| Paraphilia |
Articles about Paraphilia |
Information AboutParaphilia |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT PARAPHILIA | |
| paraphilia | |
| human sexualityparaphilia | |
| human sexuality | |
| human sexuality | |
| sexual attraction | |
|
In Psychology and Sexology , paraphilia (in Greek ''para'' παρά = besides and ' -philia ' φιλία = love) is a term that describes Sexual Arousal in response to sexual objects or situations which may interfere with the capacity for reciprocal affectionate sexual activity. However it is important to notice that the term can be and is also used to imply "less mainstream sexual practices" but without necessarily negatively implying any dysfunction or 'wrongness'. DEFINITION The word is used differently by different groups. As used in Psychology or Sexology , it is simply a neutral Umbrella Term used to cover a wide variety of atypical sexual interests. ;Clinical definition: A paraphilic interest is not normally considered clinically important by clinicians unless it is ''also'' causing suffering of some kind, or strongly inhibiting a "normal" sex life (according to the subjective standards of the culture and times). ;Lay-public view: Paraphilia is sometimes used by laypeople in a more judgmental or prejudicial sense, to categorize )'' ;Usage of the term in English: The term "paraphilia" is rarely used in general English, with references to the actual interest concretely being more common. Some see the term as ''helping to aid objectivity'' when discussing Taboo behaviors or those meeting public disapproval, but which may not in fact be a problem. Some have even interpreted the term pejoratively, seeing paraphilias as "rare conditions or serious disorders" that should either be criminalized or require serious treatment. ;Clinical warnings: It is worth noting typical clinical warnings given against improper assumptions about paraphilias:
:(Source: Psychiatric Times ) ;Social norms: What is considered to be " Perversion " or "deviation" varies from society to society. Some paraphilias fall into the kinds of activities often called 'sexual perversions' or 'sexual deviancy' with negative connotations or ' Kinky sex' with more positive connotations. Some specific paraphilias have been or are currently Crime s in some jurisdictions. In some religions certain sexual interests are forbidden, and this has led to some people believing that all paraphilias must be Sin s. Since the development of Psychology attempts have been made to characterize them in terms of their Etiology and in terms of the ways they change the functioning of individuals in Social situations. Some of these psycho-medical Etiologies and descriptions have allowed many societies and religious/ethical traditions to view some of the paraphilias in a less negative light, at least in some circumstances. Some behaviors that might be classified as paraphilias by some subsets of society may be viewed as harmless Eccentricities by other Subsets Of Society , or entirely normal behavior within other societies. Due to the somewhat subjective nature of their definition, the specific acts included under the umbrella of ''paraphilia'' vary from time to time and from place to place, and indeed from edition to edition of such works as the '' Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders '' (DSM). HISTORY OF THE TERM The term was coined by Viennese psychotherapist Wilhelm Stekel (in his book ''Sexual Aberrations'') in 1925, from the Greek ''para-'' (beside) + ''philos'' (loving), and first used in English in Stekel's translated works. It was not in widespread use until the 1950s, and was first used in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM) in 1980. It was used by Sigmund Freud , as well as by the Sexologist John Money . CATEGORIZATION OF PARAPHILIAS There is much debate about what (if anything) should constitute a paraphilia, and how these should be clinically classified ''(see Controversy , below)''. Clinically recognized paraphilias Clinical literature discusses eight major paraphilias individually, and according to the '' Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders '', the activity must be the sole means of sexual gratification for a period of six (6) months, and cause "marked distress or interpersonal difficulty" to be considered such. Note that their listing in DSM is mostly because, either due to widespread commonality or the nature of any psychological distress, standardized clinical assessment methods (as opposed to general guidance) is considered valuable for these. They are:
Other paraphilias are grouped together under "Other paraphilias not otherwise specified." Homosexuality was previously listed as a paraphilia in the DSM-I and DSM-II , but this was declassified from both DSM-III and DSM-IV , consistent with the change of attitude among psychiatrists. There is still a disorder of homosexuality, but this refers to clinical distress caused by the ''repression'' of homosexuality. Likewise, Zoophilia was clinically re-evaluated between DSM-III and DSM-IV as a result of research, and is now not considered a clinical problem unless distress is caused. As of 2004, Transvestic Fetishism was still listed as a paraphilia in the DSM-IV-TR . There are also many other paraphilias, both common and rare. It seems that anything can (in theory) become sexualized, given the right circumstances, and that therefore paraphilias can (in theory) encompass almost any imaginable subject. PSYCHOLOGY OF PARAPHILIAS Behavioral imprinting Observation of paraphiliac behavior has provided valuable scientific information on the mechanisms of Sexual Attraction and Desire , such as Behavioral Imprinting . Careful investigation has also led to the tentative conclusions that normal biological processes may sometimes be manifested in idiosyncratic ways in at least some of the paraphilias, and that these unusual manifestations are frequently associated with unusual (and especially traumatic) events associated with early sexual experience. They tend to be caused by Classical Conditioning in that a sexual stimulus has been paired with stimuli and situations that do not typically result in sexual response, then perpetuated through Operant Condition because the sexual response is its own reward or Positive Reinforcement . VIEWS ON PARAPHILIAS Religious views See Also: Religion and sexuality Some religious adherents view various paraphilias as deviations from their conception of God's original plan for human sexuality, or from their religious laws. Depending in part on the nature of the paraphilia in question, judgements can differ as to whether religiously it should be considered a case of sexual Sin , or of Mental Illness . Another variable is whether it is the acting out, or (less commonly) just the desirous thought alone, which is critically viewed in such cases. In any event, several paraphilias are viewed negatively (or with distaste) by various religions. Legal views As a general rule, the law in many countries often intervenes in paraphilias involving young or adolescent children below the legal Age Of Consent , nonconsensual deliberate displays or illicit watching of sexual activity, harm to animals, acts involving Dead People , harassment, nuisance, fear, injury, or assault of a sexual nature. Separately, it also usually regulates or controls Censorship of Pornographic material. ''Non-consensual'' exhibitionism, where people who have not previously consented to watch are exposed to sexual display, is also an offense in most jurisdictions, as is non-consensual voyeurism. ''(See Indecent Exposure and Peeping Tom )'' ''Non-consensual'' sadomasochistic acts may legally constitute assault, and therefore belong in the list below. Some jurisdictions criminalize some or all sadomasochistic acts, regardless of Legal Consent and impose liability for any injuries caused and that, for these purposes, non-physical injuries are included in the definition of Grievous Bodily Harm in English Law . ''(See Consent (BDSM) )'' The paraphilias listed below may carry a condition of illegality in some areas if acted out (though they may usually be legally role-played between Consenting Partners ).
''The following paraphilias are often more common among Serial Killers :''
Controversy over the term The definition of various sexual practices as paraphilias has been met with opposition. Advocates for changing these definitions stress that, aside from "paraphilias" with a criminal element, there is nothing inherently pathological about these practices; they are undeserving of the stigmatism associated with being "singled out" as such. Those who profess such a view hope that, much as with the removal of Homosexuality from the DSM (''see'' Homosexuality And Psychology ), future psychiatric definitions will not include most of these practices. LIST OF PARAPHILIAS Also see article -philia for "-philias" in other fields ''Note: This article needs some clean-up. Many terms have been represented incorrectly. Terms with the ''-philia'' suffix refer to conditions in which the person's primary sexual interest involves the stimulus or situation mentioned. Each term with the ''-lagnia'' suffix refers to any action involving the stimulus or situation. For example, someone who is consistently sexually excited by feces would have coprophilia; any sexual act involving feces, even by someone for whom that is not a primary interest, would be coprolagnia.''
:: Balloon Fetishism -- Breast Fetishism -- Foot Fetishism (podophilia) -- Fur Fetishism -- Leather Fetishism -- Lipstick Fetishism -- Medical Fetishism -- Panty Fetishism -- Robot Fetishism -- Rubber Fetishism -- Shoe Fetishism -- Smoking Fetishism -- Spandex Fetishism -- Transvestic Fetishism (see below)
Note: # Sadism and masochism are often grouped together, under Sadomasochism , or (as a lifestyle interest) BDSM . See also " Bondage And Discipline " and Algolagnia . PARAPHILIA IN POPULAR CULTURE
SEE ALSO
EXTERNAL LINKS |
|
|