Download Sexual Disorders & Problems

Sexual Disorders &
Problems
Sexual Disorders and Problems
• Sexual dysfunction—consistent disturbance in sexual
desire, arousal, or orgasm that causes psychological distress
and interpersonal difficulties
• 41% of women and 31% of men report sexual problems
• Low desire and arousal problems common among women
• Premature ejaculation and erectile problems common
among men
• Sexual problems were most common among young
women and men older than age 50.
• Stress and emotional problems were associated with
sexual difficulties
Categories of Sexual Dysfunctions
• Hypoactive sexual desire disorder is characterized by
little or no sexual desire
• Sexual aversion disorder is characterized by active
avoidance of genital sexual contact because of
extreme anxiety, fear, or disgust
• Dyspareunia is characterized by genital pain before,
during, or after intercourse
• Male erectile disorder is characterized by a recurring
inability to achieve or maintain an erection
• Male orgasmic disorder is characterized by recurring
delays or a complete absence of the ability to achieve
orgasm through intercourse
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Categories of Sexual
Dysfunctions
Premature ejaculation
is characterized by orgasm
occurring before it is desired, often immediately or
shortly after sexual stimulation or penetration
Female orgasmic disorder is characterized by
consistent delays in achieving orgasm or the complete
inability to achieve orgasm.
Vaginismus is characterized by the persistent,
involuntary contractions or spasms of the vaginal
muscles, which result in uncomfortable or painful
intercourse
Sexual dysfunctions may be caused by physical or
medical conditions or by psychological factors.
Many sexual dysfunctions can be successfully treated
by psychologists and physicians who have received
specialized training in sex therapy
Paraphelia
• Any of several forms of nontraditional sexual behavior
where sexual gratification depends on an unusual
experience, object, or fantasy
• The exact causes of paraphilias remain obscure.
– Exhibitionism—arousal from exposing one’s genitals to strangers
– Fetishism—arousal in response to inanimate objects (shoes,
leather)
– Frotteurism—arousal from touching or rubbing against a non
consenting person, such as in a bus or subway
– Transvestic fetishism—in heterosexual males, sexual
arousal from cross-dressing in women’s clothes
– Pedophilia—sexual fantasies, urges, or behavior involving
sexual activity with a prepubescent child
Paraphelia (continued)
• Voyeurism—sexual arousal from observing
an unsuspecting person who is disrobing,
naked, or engaged in sexual activity
• Sexual sadism—sexual arousal achieved
through intentionally inflicting psychological or
physical suffering on another person
• Sexual masochism—sexual arousal in
response to actually being humiliated,
beaten, bound, or otherwise made to suffer.
Gender Identity Disorder
Feeling Trapped in the Wrong Body
• Persistent discomfort about one’s physical gender along
with the desire to be a member of the opposite sex
• Previously termed “transsexualism” – See “The
Pregnant Man” video clip from ABC 20/20
• May undergo hormone treatment or sex-reassignment
surgery in which the existing genitalia are removed
and the genitals of the opposite sex are surgically
constructed
• A British soldier returns from Iraq and becomes a
woman. (NBC Report – 2 min)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
(STD)
• STD—any of several infectious diseases
transmitted through sexual intercourse or other
sexual contact
• Of the 12 million cases of STDs diagnosed
annually in the US, about 8 million are among
people under 25 years of age
• Many STDs have mild or no symptoms, yet left
untreated can cause serious health problems
• STDs include bacterial, viral, and parasitic
infections
The Aids Epidemic
What is AIDS?
• Acquired immune deficiency syndrome—caused by
exchange of bodily fluids (blood, blood products, semen)
containing the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV),
which attacks and weakens the immune system
• HIV can stay in the body for many years without apparent
symptoms
• When the virus becomes active, it selectively attacks a
key component of the body’s immune system: the
helper T cells. The person becomes greatly
susceptible to other diseases, including cancer,
pneumonia, and encephalitis; eventually, the person
succumbs to some opportunistic infection
• Highest risk groups are gay men, IV drug users sharing
needles, and people with multiple sex partners but largest
Prevention and Treatment
• There is no cure for AIDS yet.
• However, combinations of three or more
anti-AIDS drugs, called “drug cocktails,”
have improved both the quality and
duration of life for those infected with
HIV.
• There are steps that any person can and
should take to reduce the likelihood of
getting a sexually transmitted disease,
such as using condoms and spermicides
and not engaging in high-risk sexual
activity with new sexual partners.
Aids Epidemic in U.S.
2003
Global Aids Epidemic
2004