mental factors
Among patients suffering from sexual dysfunction, mental problems are often found coexisting with a given type of sexual dysfunction. People who go to a sexologist with their problems often report a difficult childhood, living in poverty and poverty, sexual abuse in childhood, mental and physical abuse, as well as lack of acceptance, fears and complexes. Sometimes, also in adult life, the patient suffers from a failed relationship in which he is used and not accepted, which has a devastating effect on his mental health.
3. Socio-cultural factors
In today’s age, where access to pornography is possible for everyone, more and more young people have problems with sexual dysfunction. This is due to the fact that the sexuality created in pornographic films or in the mass media often differs from the reality. Then, during sex with a partner in real life, there can often be dissonance and sexual unfulfillment that develops various kinds of deviations and deviations. Other important social and cultural factors influencing our sexuality are stereotypes about sexual roles in a relationship and religion.
Sexual dysfunction – treatment
Sexual dysfunction is subject to specific treatments depending on the strength and degree to which it occurs. Sexologists, psychologists and psychiatrists treat sexual disorders. How they will guide a given person depends on what is the underlying cause of the sexual dysfunction or sexual disorder that the patient is exhibiting.
In order to discover the cause, therapies and psychological tests are used, during which the doctor looks for the source of a given deviation and selects appropriate pharmacological agents, if necessary. When sexual dysfunction turns out to be mainly physiological in origin, the patient is referred to, for example, a gynecologist or urologist .
If you feel that you are suffering from a problem related to the sexual sphere, you should see a doctor as soon as possible, who will skillfully make a diagnosis and start proper treatment.
